The battle has been looming for four years: live with the pain or get a total knee replacement? The surgery had been set for final, this time. Decision made and a week and a half to prepare my mind for the rehabilitation battle ahead. The new knee replacements are possible for up to 30 years now, I am told. Although my doctor said mine was 15 to 20 and the nurse said it was actually 25 to 30, so I am hoping for a least 20 if not more, what would be better? The Lord’s return!
 |
| My parents and Jayden with me before surgery. |
Upon arrival at the hospital, we were met by Michael , Jordan
The battle has been looming for four years: live with the pain or get a total knee replacement? The surgery had been set for final, this time. Decision made and a week and a half to prepare my mind for the rehabilitation battle ahead. The new knee replacements are possible for up to 30 years now, I am told. Although my doctor said mine was 15 to 20 and the nurse said it was actually 25 to 30, so I am hoping for a least 20 if not more, what would be better? The Lord’s return!
Upon arrival at the hospital, we were met by Michael , Jordan
 |
| Some of my AWANA Girls sending me some Cyber Love! |
This surgery has been the toughest one yet. Nausea and severe headache on top of the pain, whew….that was fun! So let me sing you a little song. I can do that since this a “blog song”, those are the best kind, so that you aren’t suffering. In honor of one of my favorite times of the year, you should sing it to the tune of the First Day of Christmas in exchange with my first few hours at the hospital.
In the first hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, one lost iPhone.
Yes, it is true. I lost my iPhone because I was updating my (oh so very important) Facebook status and the Anesthesiologist came in with a shiny little bottle that she put in my IV and the next thing I knew I was feeling quite funny and being wheeled away. Little did anyone know that I was still holding my phone in my hand that ended up next to my leg...which laid on the bed…then rolled up in the linen and off my iPhone went to the cleaners….I lost it.
In the second hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.
Ouch! Yes, blown veins are not fun. I don’t recommend them that is if you have the option. Not sure how this happened because I have always been told I have great veins and I have given over 8 gallons of blood to our local blood bank over the past 25 years. I suffered and endured.
In the third hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.
Seriously, could we have a robe that closes completely? All the available robes had gaping holes the size of the Grand Canyon in the back side that is supposed to be held together by two strings. Let’s say it didn’t work well, but I wore it.
In the fourth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.
Is there a nurse working here? Please answer my call button please, I need to go peeeeee! Typically I don’t need help but after a total knee replacement you kind of need a little help getting up and back down. Not sure but I think they are understaffed and overworked. One of the evening shift nurse’s didn’t know how to do the CPM machine and asked me because she was on loan from another department. So what is an educator to do? I educated her.
In the fifth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, five messed up meals, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.
The only meal I received as ordered was breakfast, the rest were all missing items and/or cold. I guess that is why it was called “Gourmet Café” but I ate it.
In the sixth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, six paper towels, five messed up meals, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.
One hospital alone can save tons of money by giving each patient room only six paper towels. On the last day we received more, I guess they were preparing for the next patient. Actually, the machine which was one year old had been fried, eaten up by battery corrosion. So it was out of service. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la…tis the season to be thankful for six paper towels. So I was.
Did I mention I was in a serious anesthesia fog? I was and the lights were ohhhhh, so bright! I thought I might have been going into heaven it was so bright! Which makes me wonder how much brighter the glorious light of God is? Unimaginable I am certain because it was almost impossible to open my eyes. Thus the “sexy BCG” government issued sun glasses issued at Tinker! If case you don’t know “sexy BCGs” are birth control glasses – they are so ugly it guarantees the guys will stay away. Ugly, but they worked marvelously for me after surgery because I couldn’t see a thing. I only could hear roaring laughter and from all people…my loving, sister Gaye and daughter Darya!
I was doing my best to have the correct response and not loose control with Darya and Gaye’s joyous response to my suffering, because what I really wanted to do was slap them silly into next week. Gee, I felt the empathy and sympathy! I wanted to yell, “Leave me alone! That’s just the way I am, the way God made me…to respond under anesthesia!”
