Mrs. Major gave blood for the very first time in her life today. In preparation for the bilateral knee replacement she’s scheduled for next month, she needed to donate two pints of her own blood in case they’re needed during the surgery. She has awful veins for the vampires. In fact, when she gives samples for blood tests, they have to use butterfly needles and get the blood from her hand. Today, the expert from Ocala was in town at the blood center and she drew Mrs. Major’s blood. She had to fish around a little to find the vein in her arm, but she found it. One pint down. One to go.

© 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Frustrated with the pain and inability to get around as much as she wants, Mrs. Major decided to go ahead with knee replacement surgery–on both knees at the same time. She’s scheduled for replacement on May 15, one month from now. “Bravo!” I say. Read the rest of this entry »

© 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Mrs. Major has bad knees. She’s been taking cortisone shots every three months in them for almost a year in order to reduce the pain she constantly feels. Convinced that she was ready for surgery, she went to see the surgeon to set up the surgery…hoping to have both knees done within the next three months. He talked her out of it. He told her it was her decision, but when she pressed him for his opinion, he said, “Wait.” So she’s waiting.

With the shots she can make it from the car to the store, or the golf cart to the swimming pool, but forget about a day at the mall or the museum or the gardens. We recently went on a cruise and just the walking on the ship was painful. She’s going to tough it out until she can’t stand it.

One of the reasons she decided to wait is the doctor told her she’s too young to have the surgery.  :grin:

© 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.