On January 26th, 2016, I had my FIFTH joint replacement.  My very first hip, done in October of 1999, had gone past its “best before date” and had to be redone.  I am now totally bionic and then some with 2 knees and 2 hips made of precious metal (stainless steel) parts.  You certainly don’t want to be behind me in the security line-up at an airport!!  All the bells go off and the pat-down is on – unless, of course, there is a scanner – my new best friend when travelling.

My sister-in-law came and looked after my 3 cats while I spent 2 short nights in hospital and then helped me out for a few days after that.  Her father turned 100 on February 1st, so the timing worked well for both of us.  This surgery seemed to be easier than others in that on day 2, I could get myself in and out of bed.  Previous surgeries left a gap between my brain and my leg muscles – nothing worked!!  Things are still pretty tender though and the exercises given me by Physio not a whole lot of fun to do.

Restrictions, at least with my surgeon, go on for 6 weeks – no bending more than 90 degrees, partial weight-bearing only, and no driving…..and of course, no crossing your legs and no twisting.  I am pretty handy with the grabber – in fact, I can even pick up blueberries (one by one) from the floor – and pills – as small as they can be.  This is the time when everything you touch falls on the floor.  The basket of my walker handily holds my coffee, my phone, my e-reader – but doesn’t easily allow for loads of laundry.  Everything takes a lot of time.

Having not been a Downton Abbey follower before now, I purchased the boxed set of DVDs and a friend/neighbour comes over just about every day to watch one or two episodes.  We are almost finished Season 2 now and I’m loving it.  I can’t imagine having to wait a whole year to see what happens next.  Downton Abbey marathons are much, much better.

I still have my real estate admin work for 6 agents and I read a lot.  Between real estate work, chores (which take forever), Downton Abbey, reading and my hockey games, the days go by very quickly.  Neighbours and friends pop in and out, helping me with things I find difficult and/or driving me to the occasional appointment.  I am so grateful for my friends.  Life would be difficult without them.

Another new thing in my life is a CPAP machine.  A sleep study in mid-January (sleepover at the hospital with 24 or so wires attached to your body, a small bed and a “sleep well” goodnight) showed that I stopped breathing 85 times per hour.  How on earth was I even functioning?  I guess your body gets used to anything.  With the machine, my events are now down to less than 5 per hour which is considered normal.  It is not, however, a pretty picture.  The cats don’t seem to mind.

Never a dull moment!

Sue