Weekend Recap

My weekend was a bit of a challenge. On Saturday, my husband and I went to Duluth and made those clothing exchanges that I blogged about previously. I settled on the one-size-smaller, but they really aren't stretched at all! Yay!

We went grocery shopping to restock my healthy choices. We parked in a handicapped parking spot so that I didn't have too far to walk to get into the store. When there are a multitude of handicapped parking spots available, I have no problem using one. The doctor gave me the paperwork to use one until Jan. 1, so he must feel that I "qualify." When spots are at a premium, I always feel there must be someone in more need than I, and I feel guilty using one.

When we got into the store, my husband insisted that I use one of their scooters. I had an emotional reaction to this. Even though there were several available, I feel I should leave them for someone who has greater need. Once I got going though, it was a great relief, as I know that my knee would never had made it on that concrete floor. I came out of the shopping experience in much better shape than I would have if I had tried to walk it.

I have an old sports injury in my lower back, and it was kicking up all weekend. I think I am trying to compensate for the knee, and that caused my lower back to spasm. It is still sore tonight, but I haven't let it stop me!

On Sunday, we took my parents to the Twin Cities (roughly 120 miles, one way) to see "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at this theater http://www.jungletheater.com My son is the manager at this theater, and it was a FANTASTIC show! He suggested that we have lunch at the restaurant next door to the theater to avoid my mother and I having to walk too far. The restaurant was excellent, but the healthy choices were limited. I made what I would consider a moderate choice, but it still wouldn't be considered healthy. I gave bites of my food to my husband and mother, and ate about half of what was presented.

After the theater, we met my daughter-in-law, brother, and sister-in-law at a seafood restaurant. Again, I made a moderate choice, but not really healthy. I brought half of my meal home, but I was over my target range for the day.

It was a wonderful day! The show was fantastic, and the food delicious (albeit less healthy than I'd like.) My leg was quite swollen from hanging down all day, and I had to remove my brace after the play, as it was cutting into my leg. I was careful with it the rest of the trip, and enjoyed myself immensely!

I made a conscious decision not to let the food choices of yesterday derail my journey (as I might have in the past.) Today my choices have been better all the way around.

I met with the physical therapist today. I explained to her that I would like to join the adjoining fitness center, as I have to drive in to Duluth three times a week, anyway. I also told her that I have been working really hard on my exercises, and that I am determined to come out of this thing better than I went in. She had me remove my brace, watched me walk and measured my flexibility. She put me on the stationery bike, and with her cautioning me, I was off to the races! She kept telling me that she would need to rein me in! I told her I'm so determined, that I'll do whatever I can! My flexibility was 100 degrees, and she said that's about maxed out with the amount of swelling that is in the knee.

Once she watched me work, she helped me formulate a plan. I joined the gym, and she has set me up with two machines that I may use. I may do up to 15 minutes on the stationery bike, and an arm/leg bending machine (kind of like a recumbent bike, but the legs just go out and back.) On Thursday, we will be meeting in the pool, and she will give me some simple exercises to do there. I will mostly just be walking and doing simple leg raises under the water. She said that she knows that I will do my work, and so she is just going to turn me loose in the gym and check me before my surgery date of Aug. 25.

I turned in my application for the gym membership, and I was told that they have to get doctor approval. It seems that a previous heart attack requires doctor approval. I am hopeful that the doc will give the okey dokey and that I will be able to do my routine three times next week. It feels great to be exercising again!

The PT was telling me that I would be sore tonight, and she was right. She asked me if I'd been using ice. I told her I haven't been home enough to ice anything, but I had at least purchased one of those freezer packs. Sore never killed anyone, and I'm working the ibuprofen and ice pack now. It feels empowering to know I can be doing something toward improving my health again!