Gee, time flies when you are having fun. When I last posted we were preparing for Ed's knee surgery on Thursday. He spent Wednesday preparing at St. Luke's Downtown, while I got the plum assignment of caring for Eli while both Lauren and Drew had to both be at work all day. Lucky me...poor Eddie.
When Ed and I first contemplated having his left knee replaced while I was still in treatment, we weren't completely blind (stupid, foolish, nuts---yeah, people have used those words, too). After all, he had had both knees 'scoped a couple of years back...we knew that there would be issues with mobility, pain, restless nights plus a hospital stay. Eddie had said that he wanted to be dropped off at the hospital on Thursday and picked up at noon on Easter Sunday---tough love style. Right, he talks a good game, but I knew that a certain amount of butt powdering, not to mention step and fetch would be required at the hospital. Yes, there are nurses, but it more about anticipating the need and immediate attention, than push the button and wait for someone to respond. Eddie has never been a patience person..and elephant tranquilizer drugs did not make him any more easy going. So, we started with 15 hours of Nurse Karen Ratchet on Thursday, decreasing daily to 8, 6 then 3 hours before discharge. I don't know if my nifty do-rags qualify for nursing caps--but I certainly fit in with the surgical teams.
We have been home since Sunday afternoon. It was like bringing an infant home from the hospital...lots of equipment and that being is totally helpless. Despite drugs and nausea, he managed to eat his beloved Masters' egg salad sandwiches, and see the match. Love Bubba golf---I always cheer for the underdog. Since then Ed has graduated to toddler stage---toddling, but still has to be watched--lots. Still lots of step and fetch it, I think I have worked up to 1 hour of leaving him alone. There is a lot of supervision when you have a 60+ toddler, with a strong will. All that being said, 'da boy has surprised me---maybe he wanted to prove me wrong. Whatever his motivation--I'll take it. Since we started thinking about knee replacement surgery, I have gently reminded (nagged, lectured, worried the crap out of him--those would be terms that come to his mind) him -- on a not infrequent basis--that aggressive/repetitive rehab after the replacement was key to regaining his "hop". He has been a man on a mission. In the hospital--he would double up on the bed exercises, doing them twice an hour, he would push harder with the therapist told him was necessary. He has been to therapy on Monday (it is 3 times a week) --with yet another of Lauren's high school chums, Megan. (Interesting how this all has worked---these F.O.L. (Friends of Lauren's) caregivers seem determined to get her mom and dad back on their feet). If twice daily is the minimum number of times, he is striving for four times a day. I am proud of him...the bunny wants his hop back...and I think he will get it...in record time. We will see when knee #2 fits into the rotation...but he is determined that we finish our medical challenges together by Labor Day.
Let me just say a little about our toy/medical equipment box --- the list starts with colorful balls, strap on weights, belts/straps/bands, hosiery, hip and ankle wedges---sounds more like something really kinky or a home gym gone wild--then you get to the walker, lift chair, heating pads, ice bags and 6 sizes of ace bandages part of the inventory and things get decidedly less fun and more, well, old. Right now all of our toys are everywhere, but just as soon as we can, we are going to put them away, and pretend they are not in the closet. 'Cos as my mother (and Bette Davis) says, "Growing old ain't for sissies"... Secret is to keep your mind young, your body will follow.
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