Total Knee Replacement Achieved!
[ORIGINAL POST LOST! Recapturing all the details in my initial "Jeff's Knee Surgery" post is impossible. I was frazzled by the end of the day. Maybe I accidentally deleted it? Don't know.]
Total Knee Replacement Achieved! We thought we'd never see the day come. The first scheduled surgery was cancelled due to COVID. The second, cancelled due to the surgeon having a family emergency. And the other two? Scratches on the knee meant risk of post-op infection.
Not this time. "He who hates pants" (the surgeon dubbed him that) went in on a Thursday for assessment. They kept him at Family House Neville until the next morning.
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| So welcoming! |
Side Note: Jeff spent the last business day at Neville. They upped sticks and moved to a combined "Family House" facility the next day. It's a damn shame. The atmosphere was welcoming, if not downright soothing, and the structure itself lifted spirits. It truly was a place to call home.
Mum and I stayed there for a few days. Dad was flown into Pittsburgh due to a brain bleed. She wanted to be close to him. Aunt Honey and my cousins made that possible for her. I am forever grateful for that love. Dad had absolute peace of mind with his wife there to spoil him.
I went to the VAMC the next day. I already knew they wouldn't let me see him before the surgery. Ditto for after the surgery. He could have visitors once he was in a room. I lurked the hospital before setting up camp in the cafeteria. Hey, the bacon is yummy and the coffee is strong. Perfect!
His surgeon called a few hours later. I love this guy. His sense of humor is the best. Jeff did well, and the knee was bandaged so he didn't scratch it up, and it was a good thing they did that surgery because that knee was on its last leg. Ha. Ha.
Jeff was fairly out of it once I was able to visit. Physical therapists jockeyed with nurses in a group effort to have him settle in. He barfed from the pain meds and still did PT. I thought I was tough on patients. These guys rocked it.
And then my memory becomes a blur. The Great House Hunt of 2022 stress took over my body. I planned to do the yard while Jeff was away. And clean. And do laundry. What did I do instead? Vomit and crap. Same stuff, different day. Absolutely nothing got done. Except sheets. I picked those up and washed them the day of Jeff's surgery. Mmmm so soft.
And then they unleashed him on the world. He was in good spirits. I dragged his duffel and the compressor to the car. While I was gone, he lost his balance getting into the wheelchair. Twenty levels of pain hitting all at once. The car ride home was hell on him.
The nurse came to visit once we settled him into bed. The physical therapist came soon after and performed an assessment. Jeff must push through the pain so the knee heals quickly and properly.
And then today happened. Jesus. This day was a bitch.
I woke up early to start on the back yard before the heat killed my zeal. Got it trimmed. Did the mowing. Pulled up some weeds. Sprayed crabgrass. Tripped while dragging a chair to the fire pit. Tumbled into the fire pit. Looked up at the sky for a while. Went inside. Got Jeff some potato salad and a drink, plus filled his water jug. Tripped on the stairs. Got more potato salad. Got him settled in for his meal. The toilet got clogged. I couldn't unclog it. Went downstairs. Fed dogs. My mother's demon dog is coughing and puking. I sighed. Took dog to the vet. Still hadn't eaten or rested yet. Got home and found out the Johnny cup was cracked and leaking pee all over the nightstand and Jeff's stuff. Cleaned up that mess. The toilet was still clogged. Sat down to eat, but Jeff passed out in the bathroom. Or was that before I ran to the vet? Can't remember. Got Jeff back into bed. Sat down to... do something? And then something else came up. And I made grilled cheese sandwiches, I think. All the while, I was also dealing with the bank bullshit and loss of the house we were going to move into. Screamed into the void. Barfed in the basement toilet, and barfed again because the basement toilet is foul. Barfed again just now. Gave life the middle finger, and opted to comfort Jeff instead.
He's worth all the grief life is throwing at me right now. He's what matters.
I need to go to bed. I can't come close to recapturing yesterday's entry.