Day 7: Friday 3rd Jan 2014
Discharged from SKSMC. My nephew Atan picked me up. Went for lunch and went to Bukit Raja Shopping Centre. Bought a new microwave oven as my old one was not working properly. I was walking slowly, still very much dependent on the walking stick. I easily become tired if I walked a bit far.
We hang around at the shopping centre while waiting for Mickey Benjamin's vet to open at 3.00 pm.
Picked up my orange boy and arrived home at 4.30 pm. He was quiet on the way home, as if knowing that he would be home soon.
My fridge was almost bursting with all kinds of foodstuffs.
Mickey did his inspection of the house inside out. Even checked the neighbour's flower pots, waste paper baskets, the kids' bikes, everything.
Day 8: Saturday 4th Jan 2014
The operated joint still felt very tight. Remembering the doctor's I walked and walked around the house. Every hour I tried to walk at least 10 minutes. Walking will prevent DVT ( deep vein thrombosis) and it would also help bring down the swelling around my feet. I also did all the exercises recommended by my physiotherapist, over and over again. I also keep wearing the compression socks day and night. I am stickler for complying to all my doctor's and therapist recommendations. Well, all in all, the surgery cost me 27K, so I should stick to the proper advice and recommendations so that it would not all be a waste. Well, the walking around was definitely not a waste as all the swelling on right foot subsided almost completely.
Day 9: Sunday 5th Jan 2014
I realised that I still have quite a journey with the physiotherapy. It would take a lot of patience and determination. Because the right knee was not able to bend before the operation I would need lots and lots of exercises in the physiotherapy. I really really hope my spirit will never be dampened by the cramps and the soreness of muscles in my right knee.
Day 10: Monday 6th Jan 2014
A lot on my mind today. The osteoarthritis had changed me. From someone who always walked fast I became dependent on the walking stick and I have to walk slow. Did I become more patient? A little bit I supposed. There were times I felt frustrated at my own slow movement, especially going up or down staircases. However I do realised that there are people worse than me. It is my choice whether I want to be grumpy and irritable because of the arthritis or I can go on doing things I love as usual even though perhaps at a slower pace. Life is about making choices! In reality my life changes only a little because of the arthritis. I still went places, I went window-shopping as usual, I went out with friends now and then, I went to see movies as often as I did even before the arthritis. Now I have had the operation. All I have to do is keep attending physiotherapy sessions and do whatever is advised by my therapist. And.......... it is good to lose weight too!
Day 11: Tuesday 7th Jan 2014
First physiotherapy session, Atan sent me to SKSMC. After a few light exercises the therapist placed me on the bike. It was a difficult to make a full circle with my operated knee. What the heck, I thought, just try make one circle. With all my might I pushed myself to make a rotation. There was a very very sharp pain and I suddenly felt clammy, queasy and I felt like I was about to pass out. They took me to a room to lie down, while they gave me some food. Reason for that was because I didn't have any breakfast before the session. If your stomach is empty, intense pain can make you pass out. I didn't know that. After about 20-minute rest and some Milo and biscuits I was ok to continue.
Day 12: Wednesday 8th Jan 2014
Drove to the train station in Port Klang. First time I drove after the surgery. Took the train to KL Sentral and then took a cab to MidValley Megamall. Bought some Clarks shoes. There were sharp shooting pains from time to time around my right knee. Sitting down for the 80 minutes journey from Port Klang to KL was uncomfortable. There was no pain on sitting down, but the muscles felt tired, very tired especially on the return journey. I had to massaged my leg and my thigh often to lesson the cramps. At night too the cramps still bothered me. I was a little worried about these cramps.
Day 13: Thursday 9th Jan 2014
I had a follow-up with my doctor as well as second physiotherapy session today. Dr. Ong was happy with my progress I think, even though some of my right leg muscles are rather stubborn and refused to bend to a much better desired degrees. Physio session was ok, I had a rather big breakfast, no more almost passing out moment.
After therapy and follow-up session I walked slowly to the commuter train station. I hold the the walking stick just as a precaution, but as far as possible I try not using it. I should slowly try putting weight on the operated knee. So walking to the train station, I took the train to Subang Jaya station and I then I
walked to the Empire Shopping Centre. Took me half an hour to get to Empire as I walked quite slow. I considered this confidence building walk as I felt more confident to put weight on the operated knee.
