Indiana

Today we arrived in Indianapolis.  Curtis and Dad picked us up at the airport.  Flying is quite the adventure with a wheelchair.  I actually didn't mind having all this attention.

Las Vegas

Keith is planning to retire next summer.  So we spent a few days in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area looking for a warm spot to visit during the coldest part of the Fairbanks winter.  The locals complained that they were having a cold spell... yeah, right... it got down to the thirties at night and the daytime temperatures was in the fifties.  When the bellhop was taking our bags down to the car, she said, "I have to go and get my coat first."  For us it was spring weather.

Warmer Weather

For the past week the days have been getting shorter and shorter.  However, the temperature is warmer.  The water hasn't frozen in the past five days; and finally, I am getting some laundry done.

But I've been a little depressed because of my knee hurting.

Much Ado About Nothing

Some days nothing goes right. I couldn't take a shower before physical therapy because our water froze. Then the check-engine-light wouldn't go out when I drove to town. I thought that I would have to walk home in 20-below weather. (Obviously I made it back...)

Because the water was frozen, I couldn't do any laundry until after PT, and by then, I didn't feel like doing any laundry.  She really worked me today.  I was there almost two hours.  She explained why my knee is so sore.  A chondroplasty shaves away some of the bone to smooth it out.  Eeek!  I am glad he didn't tell me before the surgery.  I was nervous enough.  However, that explains why I had total anesthesia instead of a spinal.

Tomorrow I go to the doctor.  I really expected be moving faster by now.  OTOH, at least I know there's a reason I'm still limping, and it's not just my imagination.  Daphne said to ice the knee more and to use crutches in the evening.  She also urged me to take the crutches on our vacation.  Oh, goodee.

I have a load of laundry in the dryer, and I'm starting another one in the washer.  The dirty clothes are mating and multiplying because the more I wash, the more there is to wash.  That gives new meaning to separating the laundry.

Below Zero

The temperature has been hovering around the 25 below zero mark.  The ice fog hasn't been too bad, but our water keeps freezing.  I don't understand why the heat tapes are not doing the job.  Keith rigged up a contraption that uses a blow dryer to surround the pipe with warm air.  So all I have to do is run (limp) downstairs, unplug the pump, and turn on the blow dryer.  After about 15 minutes the water is thawed.  Then I hobble downstairs, plug in the pump, wait for it to quit running (indicating that the water is flowing), and then turn off the blow dryer.

The doctor told me not to overdo it.  So I can not overdo it or have water, my choice.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy started about a week after the surgery.  My therapists name is Daphne.  She is small and thin, but she is strong.  When she pulls my leg straight and takes the pressure off my knee, it feels so good.  My last session, I even took Brendon.

Football

Today Keith turned on the television to watch something.  If you weren't a football fan, there was nothing to watch.  Football games were on every station.