4 weeks

Yesterday I had my first post-op visit at 4 weeks.  I was taken for X-rays which was ok until the tech repeated the right knee 4 times.  OK, I'm beginning to get nervous because this is my good knee, the one that bothers me the least.  Is is not so bad because it doesn't even work correctly?  She goes and gets the doctor.  He says, "She's too relaxed.""  That does not sound good.  What pain is he going to inflict on me to decrease my relaxation??!!  He comes in and positions me in an awkward position, they get the X-ray, and all is good.  I was given the freedom to do anything I feel like doing.  He felt safe saying that--heaven knows I won't be doing anything daring.  I also started learning to walk at PT.  At home I am giving up my walker and using a cane.  This has really slowed me down. (My door frames and floor moldings will be happy; I have really beat them up with the walker.)  Prior to surgery, I used my cane in my left hand for 2 years.  Now I have to use my right hand because my left knee is the weaker knee.  So every step is an effort of concentration and exaggerated motion.  When I think about what I was like 4 weeks ago, I realize I have come a long way.  Four weeks ago I was literally dragging my left foot.  I could not move it from side to side or pick it up in any way.  Two days ago I threw my left leg up on the bed, and my husband and I both dropped our jaws at my feat. At the end of each day, I write down any minor improvement I noticed that day.  Most of them have been miniscule, but at the end of the week, they add up to something noticeable.  On the days that I feel discouraged, which is more often now--I think I am getting weary-- I can look at my lists and see the remarkable progress that I have made.  You may remember that my 2 month goal was to be without assistance in the house.  I'm feeling pretty sure I can accomplish that in one month now that I have graduated to the cane already. Now my doctor wants me to work on giving up pain meds.  Since I am now off blood thinner, I can take NSAIDS.  I started out with 2 after breakfast and will take 2 with dinner, then save my narcotics for the break out pain.  Let's just say that the pain broke out sooner than I was hoping.  I am to keep records of how many pills I take over 3 days.  If I took 11 pills over 3 days, then the next 3 days, I am to take 10 or less. Sounds reasonable, but scary, too.