Here is an update on my two patients:
First off, Mom is doing great! She has been up walking around and has actually gotten out of the house a couple of times! She still has some stiff and painful moments with those new knees but she is doing great! I am so proud of her. She actually got her staples removed today, she said that it stung, it apparently didn't hurt that much but it did sting. She has fresh pieces of tape on her knees to help her wounds continue to heal. Look out she will be invading church this Sunday!
So on to my second patient. Many of you are not aware that our silly dog Zoe decided to get hurt two weeks before Mom's surgery. She got hit by something large and moving (we are not sure what because we have yet to find a Dr. Doolittle to help us translate her story), and ripped a 6-inch gash in her leg. We took her into the vet and got her all stitched up. She was doing great, that is until we had to leave for the hospital for Mom's surgery. We left her in the very capable hands of our neighbor. Emily did a great job looking after her. Thanks again Emily! When we got back however, Zoe was so excited to see us that she reopened her wound by about an inch. I had to take her back to the vet to get some staples thrown into her leg yet again. She has been healing up from that reopening for about 10 days now and it was time to get those pesky staples out. She too is now staple free, and what she loves even more, she is cone free!
Let's hope no one else in my family needs to be stitched up any time soon!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
My Mom is AMAZING!!!
My Mom is truly Amazing!!! For those of you who do not know my Mom has been dealing with arthritis pain for about 3 years now. She has had a hard time getting around because of the lack of cartilage in her knees. At the beginning of this year she decided that it was about time to do something about it, and thus began physical therapy. Even though the intentions were good, the results were not what mom was looking for, so she went to a surgeon she knows for another opinion. It was decided then that she was a prime candidate for new knees, and so the process began. Mom was referred to an amazing doctor in Anchorage, who if need be, will be able to do a follow up knee replacement when Mom wears these ones out.
So the reason for my Mom's amazingness... She had her knee replacement surgery on Friday (May 7th). She was nervous going into the surgery, I know she was apprehensive about the method of anesthesia, but she was so brave! Her surgery lasted about 1 1/2 hours, and she came out with flying colors. The doctor called me himself to let me know that everything went well and that Mom was in recovery. I was so thankful to have my Grandma there with me waiting, she made the time go by faster and was a real comfort for my nerves. About an hour after surgery we got to see her. She was so tired, but that was understandable, she had just had two knees operated on. Mom was able to stay in bed all day Friday, experiencing what I am sure were some very weird sensations of her legs waking up from the nerve blocks.
Saturday was the day Mom got to try out putting weight on her new knees. The first time she tried to stand she got dizzy right away and had to sit down pretty quickly afterwords. Better to have her sit and get her barrings rather than hit the floor. She tried again later that day and was able to stand for about 5 minutes, and shuffle to the side before she started feeling lightheaded. I was so proud of her, she was amazing, and so brave to try and hold herself up on those new knees.
Sunday was the day for true wonders. Mom was really nervous about having to get up and walk around, she knew she would have to but she hadn't even taken a step yet. Her first trip was short, just across the room to sit and then back and she did wonderfully! She stood up right away with the walker and walked across the room, sat down for a few minutes and then walked back to bed. She did great! After that the physical therapist came in and she had Mom up on her feet again walking to a chair across the hall. She is a rock star! Later that afternoon Mom walked a loop around the floor and she conquered stairs! Mom said that there was no way she thought she would be doing this 2 days out of surgery, but she was!
We got to bring her home on Monday, and it has been great having her back here. She is able to rest without doctors poking their heads in and she feels much more comfortable. I am so proud of my Mom, she is a rock star and she can do anything she sets her mind to.
Love you Mom!
So the reason for my Mom's amazingness... She had her knee replacement surgery on Friday (May 7th). She was nervous going into the surgery, I know she was apprehensive about the method of anesthesia, but she was so brave! Her surgery lasted about 1 1/2 hours, and she came out with flying colors. The doctor called me himself to let me know that everything went well and that Mom was in recovery. I was so thankful to have my Grandma there with me waiting, she made the time go by faster and was a real comfort for my nerves. About an hour after surgery we got to see her. She was so tired, but that was understandable, she had just had two knees operated on. Mom was able to stay in bed all day Friday, experiencing what I am sure were some very weird sensations of her legs waking up from the nerve blocks.
Saturday was the day Mom got to try out putting weight on her new knees. The first time she tried to stand she got dizzy right away and had to sit down pretty quickly afterwords. Better to have her sit and get her barrings rather than hit the floor. She tried again later that day and was able to stand for about 5 minutes, and shuffle to the side before she started feeling lightheaded. I was so proud of her, she was amazing, and so brave to try and hold herself up on those new knees.
Sunday was the day for true wonders. Mom was really nervous about having to get up and walk around, she knew she would have to but she hadn't even taken a step yet. Her first trip was short, just across the room to sit and then back and she did wonderfully! She stood up right away with the walker and walked across the room, sat down for a few minutes and then walked back to bed. She did great! After that the physical therapist came in and she had Mom up on her feet again walking to a chair across the hall. She is a rock star! Later that afternoon Mom walked a loop around the floor and she conquered stairs! Mom said that there was no way she thought she would be doing this 2 days out of surgery, but she was!
We got to bring her home on Monday, and it has been great having her back here. She is able to rest without doctors poking their heads in and she feels much more comfortable. I am so proud of my Mom, she is a rock star and she can do anything she sets her mind to.
Love you Mom!
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