<deep breath>
<reality check>
Okay. Maybe they were laughing WITH me, because they took this picture of me and let’s say when I saw it I roared with laughter too! I am just glad they didn’t video tape me!
 |
| It was so bright I thought I was in the presence of the Lord! |
Each day got better and I even had the opportunity of finishing off the Shawn Michaels biography with Jayden and Darryl and yes, Shawn was lost, but now he is found. He became a believer in Jesus Christ. I even received a beautiful boutique from my BFF Pamela and her family, plus Darya won me a cute bumble bee and I got to attend a puppet show.
 |
| The Shawn Michaels Story is now complete, the book is back at the library in case your interested. ;O) |
 |
| A little bit of happiness delivered to my room from my BFF Pamela and loving daughter Darya. |
 |
| Jayden giving me a puppet show. |
I made it home safely with all my drugs, CPM, walker and only one pair of TED stockings, I am a woman I need more than one pair and in colors would be nice. Gee, I feel old. I also have to give myself a blood thinning shot every morning in the stomach. Giving me shots is new so we shall see how it goes. At least I have extra cushion there.
Let the side show begin and tickets aren’t cheap. Once I was home and settled in Jayden had to bring one of his friends to parade by my bed side either to witness the CPM in motion or put to rest the truth that I have a bionic leg. Cody was the first, I am sure there will be many more over the next 21 days who will travel by to see the “side show”. As I watched Cody pacing back and forth in front of me I am pretty sure he was thinking how he could make that CPM into a ramp for a remote controlled vehicle. Then he had to belt out, “My grandma has one of those walkers, except she has tennis balls on hers.”
Overall while I didn’t enjoy the reason for being in the hospital, I am thankful for the procedure to take away the pain, even though in the beginning it sure doesn’t seem that way. I am thankful for the prayers of my family and friends. I am thankful for a job that allows me time off to do so. I am thankful for a loving <cough, cough> family that will take pictures of you in vulnerable moments. I am thankful for raised toilet seats, that is important you know. I am thankful (in no certain order, here) for Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for me (Rom 8:34). Why? Because He loves me so! I know so, the Bible tells me in many, many places.
I am not sure why I have bad knees. Why other people can do all the things I have done and still have strong knees. We think that God’s way means the easy way, but it is not always the easy way but when we cling to our faith we begin to understand the plan. God is the giver of life, not the destroyer. I believe many of us often ask the “Why me?” question, but we should say why not me? After all no where in the Bible does it say we are promised protection against the storms of life. Instead Jesus told us in this world we will have trouble but to take heart (John 16:33). I Peter tells me not to be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening, but rejoice that I may be able to participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that I may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed (4:12-13).
Saying yes to rejoicing requires faith, a steadfast and strong faith that what He has promised He is also able to perform (Rom 4:21). Rejoicing is not rejoicing only when things go our way, I am told to rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16) and to do all things without complaining (Phil 2:14). Rejoicing by definition is a verb. It is active. Doing everything readily and cheerfully is hard. Requires pushing through those times I don’t feel like rejoicing. But there are times when following Jesus, my Savior, is hard. Plain and simple. But I desire to be a breath of fresh air in this polluted society and provide those around me with a glimpse of my living God. When it is tough to rejoice I think of the promise that hangs on my wall in my living room of Isaiah 40:31,
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not be faint.”
I am reminded that my strength, endurance, and life comes from the Lord.
 |
| My little physical therapy package that I use twice a day at home. |
So I am pushing through this time and doing as my devotion told me the day of surgery and that is "Jesus said...Get up!" (John 5:8) and though I become exhausted I am still in pursuit waiting for His soon return.
P.S. - they did find my iPhone!
P.S. - they did find my iPhone!
No comments:
Post a Comment