Sunday, October 27 to Tuesday, November 12, 2019 (Oceanside RV Resort, Saanichton, BC)

I started writing this blog day-by-day...but it didn't take me long to realize that, for the most part, each day was almost identical to the previous day! So...not too terribly exciting. We can hardly wait until we are able to hit the road again...then we might find life a little more interesting LOL!

We had a long stretch of nice weather so Steve has been busy working on the trailer...starting by washing it and then de-oxidizing and finally waxing. Definitely a big job...in addition to taking care of me. He has been a busy boy!

Wednesday (Oct. 30) was an exciting day for me! I got to get out of the trailer! With my post-op appointment with my surgeon at 9:00 in Victoria, we were on our way about 8:15. We met with Julie first...she is what they call a "navigator", basically a liaison between you and the surgeon. She removed the dressing revealing a lovely incision about 5 inches down the middle of my knee. What was left were a number of steri-strips covering the stitches...apparently the strips will come off by themselves and the stitches will eventually dissolve. I can shower and get it wet...just don't scrub...duh! LOL

The doctor was happy with how my knee looked, gave me a prescription for more painkillers and wants to see me in 3 weeks for a final appointment at which time x-rays will also be taken. So far so good...now it was time to go over to the physio department. All went well there too...the range of motion in my knee is great! I bent it 105 degrees this time and was able to fully straighten it...exactly what they wanted. I started exercising on the recumbent bike, he gave me a bunch more exercises...and I graduated to the use of a cane! He cautioned not to totally give up the walker yet...to start using the cane slowly or else my knee will let me know!

Sunday (Nov. 2) morning Angie and the boys dropped by for a visit. Rob is having to work the weekend again...poor guy! Grampa took Conner and Bryce for a walk, leaving Angie and I to have a nice visit. Fun time with Grampa...
Up through the forest to the rock bluff overlooking the RV park...
...and James Island...
Down to the beach where they wanted to add logs to an existing fort...
My  next physio appointment was the following Wednesday (Nov. 6)...and more good news. The range of motion is up to 115 degrees! He gave me some more exercises to do, then checked the strength in my surgical knee, comparing to the other knee and then said, if I was okay to be "let loose", he didn't feel anymore physio appointments were necessary. I am to just keep up my daily exercises. And...the icing on the cake is that he said I could start walking without a cane! It felt so foreign to walk normally without an aid...I've used one for so long! But again, don't overdo it! Build up my stamina gradually! He suggested for our walks and hiking that I use walking poles and gave me a lesson to ensure I am using them correctly. So...I have graduated from physio, YAY!

The most trouble I have had with this knee replacement, aside from the obvious pain, is the side effects of the pain meds...but that too will subside as each day passes!

Friday (Nov. 8) was the first day I really felt "human"...I think being off the painkiller meds is good. The side effects and withdrawal off of them has been brutal. All I am taking now is extra strength Tylenol.

We had a beautiful sunrise this morning....
Steve headed out at 10:00 to continue de-oxidizing and waxing the trailer. He's in a time crunch now as rain is in the forecast tomorrow. He spent 5 hours out there today...he was bushed and very sore by the time he dropped into his recliner in exhaustion!

I spent a couple of hours on the laptop working on this blog update and then refreshing myself on everything that needs to be done before we head south. Around noon, I decided to go into Sidney and run a few errands. Since I had been off the heavy-duty pain meds for a few days, I was able to drive...so off I went! It felt good to be back to some resemblance of my "normal" self!

I was only gone just over an hour...as it became obvious to me that it had been awhile since I had been out and about and I didn't want to overdo it! As soon as I got home, it was back icing on the cryotherapy machine right away.

Saturday (Nov. 9), as predicted, was a socked-in, dreary rainy day. No major downpours but more of a heavy mist for most of the day. After all of  the work Steve has been doing on the trailer, he enjoyed a well deserved 'down day' today.

Just after 5:00 we headed out into the dark wet evening...it gets so dark, so early now! Dwight and Helen (my brother and sister-in-law) had invited us over for dinner. We had a delicious dinner and a wonderful visit with them...
Sunday (Nov. 10) morning we met Rob, Angie and the boys for breakfast. Going out for breakfast on  the weekend...usually Saturdays...was something we used to do with Steve's parents when our boys were young. We chose Mary's Bleue Moon Cafe near the airport because of all of the airplane memorabilia inside. 'Established in 1939 it became a favourite eatery for Canadian, Australian and British serviceman during the second world war'. Conner is particularly enthralled with airplanes and he loved it! I think he takes after his Grampa!
After breakfast, we got Steve home so he could continue with his de-oxidization and waxing of the trailer...will it ever end? LOL Don't think he will be doing it again...such a big job!

Steve loaded the bags of laundry into the car and then got to work while I headed over to the house to take advantage of Rob and Angie's laundry facilities. And that's where I spent my afternoon...until I picked Steve up to bring him back to the house. We ordered in pizza for dinner and Angie made a huge salad. Bryce didn't make dinner, though...falling asleep on Grampa's lap. Too cute!
Monday, November 11...Remembrance Day...
REMEMBERING THOSE THAT SERVED AND MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
It's hard to believe it has been 3 years since we visited the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy and were privileged to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Canadian Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France.

We are in this photo that was posted on the Juno Beach Centre website...

Such an amazing experience to have been there and take part in the ceremony! It you missed , or would like to re-read our blog about our trip in 2016, click here.

Steve continued work on the trailer. Almost done...just the back corner and above the slide rooms left for another day. What takes so long is our decals are shot and the colour on the blue ones will run if you get wax on them so he has to carefully trace around all the decals by hand then use the buffer. Also the buffer doesn't get into the trim edges or anything else that protrudes so it has to be done by hand too. 12 days of washing, de-oxidizing and waxing!
As predicted, we woke Tuesday (Nov. 12) morning to rain...a down day for Steve, so I don't think he was too disappointed. He's almost finished though, thank goodness.

I left him watching "his" shows on the TV and headed into town for a little shopping. I was only gone a couple of hours, though...don't want to overdo it!

And that brings us up-to-date for now! Just another couple of weeks and if all goes as planned, we will be hitching up and leaving Vancouver Island. We definitely have "hitch-itch" and are ready to hit the road!


8 comments:

  1. Twelve days of scrubbing the trailer! Wow Steve, that is dedication. The oxidation buildup on ours is getting kind of bad so can you bring your scrubbing stuff down to Q with you??!!
    So good to hear your recovery is coming along so well Dianne. Be sure to follow the Physio advice though, even when it feels like you want to do more.

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    1. I can bring it and you can use it! 😜 Dianne is very motivated with the exercises so we can get going.

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  2. Glad to hear you are on the mend and getting out and about. You will be geocaching in Arizona in no time! Meanwhile, Steve will still be buffing the rig.....

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    1. For some reason we never think of geocaching until we’re in Q. I’m thinking my buffing days are coming to an end as I’m not getting any younger.

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  3. So glad the surgery was a success and you are doing well! All the well wishes from folks who care and Steve's TLC paid off!

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  4. Dianne - so glad to hear you are recovering well from your knee surgery. Let us know if you'll be in Q in December, we'll be here for the first 3 weeks of December and would love to see you if you have time in what is sure to be a busy social calendar!

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