Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

My physical therapist definitely upped the weights in our session today, and my quads are complaining about it. Which is all good, because it means the knee is getting stronger. Also the swelling is going down and I can see the normal dimples coming back, so yay.

I did some minimal shopping for prime days, mostly needed upgrades for stuff that was on its last legs, like the toaster oven that has crossed wires somewhere behind the buttons so sometimes the start button turns it on, sometimes it changes the convection settings. Always an adventure with the current one, so out it goes when the new one arrives.

Teleworking after the last few months of return-to-office mandates has been odd, since I’m typically the only person not there in person, and it always has to start with a recitation of having had knee surgery that I’m recovering from. Not that I regret either the surgery or the telework, it’s just an odd situation.

Pro-tip: Clip your toenails before you have knee surgery, and not a week afterwards. It’ll be a lot easier. 😉

Sutures are out, balance is good. I drove to PT. Hardest part of driving right now is getting in and out of the car. Strength and coordination while driving were fine, it’s just awkward getting out of the car. So now it’s working on range-of-motion (so much flexing of the knee) and strength (so many variations of squats).

In other news, it’s hot as all get out here in the DC area. Currently around 96F/35C. Which was a perfectly fine temperature when I lived in Taiwan and had acclimated to sub-tropical heat, but not so much now that I’m stuck in AC all the time and fat.

My small gubm’nt agency is getting kicked out of our new (2017) office building in favor of a big gubm’nt agency that wants to move out of their mid-century brutalist monstrosity downtown. We found out definitively yesterday evening, with the press stuff happening this morning. So far the rumor is that we’ll be moved to the federal center in Suitland MD, which would be fine by me because it’s a straight shot down the green line for me – no more switching trains. But I bet it would lead to a lot more attrition, as both the current and former HQ buildings are in Northern Virginia, and people aren’t going to want to go to Maryland.

In better news, since I can drive we can go get haircuts. And comics. And groceries. Yay!

First PT appointment. Third time seeing this particular therapist and he was glad I finally had surgery to fix the knee. Ran me through my paces, took measurements for posterity, and gave me homework for the next two days until I see him again. Whee! Took my bullet journal with me and took good notes on the exercises. Surprisingly still not feeling the need for pain medication, even after the session. The most irritating part was getting in and out of the ubers with the brace on, honestly.

The husband is off to dinner with a friend, and they’re going to pick up the weekly haul of comics. I’m probably over a month behind on those at this point, but I’m not stressed about it yet.

In the meantime I’m currently stuck on the couch under a cat, so I’ll figure out the rest of the evening later.

First follow-up appointment was preceded by some Uber drama, but still managed to get there in plenty of time. Bandages were removed, and the surgeon seemed pleased with the progress. In the procedure he cleaned up rough cartilage and some damage to the meniscus (and gave me pictures!), so everything should be good to go inside now, without things catching and further damaging the inside of the kne. PT starts on Wednesday. I can shower now (huzzah!), and can start weaning off the crutches and the brace as I feel up to it. I probably have two more weeks before I can drive. All-in-all it’s going well, which I’m pleased as punch about.

Surgery went well. I’m exceedingly glad we chose to do a hotel 5 minutes from the surgery center, as that meant a normal sleep & wake up time, as opposed to the 40-60 minutes an uber would have taken in the morning (with all the necessary schedule adjustments to sleep, etc.). The staff were great. Had a slight issue with getting an IV going on my left arm, but they got it first go on the right side. Absolutely no recollection of talking with the surgeon afterwards, so I’ll find out more details about what they found when I see him on Monday. The only thing the husband remembered was him saying that my ligaments were a little strained as well, but those are strengthenable with exercise so I’m not as concerned there.

So far the nerve block is still mostly in place, not quite 24 hours later. That or (hopefully) it’s not going to be that painful. In any case, Tylenol is at the ready. Turned down any opiates/opioids, as I can’t handle the constipation they cause. It’s hard enough to use a toilet with the brace and crutches without also not being able to go, ya know?

The cats got some fun sniffing in on the brace, and thankfully they’ve seen crutches before so they’re not freaked out. Ezri is mostly hanging out near me and squishing the back cushions on the couch that she’s lying on; Benjamin is mostly in my office in his heated bed, unless/until it’s time for treats.

Excited to see that they’re working on Spaceballs 2 after 30+ years. The trailer was delightful, especially all of the factoids in the crawl. It’s one of my favorite films, so here’s hoping they let Mel run with it (perhaps not to the level of Blazing Saddles, but still, let the mensch do what he does best, please!).

