WA State Is Run By Democrats. I Do Not Trust Them To NOT Just Throw My Ballot Away.

Since we are REQUIRED, supposedly for this election ONLY, to check our
Party affiliation on the outside of the voting envelope. Makes it WAY
easy for some Democrat dickhead to see and just throw away. I do NOT
like this and will not be surprised when "whichever dickhead democrat"
wins the State.

But I cast my vote anyway just in case.

Not a lot going on. Still working my way up to near "normal." I can walk
a few steps away from the walker and my gait is getting more "normal"
so, that's good. I use "normal" a lot but the past 5 years or so my
walking hasn't been anywhere near "normal." Gonna be a new experience
for me.

The Tuesday after the surgery I was doing okay. Reading the post-op you
do this or you die pages they sent me home with it mentioned that I
need  to walk at least 200 steps a day. Easy peasy, I just walked to the
end of the driveway and back. About 180 feet total. Felt rather well
when I sat back down. For about an hour. Plenty of time for the injected
local anesthesia to finally wear off.

Then the pain hit. OMG. Started about 1300 and by 1600 I'd swear I could
feel my nearest neighbor, the one over 200 feet away, walk across his
living room. The World Vibrates and all of it concentrated in my left
leg/knee. Couldn't eat. Couldn't sleep. Refused to just fookin' die.

With only a couple of small breaks, and a quick run to Gig Harbor for a
dressing change, by 1600 Thursday I was at the "GOD JUST TAKE ME!
PLEASE! stage.

Damned Oxycodon didn't do a thing but make me nauseous and dry my mouth
out so much the Mojave Desert called and offered something to drink.
Also made me light headed and forgetful. I finally quit taking it
Saturday and felt much better, but a bit more in pain, by noon or so.
Way difference.

Then, Thursday evening I finally gave up trying to rest and came in to
sit at my computer. Propped my leg up on the ottoman and suddenly,
miraculously, the pain totally went away. No place on or in my body
hurt. I froze. Did not want to fuck that up by moving. Stayed that way
for almost 40 minutes but had to get up and go pee. Still didn't much
more than ache.

Friday was the first day of PT. We will not go there.

Between Sunday evening before surgery and the next Sunday I had a few
nibbles of different things and a whole Safeway chicken breast to eat.
Lots to drink though.

Had pooped only once all week; and that really wasn't pretty and I will
try to skip any vivid descriptions. When I started eating again that
Sunday I had a good meal Sunday & Monday & Tuesday but still hadn't
pooped. So, Tuesday evening I took a couple of stool softeners, a couple
of Dulcolax laxatives.

When I still hadn't pooped Wednesday morning I downed a half bottle of
that Magnesium Citrate stuff they have you drink before a colonoscopy.
That worked. Within 2 minutes I got all diaphoretic (sweaty) and my gut
started rumbling and within 5 minutes hit the toilet, pooped everything
I'd eaten in the past month or so, then started working on what I am
going to eat over the next week.

So, Thursday when they took the staples out and asked how I was doing
and if I'd pooped yet. Yep.

Next appointment with the surgeon is the end of next month unless
something goes seriously wrong. Which I doubt IF I take care. Which I
will. Mostly.

Hard to believe that tomorrow will be the 2 week mark. I'm getting
around pretty good and, honestly, not in too much pain. At least I can
take the USMC Miracle Cure Ibuprofen! 400 mg q 6-8 h works just fine. As
it always has.

So, mixed reviews about this whole total knee replacement thing. Surgery
went very well and I didn't notice a thing until the injected anesthesia
wore off. Couple of really hurt days not much mitigated by the narcotics
(which also made me loopy and sick feeling). Since quitting the narcs
and sticking to Ibuprofen AND that damned PT I'm getting better daily.
And, luckily, remembered pain is not the same as the experience.

Not bad for an old guy.