One knee Done!

I have begun to truly recover from the effects of chemo and radiation. As time goes on, I am regaining my vitality! I feel more and more energy. I am actually feeling very optimistic about my future again. My left knee total replacement surgery went very well. When the surgeon came out to let Gary know that I was in recovery, he told Gary that "From the looks of things in there, she must have been in considerable pain". I also asked him to give me a shot in the right knee to get me through the interim. That has really helped. I got up and walked the day of surgery! The next day, I went to therapy with the walker, and returned with just a cane! I had been doing my therapy exercises for the month before the surgery, to strengthen my very weak leg muscles. A year of laying around fatigued takes a toll on the body. It seems to have made a lot of difference, because, I am recuperating at an amazing rate. In the hospital, I kept telling the nurses, "I'm amazed at how well this is going!" They were amazed, too. On my first visit to the therapist one week after surgery, he told me I could be the "poster child of recovery from knee surgery"! Even my chiropracter said I was an "anomoly". He said he has never seen anyone do so well so soon after a total knee replacement. I am just thrilled about it all! I continue to do my full set of exercises twice a day, and have therapy twice a week. Steve, the therapist, says I have reached the goal for leg extension, which is 0 degrees (straight). I have to get to 120 degrees on the flexion (bent), and so far I am at 116 degrees, so I am close to being done with therapy, too! I walk a bit lop-sided, because my "new left leg" is about one inch longer than my right leg. When I have had the second one done, I will be back to my original height of 5'3". (I should have asked him to throw in a shim or two to give me a little extra height!) I have already scheduled my surgery for the right knee on June 6th. I am very anxious to get on with it. I should be up and walking (without a cane) by August or September, just in time to go back to work. It can't come too soon, because Gary is wore out from working overtime to make up for some of my lost wages. I am so grateful I have had this time to spend taking care of myself, it has truly been a blessing. In the meantime, I will keep doing the exercises on the right side, too, and hopefully, my next surgery & recovery will go as well. Thanks for all the love and support, and especially for your prayers, because I truly believe I have been given a miracle! PRAYER CHANGES THINGS! Love and Hugs to All! Mary