Knee Recovery update

July 20, 2025

I can’t believe that its been 7 weeks since I broke my knee. This has not been fun at all.

I am grateful that I have a small, single story house.

I am grateful that I have a walk-in shower.

I am grateful that I have a deck, the same level as my house, so I can get outside easily.

I am grateful for my friends who took time out of their day and came to visit me.

I am grateful that I have a work-from-home job.

But I am most grateful for the amazing man who has been taking care of me this whole time. I can not imagine dealing with this with out him.

• He built a small ramp to get up and down the 2 steps to get into my house.
• He upgraded my desk chair wheels to ones that glide easier.
• He went to goodwill and got me a 2nd walker. He cut the legs down and put it over the toilet. Now I can get up and down on my own.
• He went back to goodwill and got me a shower chair so I can take a shower myself.
• He does the laundry(with my guidance), the cooking, the dishes, all of the outdoor chores and grocery shopping.

For the first 2 weeks, I wheeled around my house, on my desk chair. I didn’t have the strength to use the walker yet. I slept on the couch for the first 2 weeks, so he wouldn’t bump my leg accidentally. So during that time, my chair wouldn’t fit into the bedroom. So every night, before we both went to sleep, Dave would pick out my clothes for the next day. Once I had my clothes, I was able get to the bathroom, and then get ready for the day.

Now I can walk into the shower easier. But, I am still not very steady on both feet yet. So, I still sit in the shower chair. I am hoping to be more stable standing, with no assistance, soon.

In the meantime, I have been trying to keep my emotions in check. I am very frustrated that I can’t do the simplest tasks, due to still having to use the walker. I have started PT and they say they should have me walking with a cane soon. I can only hope that I am successful with that next step.

I am also hoping to get back to painting in my art room! I miss it so much. I only have 4 shows from October to December, and hoping I will be fully recovered for them.

Aug 8, 2025

We took a planned vacation, that was booked 6 months ago. I really didn’t want to cancel the trip. So at the last minute, I decided to rent a mobility scooter, so I was able get around easier. It was the best investment! The scooter allowed me to go on more outings and enjoy more of the trip. I was able to go to the mall, a botanical garden, an outdoor market and a sunflower farm.

When I couldn’t go with the group, I relaxed on the deck, with the best view of the lake. I also cherished the time with my family. It was so nice to get away from the grind. We stayed in 2 different places, during the week, and they each had a lot of stairs. Thank god for Dave, who helped me get up and down all of the stairs. He has been and will continue to be my rock, especially during this time. I am so very fortunate to have him in my life. I can’t imagine how I would deal with all of this, if I were alone.

Now, back to reality and PT. I will be going twice a week for the next 8-12 weeks. I have to keep moving but it’s not easy. I am still using the walker and need to move to cane. The muscles around the knee are so stiff. I can stand in the shower now with less hesitation than before. But, I’m still not 100% confident, so the shower chair will stay for a while.

I am doing the exercises, that I learned from PT, at home. I hate not knowing how long it will be till I am back to normal. It’s very frustrating. I do see small improvements, so that gives me hope. My goal is to be a lot more capable by the beginning of October, for my first art show. Fingers crossed.