Listening to the Voices in My Head

Why? Because, in the long run, it will be good for me. But right now, today, after seeing Meg, then Simon (exercise and physio therapists) I feel as if I have been dropping in a food processor equipped with blunt blades.

Doesn't do a damned thing.

I went to bed early, because I had an appointment to see my exercise therapist. I groggily get up, manage to get dressed. Staggered off to get first cup of coffee in the morning. In between sips of coffee, got my hair brushed and braided. Readied by bottle of cold water, and when 8am rolled around, we hit the road.

I get there, and get asked why I am there. I tell the 'receptionist in training' that I have an 8:30am session with Meg. She said no I didn't. Uhh, I have been seeing Meg on Monday and Friday for the past almost 2 months (exception when it was a Wednesday and Friday, because Monday was a holiday.)

Now, I had/have the card with the appointment times and dates, but I put them on my phone and left the card on my desk.

We get shown the door. I found out the hard way and stress and agitation fires up the old GERD. I came home. Took photograph of my appointment card, and emailed it to them. By now, I have chewed two antacid tablets.

2 hours later, I get this weak, wishy-washy excuse that Simon, my physiotherapist deleted the appointment. How he has access my exercise therapists' calendar is beyond me.

So, here I am, trying to stay calm. Even took a short nap. But I am still gritting my teeth. If *I* cancelled an appointment without notifying them, I would get charged some fee. But they can do it to ME and I just have to let it slide.

Simon the Sadist altered the list of rehab exercises. I do try to them all every day, but some days are harder than others. This morning on the stationary bike, I had about 4 rotations of the pedals where the tendons felt as if they were being scraped across jagged rocks. (#6 on the scale from 1 to 10). I didn't stop, I kept going because I had to. The pain faded, and I managed the full 10 minutes.

On an aside, I have found two perfect songs for a 10 minute ride. Both are Moody Blues songs. "Nights in White Satin" and "Question".

And in other news, I have decided to become a dual citizen. U.S./Australia. With the anger in the world today, I don't want to travel on a U.S. passport, even though I have an Australian visa. I am not giving up my U.S. citizenship, but I don't want to be 'stuck' . The good news is because I am an 'old fart', I won't have to sit the Citizenship test, just an interview.

Husband and son set up my physio table last night. So, today, I did the 'bridging' exercise, the lay on back and pull heel as close to the butt as you can, and the cross legs at the ankles, keeping the surgical leg in the back (the left one in this case) and using the right foot to assist, bend the left leg as far back as you can (to discomfort).

Got done with that, and used the washing machine for balance, slowly shifted weight from the right foot, to the left, and lifting the right foot off the floor, until at least 90% of the weight is on the left foot. Repeat, but going the other way, from left to right.

Here's where the virtual betting comes in. Will I:

A: Hop out of bed, ready to start a new day.

B: Groan, and using right heel on side of bed, haul my self to sitting position, kind of glad it's a new day.

C: Groan, try to move, and realize my legs, glutes and abdomen wish it was yesterday, and just stay in bed.

I had a very exacting and precise examination of my left knee, and its surrounds. Here is the prognosis:

S***** has had an MRI scan and orthopaedic review, with the opinion that no surgery is indicated. There
are medial meniscal changes as well as knee OA and some signs of anterior knee oedema following her
injury on her MRI. She had a local knee cortisone injection which she reports flared her knee for three
weeks and provided no overall benefit.

S***** remains very limited in her walking capacity, requiring a walking stick even for short distances. She
reports prior to her injury, she was increasing exercise under supervision, losing weight and walking on
uneven surfaces without difficulty.

***** has a combination of local underlying knee pain as well as signs of increased
pain sensitisation (including localised sharp hyperalgesia). Her knee strength is mainly limited by pain
inhibition. Her antalgic gait is likely also impacting on her recent increase in low back pain.

Got the crutches (uhh yay?) and have been told to use them when walking around outside of the house. Fun fun.

Now, I will wait until I hear from Meg The Merciless as to how we shall proceed. And in the meantime, find a pool somewhere, as swimming was one of the recommended things to do.