Week 7 - Shannon and Shoulder

I was 100% in surgery prep mode all week. I talked to my PT on Monday to get his opinion, which was what I expected - shoulder before my knee. He also talked me down, taking exception to my use of the word hellish to describe the shoulder surgery/PT, so that made me feel a bit better. My shoulder wasn't scheduled yet but I had everything set up for my knee so was just plowing ahead figuring a pre-op physical was a pre-op physical, right?

I had my physical scheduled in Wahoo for 8:00 Tuesday so had some extra time that morning and was playing online. Then I checked Facebook and had a shock. My friend Shannon from water aerobics, who had been fighting cancer for a year, had died. She had just been in the pool a month ago and I had no idea it had gone so bad. I was a mess after reading that but pulled myself together by the time I got to the clinic. The pre-op physical was a joke! They did do an EKG but otherwise it was BP, weight and history with the nurse and the PA only looked in my ears and nose and used the stethoscope on my chest. Had I not mentioned my PVC's (premature ventricular contractions), they wouldn't even have done the EKG. It was over so quickly that I called my hair dresser and she could fit me in right then so I drove over there and in 25 minutes was back on the road headed to work. Done and done.

I started Wednesday meeting with the shoulder surgeon and scheduling my surgery for two weeks out - March 2nd. I was having a different doctor do the surgery since mine didn't do arthroscopic and this one did. With my date in hand, I now had a target to get everything done.

My first step was to get a recliner. I drive right by a furniture store - Ernie's in Ceresco - every day so was whining about stopping there after work Thursday when Cindy came to my rescue. She not only suggested checking Craig's List but in 10 minutes had found me the perfect, rust crushed velvet beauty for $20. She also volunteered her truck to pick it up and deliver it and had the deal arranged before I left for work. Best 15 minute solution to a whine fest ever! And it all worked perfectly too.

Shannon's celebration of life was in Lincoln at 3:00 on Saturday and since Cindy had to be in south Lincoln for a hair appointment Saturday morning, we made plans to see a movie at noon, pick up the chair nearby and then head to Shannon's event. Cindy picked A Dog's Purpose and while it wasn't anything I'd ever see, how could I complain? I happily treated her and it was a fine movie, although a tear jerker so not the best for right before a funeral. 

The next stop was recliner pick up and this is what we saw when we turned the corner - the recliner was the only spot of color among the late winter drab of the neighborhood. The recliner was in fact ridiculously comfortable, as advertised. It was also advertised as being Dick Cheney's parent's chair, which we thought was a joke but it ended up being true. The seller grew up in Casper, Wyoming and his parents bought it from Dick's parents at their garage sale. My liberal ass would more than make up for any Dick juju on the chair. Maybe Dick's daughter's mojo had already cancelled his out. Whatever. We drove off with one more thing off my to do list.

It had been freakishly warm all week and Saturday was no exception. Shannon, who was very environmentally conscious, wouldn't not have approved but it was a lovely afternoon and celebration of life. I was in tears in my seat and could not believe that Gary, her husband, spoke as did her mom and sisters. I could never do that. It was standing room only and a perfect time to celebrate Shannon. We headed home, sad but happy somehow too. Cindy and I got the recliner into my front room without a problem. All in all, it was a good day.

I had a productive day on Sunday too, getting all my chores done and taking advantage of the warm weather to get some yard clean up done. I finally moved the 2 Christmas trees off of the deck and got the leaves swept off and added to the compost pile, leaving my deck ready for post-op knitting if it's warm enough anytime in March when I'm home. 

Progress is good. The shock was over and the planning well under way. Just 1.5 weeks more and I'd be having my shoulder fixed. My knee was rescheduled for early November (they said it was easier to reschedule, even far out, than cancel) and I was checking things off my pre-shoulder list. See? Progress. All good.