I started situational telework early this week, and it was weird being at home all day. Couple of Teams calls, but those aren’t the same as just popping into a colleagues office and talking through something (or just shooting the shit). A lot of what I have to do as an attorney for an agency is managing relationships and small-p institutional politics and in-person time is a lot easier to handle that aspect. Even when the commute eats up 10 hours a week (though, frankly, half-time in the office – 5 days every two weeks – was plenty for managing that in most instances). I did write out at least one big research project, on the history of some of my small agency’s specific legislative authorities and limits for construction activities, which will be easier to handle at home without meetings or drop-ins. And which can allow me to get in some creditable work hours versus the full week of leave I have scheduled for next week.

But for today it’s reading, some crochet, napping, maybe some replay comfort video gaming.

Finally saw the second orthopedist on Monday and he’s recommending an arthroscopy to go in and clean up the meniscus and some cartilage, and that we don’t need to do a more invasive repair of the tendon on the inside of the knee. Unlike the other guy, this one physically manipulated my knee, moving it around to see what was going on, which is why he recommended the minimally invasive route (based on that and my original MRI). Got ahold of his scheduling person yesterday morning, and I’m set for outpatient surgery next Thursday, the 12th. This morning I’m off for pre-op bloodwork and an EKG from my regular physician, whose office was amazing at working me in. Was remarking to the husband that it had been a while since I’d had an EKG, and he reminded me of the hospital stay for the not-stroke-that-turned-out-to-be-migraines. I was thinking of the baseline one I’d had years ago with my physician in his office, and not the hospital. Whee.

Bodies are such fun.

Recovery time is typically 12 weeks, which again beats the more invasive stuff. So here’s hoping this does the trick, as I am really tired of not being able to walk like a normal person without pain.

I’m approved for situational telework afterwards (huzzah!), which means I have to clean up my office, as it’s gotten junky, post-return-to-the-office-full-time. And I need to plan & shop for some easy meals the husband can make for us (we divide kitchen duties normally – I cook, he bakes). Only thing it’s going to spoil is a Loudoun United game we bought (cheap) tickets for on the 14th, and I’ll see if I can move those. If not, not a huge loss.

Beyond that, the trip to the eastern shore was wonderful. Got through three books, and didn’t check the news, so I actually relaxed. Managed not to go into the jewelry store so I didn’t buy anything expensive this year. All in all a good way to wrap up May, and with the surgery planned, not a bad way to begin pride month.

The husband and I have to head to the Boston area next week for a family funeral. Which also, unfortunately, means some suit shopping tomorrow because I don’t have one that fits at the moment. I am once again extremely grateful that the primary practice area for my small agency staffed up well before this administration and that none of them have left, so we have plenty of coverage while I’m out.

The cortisone seems to be more fully kicking in; walking is a bit more normal. But I still want them to go in and see what else can be done.

Easy dinner of eggs & rice tonight for me, mac & cheese for him. We watched The Gorge on AppleTV+, which started out really well, then quickly jumped the shark on the way over the putative gorge. We had fun complaining about how off the rails it went, so it wasn’t a complete loss.

Forgot to take painkillers with me to work, and the knee was not happy with me by the afternoon. More gross was that the AC wasn’t working well when I got in – whole office was 74 or higher, despite most thermostats being set to 70. My office dipped to 75 at some point over the day, but hovered around 77-78 for most of it. Yuck.

Work is a grind of prepping stuff as best we can while knowing we’re going to get sued. Oh well. Set stupid policies, get sued. I get paid regardless, so long as they don’t fire the lot of us.

Went to the DC Men’s knitting group today, and the shop had these gorgeous knitting project bags in leather. I’d seen them online before, but they were just as dreamy in person. Despite looking them over multiple times I just couldn’t justify another bag, especially one that would really just be used to haul knitting from floor to floor in the house (the lack of anything other than a single handle makes it unpractical for hauling outside). But man were they pretty (and they had all four shades on display).

Knitting went well. Walking to/from knitting went well, with the brace on. Apparently a possible side effect of cortisone is a flushed face, which I had both today and yesterday. Took my temp several times, all normal, before bothering to google side effects. D’oh. And I made some good progress on this shawl. The current section has me adding 10 stitches every two rows, so it’s really growing. Got to chat with a new member who took up knitting during the pandemic, and has stuck with it. He’s going to attend the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival for the first time this year, so we were sharing tips, like have a project list so you have an idea what you might want to buy, rather than just picking out every pretty skein you see, as that way lies an impossible yarn stash.

Slept for shit last night, between eating too much Chinese food and the knee still setting down. So today was lots of video game grinding, then I watched a couple movies while finishing a dish cloth I was working on to try out some color work before I tackle a blanket in a similar pattern. But first I need to finish a shawl I’ve been working on.

Was sorely tempted to take advantage of Brooklyn Tweed’s going out of the yarn business sale, but I don’t need to spend the money right now, and I definitely don’t need any more yarn guilt.

Stomach’s calmer, so here’s hoping sleep will be easier. The husband is out of town with his sister to commemorate their Mom’s passing during the beginning of the COVID pandemic, which leaves me plenty of knitting time.