What a week this has been! Since our son-in-law started his new job in IT, the Coppin taxi service has been in full swing! Our grandkids are in different grades, high school and elementary and of course, go to separate schools at different times, one at 8 the other at 9 am and also get picked up at different times, 230 and 4. But, I am getting quality time with Annalee in the afternoons and we’re having a good time together playing cards!

I was supposed to have an appt with Dr. Gaur, my ortho surgeon on Friday, but the office called on Wednesday and asked if I could reschedule it for another day as he wouldn’t be in on Friday. I said okay and she suggested Oct 29 and I said no, I am having pain in both knees and trouble standing for very long (true) so she said how about Thursday the 6th at 3:30 and I jumped at that!

Well, knowing that he runs late, usually, we (Doug and I) figured it would be around 5 or later before we got out. Dr. Gaur normally spends an hour with each patient, is very thorough, friendly and goes into detail, we were surprised, pleasantly, that we were in and out before my appt time! He was happy to see that I had lost 57 pounds this year and asked that I try and lose another 20-30 pounds before surgery. Two reasons, they are booked solid until middle of December and he wants me to be below 200 before the surgery for optimal success. I am at 219 and I know that in 3 months with a lot of hard work and diet, that I can get down to at least 190 by that time. I am very stubborn that way when I want something bad enough and this is very important to me.

I am continuing to go to the gym and plan to step it up more with water aerobics and weights plus using the bike at home. This is a major surgery and that means that I will be having a nurse and physical therapist coming to my home for a while and I will not be able to drive for close to a month or longer, depends on how the surgery goes and how well I do before and during surgery. I will be hearing from the surgery nurse soon and she will give me more info then and a lot of paperwork and a lot of cleaning and prep. I am still reading through the pamphlets and reading articles and figuring out all of this.

Oh, I almost forgot! He sent me a list of medications that I “need” to take. I looked at the list and there were at least 3 that I cannot use due to allergies and/or intolerances, like oxycontin, Motrin, and one I cannot recall at the moment. I sent him an email letting him know and if we could revise the list. He said that we could do that before surgery and that we had time. He had originally (on the paper) said that I needed to get these now and I was wondering why I needed them this soon. Oh well, all taken care of.

This is all that I know for certain at the moment and will keep everyone in the loop as I go along. I am thinking it could be as soon as next week or later before I hear from the nurse about the date of surgery. They do this early so as to make sure about all my meds, what I can stay on or stop before surgery and sometimes you have to go off of them for a few weeks. Depends on the date of surgery. Until I hear from the nurse, I am going to concentrate on exercising and diet and losing as much as I can before surgery!

Now, I am going to go hide in my studio and sew all day long after I ride the bike. Next week is going to be busy also, MRI on Wed, class on Thursday guild meeting the same night, and who knows what else may arise! Then, quilting retreat away from home in town for 3 glorious days the following week!!

Chat more later.