Day 14: Friday 10th Jan 2014
Woke up at around 5.30 am and realised that I have slept very much better last night. The tiredness in my right leg muscles are very much diminished. Continue lying down to savour that beautiful peaceful feeling. There is much less heaviness in the operated knee.
Met with Darling, Dear, En. Loh and Siti at Bukit Raja. Just meeting the gang, before En. Loh and Dear fly to Yokohama this coming Sunday.
Day 15: Saturday 11th Jan 2014
Did some washing in the morning. The cramps in my right leg were back. I think it was because I did a lot of the exercises recommended by my therapist. The muscles responded rather angrily because they have got used to not being so much active before the operation. Ever since I got inflicted with the osteoarthritis in August 2012 I could not bend my right knee much. Being rather idle those 14 months the muscles involved in bending my right knee became rather stubborn and protested by giving me the cramps.
Day 16: Sunday 12th Jan 2014
I stopped doing some of the exercises recommended as they gave me those cramps again, to the extent that I did not sleep well. Perhaps I did too much. Well, I can always walk around the house. So I walked and walked.
Dear and En. Loh flew to Japan for their one-month training programme.
Day 17: Monday 13th Jan 2014
Today is my third physiotherapy session (supposed to be Tuesday, but Tuesday is a public holiday, the Prophet's Birthday). Tried the stationary bike. Could not make one round with my right knee. Okay, I did like three quarters of a round, time and time again. I still did not bend my knee properly, still painful. So I walked dragging my right foot. It was very hard to bend actually.
Day 18: Tuesday 14th Jan 2014
Today is Maulidur Rasul holiday. Woke up early, slight cramp only in my operated leg. That is good. Any improvement is good and can be used to motivate me further with the physiotherapy and all the exercises.
Drove to Port Klang town to get my hair cut. I waited until 11.00 am near the hair salon, it still did not open. Some other time then. I felt like I can walk longer without feeling easily tired. That is good too. Found Tam near a grocery shop. Took her to the vet in section 7 Shah Alam. She was dewormed and given flea spray and I would have to take her again for vaccination in two weeks time. Will write about her later.
Day 19: Wednesday 15th Jan 2014
Saw Dear's and En.Loh's photos in facebook. Japan is a wonderful country, there are just loads of things to see, to compare and to wander at. Still remember about my stay there back in the late eighties.
Did the recommended exercises until my muscles felt sore.
Day 20: Thursday 16th Jan 2014
Went for my fourth physiotherapy session today. At last I could cycle with the stationery bike although with some cramps in my right knee. It took me 20 days after the operation to be able to do that even at a very slow pace. The movement that I took for granted before I had the osteoarthritis has now become like learning a new sophisticated and complex sport. It made me realised how complex human beings and other animals are as a species. That small thing as bending your knee actually involved many complex smaller operations. The thing about muscles, on being left idle for some time, they will become lazy and have to be coaxed and pushed into action again.
Day 21: Friday 17th Jan 2014
Went to see movie today. The first movie after my surgery called The Legend of Hercules. I thought, well, just see any movie whatsoever it is. Turned out the movie was not bad actually with Kellan Lutz playing Hercules and Liam McIntyre playing his loyal subject Sotiris. Kellan Lutz if I'm not wrong shot to fame playing Emmet Cullen (one of the five adopted children of Dr. Carlisle Cullen and Esme Cullen) in the popular Twilight films based on Stephanie Meyer's books. I thought Emmet had become a bit rounder than his Twilight days because I would not have recognised him if I hadn't read the poster outside the cineplex beforehand.
Bought some toys for Tam and Mickey from Daiso. Hmm.....it is good that Bukit Raja Shopping Centre has a Daiso now.
There are positive signs that Mickey and Tam may become good friends. Not so much hissing and growling anymore when there are in the same room. Of course I made sure Tam is inside the cage before I let Mickey into the room. I am still a little worried that Mickey might be bothered by Tam's feisty attitude and extreme playfulness. Mickey is always curious and always wanted to go into the room where I keep Tam. He is clearly very interested in the newcomer.
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It has been three weeks since the operation. It was not a very easy journey and many times I have to push myself to be positive and not to be discouraged by the slow progress of the operated knee and muscles associated with it. I still have a few months more of physiotherapy to go and I am determined to make the very best of it.
Thank you everyone for all kind words and encouragement
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