Progression

I had my three month follow-up appointment with the surgeon today. Has it been three months already? Or, at times, it feels like it's been way longer than three months. What's up with that? A rift in the time-space continuum, perhaps?

He's pleased with the progress I am making in my rehab, and says I am where he would expect me to be, if I was doing physio the way I should be. So that was good news. I have another appointment in six weeks, to see how things are then, and to discuss back-to-work strategy. He figures it will more than likely be 5 - 5½ months post-op for rejoining the workforce. That would put me right at Christmas, so I am going to opt for after New Year's.

But he also said that he wants me to have "light duties" when I go back, which could be something like paperwork only, or some kind of a desk job. I also spoke to my unit manager and she said the hospital has a form that guides the doc in giving more specifics about what he means by light duties. So I will have to get that form before I go back to see him in early December.

I did receive instructions to start pushing through the discomfort more with my exercises, to get the maximum range of motion out of the joint. He basically expects me to do the exercises every hour, for crying out loud! I don't even always remember to do them every day... but will try to be more vigilant from now on.

When visiting the dialysis unit at the hospital today, I noticed they are rolling out the new machines. The old ones had been in use for the past 10 years, so it was time to upgrade. Everyone is a little overwhelmed with learning the new one, which is just an upgrade from the old as it is the same manufacturer. But given that it is en mass, and that some people just don't do well with newer technology, that's to be expected. By the time I go back in January, I will have the trainer all to myself!