Been a busy week.....

Several times this last week I thought I'd catch up here, but just never got to it.  I've been going to PT 3 times a week and working hard there.  And then I have a ton of exercises I have to do at home. My foot is doing pretty well - still some tenderness on the bottom, but my knee is still the major problem. Robert has got my range of motion going well and my extension and flexion measurements are good.  I can ride the stationary bicycle for 10 minutes on the 3rd level with no problem.  And most of the exercises I can do with little problem - all except WALKING!  I just cannot walk without my knee hurting.  I still need to use at least one crutch.  Friday he worked more on my gait.  I started Mobic (an NSAID) for a week with no change.  I called the Dr.'s office to see if they would change me to another NSAID - Lodine.  Back when I first started doctoring for my foot, the first doctor put me on Mobic and when it did nothing, he changed me to Lodine.  As I recall, it did nothing for my foot but helped my knee.  So the knee doctor changed me to Lodine.  I've only been on it a couple days, so I can't really tell any difference yet.

In the meantime, I've been doing some research on partial knee replacement, and from what I've read, it seems to me that I'm a perfect candidate for that.  Those are appropriate for people who have one part of the knee affected, but the rest is OK.  That's me.  The inner part of the knee joint is bone-on-bone, but there is good cartilage everywhere else.  The inner aspect is the part most commonly affected in most people.  PKRs are not nearly as invasive as total knees, and the recovery process is considerably quicker.  The PTs say that they've worked with those who have had PKRs, and they do very well.  So I will get a 2nd opinion and check into this the 1st of November.  That will give me a whole month on the medication and lots of PT.  If any of the conservative treatment is going to work, it will surely do so within that time.  I've got a prescription for PT in KS if I feel like I need it.  Otherwise, I'll just continue my exercises and hope I don't go backwards.  I'd still like to save some PT visits in case I have surgery later in the year.

The rest of the time during the week was getting ready for our Kansas trip.  One of the things I wanted to do was make a couple outfits for the girls.  I'm making a skirt with two different fabrics and then applique embroidering an "S" on a shirt for Sofia and an "M" on Maya's shirt.  I got the initials on the shirts, and they turned out well.  I got Sofia's skirt done except for the elastic in the waist.  When I went to cut Maya's skirt (different fabric), I cut it wrong!  Just as soon as I made the cut with the rotary cutter, I knew I had done it wrong.  Boo!!  And of course I didn't have enough fabric then.  :(  The next day I called Sew Delightful in Tuscaloosa where I bought the fabric.  As I described the fabric, she looked up my ticket and knew exactly what I needed.  HOWEVER, they had sold out of it.  ARGH!  She said she was pretty sure I could go online and find it.  I did, and I found it.  I ordered it to be sent to the KS address.  Hopefully it will come in time, and I can finish it before Jeannine and the girls come to visit, since they are planning to come while we are there.  She just doesn't know exactly when yet.

We always stay in Conway, AR, when we go to KS.  That is about half-way, and we have a hotel we like.  They allow pets and have a good hot breakfast.  The drive today was about the easiest we've ever made and the quickest.  Going through Memphis was a breeze, and the I-40 (perpetual) construction only slowed us up about 10 mph.  So that was a breeze, too.  We usually get here about supper time, but we arrived a little after 4:00 pm today.  The weather was just perfect until I came out from checking in at the hotel, and before we could get anything unload, the sky opened up and POURED on us!!  Thankfully it didn't last long.  With all the stops we made along the way and all the going outside at the hotel, Annie has not done her business ALL DAY!!  I don't know how she can hold it that long.

I don't think I've packed enough warm clothes.  I've heard from several that it is cold in Kansas.  When I looked at the long-range forecast, it looked as though it was going to be pretty pleasant while there - 70s-80s the first week and then into the 60s the rest of the time.  I saw that the lows would be in the 40s.  I don't think I'm quite ready for that!  I didn't pack any regular sweaters.  I did put in several long pants, and long-sleeved T-shirts and a couple cardigans to wear, along with a front-zip sweatshirt.  I couldn't fit anything else in my suitcase.  It seems that every time we go, we have the truck so full, you can squeeze in another blade of grass.  This time we didn't want to mess with a tarp, so everything had to go in the bed of the pickup with the flat top Guy has over the bed and in the cab.  I wonder if we'll ever get finished with taking stuff to the house there.  We still didn't get everything we wanted to take in this trip.  There are still pictures and another bedside table yet to go.  Maybe next time.  BUT I got my sewing machine, table, and quilt fabric in the truck!!!  First things first, you know!  :)  There wasn't room for the sewing chair, though.  I just need to buy one and leave it there.  It is such an unhandy shape to pack anyway.

Well, Annie has found her spot!

More Gifts.....

61.  Safe trip to Conway, AR. 

62.  Minimal traffic all the way today.  

63.  Able to listen to the Alabama game on the iPhone, even though it was a Georgia station - with announcers who were very complementary of our team. 

64.  The very friendly young man who waited on us at IHOP tonight.