Post Surgery Blues

I’m struggling with this post surgery.  My timeline isn't the actual timeline.  This was supposed to be a simple surgery.  OK, so maybe I didn't do it justice when I walked around IKEA on Thursday (three days after surgery).  I felt good but paid the price that night and maybe have paid it since.  

I try to do my leg exercises (bending my knee basically) but get stiffness and pain.  I back off and just do to the point of a little pain.  I did my exercise bike—slowly mind you but like my physical therapy specialist said, I need to keep my flexibility. 

Sleep is still an issue, as well as, weight.  The two get me depressed.  I don’t want to get back on the pain pills—pain at night isn't much of an issue, I can mentally get over that—it is actual sleep…I’m wide awake.

I am on my third book, “American Sniper”.  A great read.  I already had great respect for our soldiers—it has tripled.  I read to fall asleep.  It takes time and usually around 2am, I finally get my wish.  I sleep in far too much but I guess I need it.

I want so much to get to a regular schedule.  This past week, the kids had Friday off and we didn’t have them on Wednesday but had them on Thursday…messed me all up.  Larry is home.  He made it for Valentine’s Day!  Alison and the kids are walking on air!  When Larry is home, the schedule goes out the window.

The week of the 23^rd, we have Grandparent Day on Wednesday.  Translation: both of us try to cover Grace’s Kindergarten and Hunter’s 2^nd grade class.  It will be all day and I am already tired but it will be so worth it.  On Thursday that week, we fly up to Seattle for a couple of days.  We have to use the travel vouchers before April 1^st since we cancelled going to Utah back at Thanksgiving. 

I hope that we can go.  On February 20, both Wayne and I will have a couple of pre-cancers removed.  We should be ok to fly…I hope.  

Busy time--little energy. Hopefully, March brings a regular schedule with more energy and less pain.

My Knee Part 3

 

Here we go again.  Surgery for a torn meniscus and a floater in the same knee I had a partial replacement and a torn meniscus in before.  Pretty bad when you go in and the nurses know you.  It's good in a way, I like them and we have a good rapport.  Wayne brought his new laptop and worked on some school stuff to pass the time.  We have this down this time--he stopped and got Subway sandwiches for his late lunch and some water.

I started a new book, "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand.  It is the story of Louis Zaperini, an Olympian track medalist and World War II veteran.  I haven't seen the movie but saw an interview with Megan Kelly and Franklin Graham.  Megan noted that the movie only went to a certain chapter and ended there. Franklin told her the remaining chapters told about Louie going to a Billy Graham event and accepting the LORD and his walk with Him.

I guess my curiosity was sparked, so I bought the book and decided that I would read it while waiting for surgery and afterwards. I finished Bill O'Reilly's book on "Killing Patton" and was really bored with it but made it through.  I wasn't looking forward to another WWII book.  I read "Unbroken" and couldn't put it down.  The difference was amazing...sorry, Bill, too much military details in yours, more personal details in Laura's makes a difference!

So I am resting per surgeon's instructions.  I am reading my book, doing a little work on the laptop but not taking a nap or two...yet.

My knee feels so much better!  Last night when I got home I took one pain pill.  At 6:00 this morning, Wayne asked if I needed another, I was overdue for it by two hours.  Since a had just a little pain, I took Extra Strength Tylenol instead.  I hate taking pills, especially pain pills.

I can get up and walk with minor pain but I am behaving.  I'm resisting the temptation to do anything. Tomorrow will be the challenge and I will do my best....but Thursday, I am FREE!  My bike is waiting and I have to go to the mall to exchange something.

I am humbled by the amount of prayers and well wishes I had from friends FaceBook and from my friends outside of FaceBook and one of my church friends praying over me in the worship hall brought peace over me. Thank You, LORD for Your healing  power!  And thanks to my wonderful loving husband, Wayne. The love from my grandchildren, daughters and son-in-law. I am so blessed!

Two Books

I just finished two very intense books about Islam.  Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Somalia and raised in the religion of Islam.  The books really do show the difference between a God who loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us and a selfish god who demands the worse in its followers with no guarantee of salvation.

Fortunately, Ayaan escaped this religion.  Unfortunately, she is an atheist. In the book, "Nomad", one of her solutions to the Muslim problem is for Christians to be more active in Muslim neighborhoods and bring their God to them.  She does specify "moderate Christians" who don't believe in creation and stopping abortions.  At least she is moving in the right direction and I pray she add conservative Christians.

Though I may upset some of my liberal friends and family; the more I read these books the more that I am sure that our president is a Muslim. If he was a Muslim and became a Christian, he would be dead since you can't leave that religion without death threats.  Ayaan continues to live in fear of death, they have pursued her and she lives a life of a nomad because of it.

I hope that everyone will read these books and have their eyes opened to the horrors of Islam to women especially.  The books opened my eyes to the fact that these people are lost and it pains me that they believe what they do is right: butchering people who don't convert, educating children to kill infidels and especially Jews, treating women and girls inhumanely, and the list goes on.  Those who say it is a religion of peace are lying.

I will end this with one thing, these people need the LORD.  After I finished the second book, I decided that more of my church tithe will go to missionary work in those areas.  I pray that it helps those in those countries bring Christ to the lost.