The days blend together–no sleep, morning coffee time with our computers, exercise, meal preparation, more exercise and maybe more exercise. You aren’t sick when you have a knee replacement and once the first couple of weeks went by I was able to start vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms and cooking. The Cowboy was very glad.
Here is a photo of one of the “exercises” I do–there are three 16oz water bottles in the bag hanging from my knee. I sit for 5-7 minutes with that bag hanging from my knee 3-4 times per day. I have to have distraction so I read or call someone and talk for the duration. It is not comfortable but it’s straightening my leg to that zero degrees the therapist wants.
The Cowboy was called into repair duty this week when the dishwasher made a horrible grinding noise then wouldn’t drain. We purchased this dishwasher in 2011 after the initial dishwasher in this house failed at less than 10 years. This is a Blomberg, a high end dishwasher and I wasn’t happy that once again in ten years or less we were going to have to purchase another dishwasher. I told the Cowboy I was going to buy the cheapest one I could find if the stupid things weren’t going to last any longer than 10 years. He fixed it–is anyone surprised?? The dishwasher has a little cylindrical removable basket in the bottom where “trash” can collect. I seldom take it out as I am very careful to rinse large particles from the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Well, it seems a little plastic piece from the bottom of that basket broke off and got stuck in one of the pumps–the grinding noise I heard. It took the Cowboy a while to find that little problem! We also had to find new plumbing parts in town as the Cowboy wasn’t happy with the way he plumbed the dishwashers 20+ years ago.
Friday marked a month since my surgery. Our high temps this week haven’t been very high, in fact one day our high was 7 degrees!!! So all that white stuff is still around. The Cowboy plowed our driveway and the area between the house and garage. I’ve ventured out in sturdy shoes with my cane to play with the Emmi girl just a bit. The snow/ice make me so nervous. I can still hear my surgeon telling me in the pre-op area on surgery morning–“you have to move post-op, the only way you can hurt this knee is to fall.” I don’t want to fall.
Two trips to town this week for therapy–the roads aren’t too bad. The therapists I saw this week are really pleased with my progress and I am too. I am getting excellent bend and straightening in my knee.
The chickadees are glad we are still in Montana this year and keeping their feeder full. I love the sound they make. Not very many birds winter in Montana–can you blame them???–but the little hardy chickadees are here.
And here’s an adorable photo of Emmi I managed to snap while she was visiting my lap one day. She needs a haircut–badly!!
Restoration Cowboy Style 
So glad your knee therapy is improving! Keep up the good work! Snow sounds foreign, being in 80 degree Florida!
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Day by day it improves. As you well know I’m a bit impatient and am ready for this to be over–going to be a long year!
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Didn’t recognize that guy fixing the dishwasher. Could you put Mike’s hat on him next time you take a picture so we know who it is.:)) Good job on the leg and that’s a great picture of Emmi. She has a look of mischief in her eye.
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The Cowboy doesn’t like me to post photos of him without his hat–but there just wasn’t room for a hat inside that dishwasher! I love that photo of Emmi!
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I picked up on that ‘no sleep’…… that’s hard
on a person night after night. Maybe you will
soon be able to side sleep. 🥴
Your very fortunate to have the Cowboy in
his repair abilities. Kudos for him, many of
us could have envy. Lol
Trusting for good days for you!
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I am starting to be able to sleep on my side for short periods of time, maybe that will help. I truly know how fortunate I am to have the Cowboy in so many ways!
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Emmi says, “Just a moment while I freshen up..” I, too, rinse my dishes so I don’t have to empty that stupid filter on my 3yro Bosch dishwasher. I’m very impressed that your cowboy really got down to the nitty-gritty to fix that dishwasher!!
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The Cowboy can fix just about anything if it is fixable and parts are obtainable and not too expensive. I often ask him–“how did you learn all this??” He just has that kind of brain–he’s amazing and I am so grateful for him!
I have friends that almost wash their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher–I don’t do that, I just rinse them well. Makes the dishwasher last longer–I hope!
