JAN 26, 16 .. HELLO MISTER LEFT KNEE ..
When I fell in the Dubai Airport way back last November the 25th, I seem to have also seriously injured my left knee as well as breaking my left hip.
This would explain to me, in my mind, why I was in some, let me see the adjective to use, got it, I was in some considerable discomfort on long flights to Hong Kong (7+ hours) and to Seattle (12+ hours) with a layover in the Seattle Airport (3+ hours) and finally the flight to Phoenix (3+ hours).
A broken hip coupled with a damaged knee would add up to some discomfort.
Where am I going?
When I entered the Mayo Hospital here, the major point of interest in the emergency room was my left (broken) hip.
But I also asked for X-rays to be taken of my left knee.
The X-rays showed ‘only’ a considerable amount of arthritis and NO broken knee parts.
Last Tuesday evening, my left knee just blew up in pain. I could hardly get up from a chair, using a walker was a 100% necessity, and from time to time I would shout out in pain.
Yesterday (Wednesday) Patti and I returned to the Mayo Hospital Clinic where I had a cortisone injection into my left knee. My Doctor surmised that perhaps the fall had severely inflamed the arthritic condition in my left knee.
Now I Know, Now I Understand, the enormous relief such an injection of cortisone can provide a sufferer.
Moving right along here in providing you with more X-rated information, information I do NOT like to discuss or even think about, read on.
Last Saturday, upon awakening, with my CPAP mask still on my face, I did a big ‘sniff ‘ to clear my nose. Why I did not swallow the results of my big ‘sniff ‘ I shall never know but I did not.
When I spit the results out into our sink, I saw that I had experienced a nose bleed while sleeping because I really spit out a lot of blood including two clots, one of which was several inches in length.
Do you want frightening? THAT was frightening.
In short: I could have ‘bled out ‘ before I awoke.
And?
GOOD NEWS too.
Patti and I are very much enjoying eating out. We loved the NFL football playoff games last Sunday. Atlanta beat Green Bay and the Patriots beat the Steelers.
Captain! This is a program of honesty here. So it is. I missed the second half of the Patriot / Steelers game because I had to lay down and sleep several hours due to the enormous fatigue that continues to overtake me each and every day.
Continuing. My mood is very postive and upbeat. Patti and I are going to meetings regularly. I have given two talks and both were extremely well received.
And .. Taa-Daa .. Two of our very best friends, Tom and Ginny, from the Detroit area, are visiting Phoenix and environs for 10-days looking to purchase property. We have greatly enjoyed our short and very sweet visits.
So this is not a totally negative nor dark experience.
Recovery is a process NOT an event.
My process seems to be continuing.
Still Smiling ..
Cap and (not exactly smiling) Patti ..