Phase Two

To be honest unless you want to know what exercises I have been doing there is not a lot to tell. I have been making steady progress, the exercises change every two or three days, when I have contact with the Physio.

I went to see the Surgeon on the 4th, and she was pleased with progress, all being well I should be able to drive in another couple of weeks. I was given the disk with the X-ray of my implant, she has done an excellent job.

I had my first outing last week, we went to our favourite Shopping Mall in Rionegro, intentionally because it’s all on the flat, and there is a lift between floors. I walked for a while, then Marcela went to Customer Services, and borrowed a wheelchair for the rest of the the ‘tour’ it was just nice to get out!

I am now on a walking stick, and think that is the best I will get for now, my Physio asked to see my MRI on my knees, I sent him a copy, and he showed them to another Surgeon, who confirmed that they are both shot, and if I want quality life, they will both have to be replaced, one after the other, I did ask if there was the possibility of a double replacement, but was told, only if I wanted to spend months in Hospital, which I dont, so it looks like another eighteen months before I become the ‘Bionic Man’!

It’s nice to be able to shower, without worrying about getting the dressing wet, the last on came off last week, the scar is about 7-8″ long, I wont show the photo, it doesn’t exactly look beautiful, but the Surgeon did a tidy job.

The Physio, Sebastian, has provided me with a TENS machine, which I have bought off him, not for the hip, which is more or less pain free now, but for my knees, whilst doing the hip exercises, and its doing a great job, the inflammation of my knee has gone down, I have had my own machines in the past, I haven’t a clue where they disappeared, I probably lost them in divorce custody battles!

Changing the subject, we have more possum problems, Jaime came out, with a couple of Labourers to move my wood pile from alongside the workshop, down to the store in the orchard, but there was no sign of possums, after the last one I dispatched. That night we, and Pepe heard them on the roof running around, not something we want, albeit, thanks to Jaime’s work, they are now on top of the house tiles, but living under my workshop roof tiles, and running between buildings, so my first job was to set up the wildlife camera.

Within 30 seconds of me uploading the video to Facebook, Jaime was on the phone to Marcela, suggesting that he install and electric barrier around my workshop roof, as we all think, they are climbing the perimeter metal fencing and using the elctric and camera cables to cross to my workshop roof.

I say ‘they’ because my sharp eyed Mother-in-law noticed in the last clip of the video, as the Possum passed, there were a pair of eyes from another in the background, and they are not small.

We have asked Jaime to arrange it when he has time. In the meantime I have installed temporary spotlights to illuminate the house roof from dusk until dawn, I haven’t got any spare solar lights with movement sensors, so we plug them in before going to bed and unplug in the morning, and so far, no more possums at night, but we suspect they are keeping to the workshop roof, because Pepe is still showing a great interest in the workshop area.

Today we say good-bye to my Mother-in law, Maria Elena, she has been with us since before my surgery, to take the workload off Marcela, and she has been a godsend, bless her, but she has her own commitments, so for now she is returning home, with our thanks. Fortunately I can now do a lot more for myself, so hopefully Marcela will accept that, and let me take the pressure off her shoulders.

Another benefit of the last month is that, Maria Elena and I have got on great, and if as we suspect the time will come that she can no longer live alone, the Apartment / Cabaña is hers, if she so chooses!

I think that brings me back up to date, so other than a catastrophic mishap, Hip recovery is exceeding expectations.