I couldn’t believe I caught Emmi with her tongue out–I just snapped a photo and when looking at it saw she was “freshening up!”
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So happy your knee is getting better. And I applaude your motivation and efforts to do those exercises. I am sorry you aren’t getting sleep. The lack of sleep never bothered me so much when I was younger, but these days I find it hard to function after a night with little sleep. Kudos to Mike for the dishwasher repair. I love the chickadees…we don’t see any here, but had lots of them in Georgia. We would sit and watch when the babies would leave the nest. Another farmable photo…that’s the cutest puppy picture I have seen in a really long time. Emmi is adorable! Have a great week!
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I am determined to have a knee which will function just as well as my old one did before it decided to get horrible arthritis!! That means I must do the exercises. I’ve been so fortunate to have friends who have had knee replacement–one four years ago and she sent me a recent photo of her paddle boarding on a Texas lake. Two other friends are about a month ahead of me in the recovery process and have provided great encouragement.
I’m starting to be able to sleep on my side–that should help with the no sleep issue–I hope! I was an OR nurse and took tons of call for extra money in my younger days–I might go 36 hours with no sleep in those days. Now I need my sleep!
That photo of Emmi is priceless and to think I just quickly snapped it with my iPhone not knowing what I had until I looked at the photos I took of her.
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I love the chickadees too, they are so friendly and happy. Glad you are getting better. Falling on ice?!! nope!! It is one of the reasons I am so happy that we no longer live in Klamath Falls. It wasn’t the snow that got me, it was the icy driveways, walkways, and everywhere I need to get to. Ick. Hope you can get out of there soon. No falling allowed!
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We are usually not in Montana for snow/ice season and I am so ready to get out of here! No falling!!
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We are usually not in Montana for snow/ice season and I am so ready to get out of here! No falling!!
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So glad to read you are making such good progress. I still haven’t heard anything about a surgery date for me. In June I was told they were booking into November and I would hear from them 4-6 weeks before the surgery date. Well I guess it won’t be in November!! I would just like to get a date so we can make some plans, like what are we going to do for Christmas, should we put the tree up. It’s getting very frustrating!!
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That has to be so frustrating. Canadian and US healthcare is both good and bad in their own ways aren’t they. Here’s hoping you hear soon!! And I wish you all the best–reach out at any time–it’s been great having friends who had knee replacements one and two months before me. They’ve encouraged me along the way and told me what to expect.
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It sounds like you’re making great progress! The “passive stretching” with the water bottles is a great idea.
My dad was just like your Cowboy—there was nothing he wouldn’t tackle, from building houses to any kind of home repair. I remember him sitting on the floor in the kitchen surrounded by dishwasher parts, LOL. It takes an unusual combination of skill, patience, and determination. Pretty darned impressive!
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Those kind of people amaze me–I look at the pile of parts and wonder if it will ever go back together???–but it always does! I am making great progress Laurel, sleeping better the last couple nights.
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It is so great to read how well you are doing. It’s hard to believe it’s been a month already. Of course, for you it probably seems much longer. But, wow, you are doing all the house hold duties. That’s terrific. Well, I certainly am not surprised that Michael fixed the dishwasher. I would have been shocked if he couldn’t. Keep up the great work with your exercises and be careful outside, please. Adorable photo of Emmi. I rather like her all fluffy.
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We too like Emmi fluffy but when it’s hot, she is too warm with all that fluff. Housework is the only way I get any exercise as it’s just too dangerous to walk outside. I do ride my recumbent bike (boring) and walk a pattern in the house (boring) but when we get to AZ I can get outside.
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Great to hear your recovery is moving along so well. Wonderful sunset on the last post, and the beautiful shot over your deck. Wish Bill had one of those bag slings for the straightening exercises – it looks like a brilliant help! Such an adorable Emmi pic. You’ll be very glad to get released to come south, we’re much warmer here 🙂
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Release has happened and we will be in Arizona soon!
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