Replacement

A NEW KNEE

By the time you read this we will have been at the condo for just over a month.  We came just in time to have a couple of days of rain from Hurricane Willa that passed north of us and tropical storm Vincente that grazed the coast; storms seems to follow Mrs.T.  Thanksgiving will have passed and we will have overstuffed at Sandrina's. And the Buckeyes will have trounced that 'team up north'. Most importantly, Rebecca is well into rehabilitation of her new knee.  

Rebecca has written a very short description of recent events related to her surgery.  She is still in some pain although the bulk of it has greatly subsided. She is anxious to get back to normal activities, especially SCUBA and horses.  Her rehabilitation is right on schedule and she is doing quite well. But those two more strenuous activities are still a few weeks away. Still, it is much better to be recuperating here rather than in wintertime Ohio.  You might want to revisit our last newsletter before you see the latest:

We are lounging in the sunshine.  Dan is reading a book about Putin.  (Thanks Nick -dt) I am working on a jigsaw puzzle.  The last three weeks have been spent concentrating on me recovering from knee surgery..  I progressed from agonized shrieks to pitious moans to surprised EEKs. I can walk pretty well now, but I am not completely better as my knee reminds me when I try a move which was automatic a month ago.  I am at the point I am impatient to get well.

How did we get to this state?  We tried to schedule my surgery in the US.  After several weeks of appointments we thought we had made it then it was called off because of my oxygen or actually lack thereof. (See the previous newsletter  -dt) After many more weeks of different tests and getting closer to our time of winter departure we seemed to be getting nowhere fast and finally we gave up. "Forget it; we will do it in Mexico," Dan said.  As usual he was right.

We arrived at the condo on a Monday. On Thursday I saw Dr. Victor, our doctor here, and got x-rays.. On Friday I got blood tests.  On Saturday I met Dr. Roberto, the surgeon, and another doctor and got more x-rays. On Tuesday the surgical team of nine different people came to Dr. Victor's Clinica Santa Rosa near where we live and did the surgery,  On Wednesday I came home. Since then it has been moaning and groaning and exercises and physical therapy. Really everyone says I am doing very well.

One of the tests I needed to take in the US was a sleep study.  This was not one of my favorite things But as a result of that I needed a CPAP machine.  The thing is that just a couple of weeks before we left I got this mask that goes over my face for sleeping.  They tell me that in time I will grow to love it but so far that has not occured. (Not love it but become accustomed to it  -dt) When I wake up in the middle of the night - a regular occurrence these days - I immediately panic, thinking some beast is on top of my face trying to smother me.  (She has encountered too many octopuses when diving -dt) Then I sit up and begin to realize that it is the CPAP mask. I can't figure out in the dark how to undo the straps so I can take off the dang thing to go to the bathroom.  When I finally get it off I jump out of bed. YEOUCH!!

Not a good idea to jump out of bed right after knee surgery.  I rebound back into bed and sit a few moments recovering before I carefully slip out of bed and limp to the bathroom.  When I limp back I sit on the edge of the bed trying to untangle all those straps so I can put the breathing torture device back on my face without waking Dan.  Do you wonder that I don't love it? (She has gotten much better with it. -dt)

Everyone in Mexico has been most kind, giving me presents and flowers and visiting and entertaining me.  Of course Dan has been the most helpful of all, doing all the chores and cooking and laundry. (Nothing new there -dt)  He was my exercise supervisor allowing no cheating and urging me to lift my leg higher etc. with great enthusiasm. But after three weeks he decided I could do it myself.  It is not so much fun cheating when you are only fooling yourself.

II can walk pretty well now.  I explained to Dan that it would be good if each day we walked to dinner at a different restaurant a little further away.  There are about twenty within a couple blocks of where we live, but Dan did not buy it. However we are going to Sandrina's for Thanksgiving.  It is a little further away but they have the best pumpkin pie in the world! (Indeed it is! -dt)

Yesterday I got in the pool for the first time.  With our solar heating it was 80 degrees Fahrenheit  and felt wonderful. I could cavort about and it felt great. The only thing is I couldn't get out without Brenda holding my hand. (Big thank you!   -dt) Sigh! Anyway thanks for the good wishes from everyone, I am getting well as fast as I can.

Other things have transpired for us as well; here are some snippets.  Be sure to check out the pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHskMUZBsQ

• Just before we left we had an example of why a falling tree and a car do not mix well.  The picture says it all. Squish! Any suggestions for its replacement?

• Revolution Day has come and gone, and the annual parade had the usual excitement.

• Jigsaw puzzles have already commenced especially as Judy, Dr. Puzzle, has returned.

• We had a splendid visit with our most talented friend Algis whose film "The Messenger Hermes Remembers" has been selected for festivals in Venice and Sicily.

• Last year's holiday cards were lost in some postal blackhole.  This year we just did not get to making them.

• Finally, our thoughts are with Randy who is convalescing back in Canada.  We wish him all the best.

Depending when you read this Mrs.T may be up and around quite nicely.

We hope you have survived Black Friday/Cyber Monday and are preparing for joyful holidays.  Best wishes to all.

Dan and Rebecca

www.casa-de-terrible.blogspot.com

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