Monday August 25, 2008: Slight change of plan

I got a call in little while ago changing my pre-op with Dr. Schweitzer to the same time, the next day. So instead of having 2 appointments on Sept. 4, which also happens to be my birthday, I have only 1. But meanwhile, I made an eye doctor appointment because I f0und out I could get new glasses as of Sept. 1. So as a result, I now have a doctor's appointment every day but
Monday, which is Labor Day. So here's next week's agenda:



Sunday 8/31: BBQ at friend's
Monday 9/01: Labor Day and I'm off
Tuesday 9/02: Pre op with my primary doctor in Ridgefield in the morning.
Wednesday 9/03: Work 9:30-2:30 in lingerie and have a 4PM appointment with the eye doctor at an eye place in the mall since that's what our insurance covers and I can chose new frames as well, all for $15.
Thursday 9/04: My birthday and an afternoon appointment with the hematologist
Friday 9/05: Pre op with the orthopedist in the morning.
Saturday 9/06: Work 12-6PM in the larger ladies' sizes again (I scheduled this myself--6 hours I'm hoping I won't regret).

Then I have only the week after until my last day on the 13th-or at least the last day I said I'd be available to be scheduled.

And today I stayed home from work. I worked Saturday and Sunday, Sunday in China where I mostly stood around. One of the people worked with had a terrible cough and cold. I was scheduled to be there this morning with her and my knee hurt and I didn't want to be there with her germs so I called out. I don't have to work now until Friday when I'm in children's. Then I said I wasn't available for the whole Labor Day weekend since I wanted to be able to go to Ron's annual Labor Day festivities, although this year, it will be a retirement party for his wife!

Meanwhile I started a new project last week. I've been going through my iTunes in alphabetical order, listening to everything (or pushing the arrow to the end of the song so it counts, lol). I try to listen to 1 letter a day, although I've listened to 2 in one day. Currently I'm in the "I"s. It's currently on "I Go to Extremes" by Billy Joel.

Probably won't be updating until next week with each appointment. Until then, see ya later alligata.

Aug. 11, 2008: Yesterday

Yesterday I forgot to mention that it was the anniversary of the event that precipitated this past year's surgeries---A year ago yesterday, while vacuuming in the bedroom, I tripped on the vacuum cleaner wire and landed on my knees. I felt the right knee cap move, which is not a good feeling. I most likely would've ended up eventually at the point where I am now, needing a PKR, as I was always having swelling in the one spot where I now need the replacement with the accompanying pain, but this injury sped things along.
And tomorrow is my 30th wedding anniversary. Never expected to have bad knees on this date 30 years ago!

Aug. 10, 2008: Nothing New!

Haven't updated in a week as nothing much has happened. Feeling achy because I ran out of Celebrex but have now ordered some and hopefully they will arrive the first half of this coming week. WHen I rodered it, I discovered the copay had gone from $137 (not cheap to begin with) to $150. Thinking after this refill (and there are none left anyway), I may change medications although it works very well. $150 is really expensive!
Last Saturday we went to Massachusetts to see Allen and Kathy and to have a BBQ with Kathy's parents. Unfortunately the weather wasn't so great but it was nice to see every one. And we got Polar Soda that we ordered through Allen and schlepped it home.

We had mice issues this week in the kitchen. I cleaned out everything and put new shelf paper in, but there might still be something there. HATE HATE HATE mice. On a brighter note, I tried a recipe for fish tacos and the limey coleslaw that goes with them was yummy.

I'll be telling work this week (probably will go in on Wednesday as I don't work until Saturday) about the surgery and will tell them my last day of work can be Sept. 13. Then I'll go on leave. Not sure how long I have to be out from work but as much as I'm not thrilled with the job, at least I'll know I have something to go back to (hopefully) when I can.

And I got a call from my friend Maria who has found out she has mild lupus. I'll be meeting her Tuesday morning (my anniversary morning) at Windmill Diner for coffee/tea.

July 30, 2008: The shoulders

I decided yesterday after a shoulder aching 5 hours at work and the last week having shoulder aches, to make an appointment to (hopefully) get a cortisone shot in each of my shoulders so I made an appointment, which is today at 11AM. Knees are achy (so what else is new).

July 27, 2008: To Boston and Back

We drove to Boston yesterday, getting slightly lost because of the incompatability of GPS and the Big Dig, paid $3.50 for the privilege of driving through Logan Airport by accident, but we did get to Andy's place eventually. After checking everything out, we went into central Boston and had a great lunch at Durgin Park, which included Yankee Pot Roast and Indian Pudding. We took the T around town (public transportation) which isn't good for bad knees. But we did go to the Boston Public Library and Symphony Hall but couldn't go in.

July 16, 2008: Part Deux

Got a call from the surgery scheduler. They hadn't gotten the allergy test results so after I spoke to her, I called to get them faxed over there. In the meantime, I now have a surgery date: Wednesday Sept. 17 at 7:30AM. He does surgery at the Health South Surgical CEnter (outpatient stuff) the week of Sept. 7, which is when I wanted it, so I had to go for the week afterwards. I've now scheduled my pre-op with Dr. Maki (changed my annual check up appointment with her into a pre-op appointment) on Sept. 2. On Sept. 4, my birthday, I see Dr. Schweitzer for a pre-op with him at 10AM and see Dr. Abrams the hematologist at 11:30, for a platelet count. Dr. Abrams had wanted to see me a week before the surgery but since he'll be out of the office that week, I had to make it for the week before. He'll do a platelet count and determine if I need any treatment, which I doubt I will, since Dr. Schweitzer said a count of 50000 or more would be fine. And since my count is always higher than that, it shouldn't be a problem. I won't tell work about the surgery until closer to the date.
Feeling nervous and excited at the same time.

July 16, 2008: The day

Got through yesterday's trek to New Haven which included a stop at the MRI center at Yale-New Haven, breakfast at Ikea, and browsing through Ikea, getting a few small odds and ends and a rug for upstairs. I managed to get lousy dental floss stuck in between my teeth a little while ago and got most out but it feels like something is still there.
Around 9:15 AM, I'll be calling the scheduling lady at CFO. I'll be making sure she/they got the allergy test results and asking her to schedule the surgery. I'm a bit nervous but it's a step moving forward and maybe by the end of the week, I'll have a date for the surgery. Like a year ago when my knee was hurting at night, I had a dream last night with one of the orthos in it! Very weird.
I'll get back here when I know anything from my call.