Usually when beginning a blog I know where it is going and what it is going to be about. Not today. I think it will be short, and not sweet, but who knows? Not me at this point.
So these last two days have been most unusual. Exhaustion not abated and very bad news emanating from my PCP. But in my usual upbeat fashion shall accent the positive, eliminate the negative and do not mess with Mister In-Between. Did you know that was a song by Bing Crosby? Well, I did not until I Googled it. Here are the lyrics.
You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better, accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me?
Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear
About the eliminatin’ of the negative
And the accent on the positive
And gather ’round me children if you’re willin’
And sit tight while I start reviewin’
The attitude of doin’ right
You’ve gotta accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom, down to the minimum
Otherwise pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate my last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they say
Say when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
No, don’t mess with Mister In-Between
It is a most upbeat and joyous song. Listen to it, particularly if you are in a bad mood. Google it and listen to the version by Bing and the Andrew Sisters. You will be dancing around your bed,
I had no idea when I began this blog that this is where it would end up – but it did but we are not over yet. The positives from PCP: 1) I lost 15 pounds as a result of Ramadan fasting. 2) My blood pressure is fabulous, better than ever before. (102 over 60 or something, forgot to write it down) 3) The nurse taught me how to put on my left knee brace. It was prescribed by a Doctor in Dubai in January of 2020. Honest.
That is the end of the positive news, I fear, you fear, we all fear. The under exhaustion may last for a week or ten days. But blood tests were ordered to see if there was some permanent damage or if my platelet count is down. But I have saved the worst for last. My left knee is an utter mess. A MRI has been ordered, an appointment made taking place on May 20. The likelihood of left knee replacement surgery is highly likely. This a complicated tale, I had right knee replacement surgery on August 26,2019. Great surgeon, great physical therapist and one of the fastest recoveries known to man.
He: Alexis. You are like a professional athlete, When they are injured they put all of their concentration on recovering. That is what you did!
Me: Thanks and I am not even athletic. But you are right, that is what I did.
But what happened next? Left knee started to hurt – MRI showed no cartilage, bone on bone. But, a trip to London and Dubai had been scheduled, so I was given a cortisone shot so I could travel. Surgery could not be scheduled for three months after injection. March 15, 2020 was the day of my pre-surgery appointment. What began that day? One year of lock down – surgery cancelled, of course. But left knee seemed to get better. Perhaps it was the enforced lack of activity – who knows? But no pain, mobility restored. However, two or three weeks ago the pain began and it gets worse with each passing day. But there are some bright lights.
Me: Well, I am looking at it this way. I have only two knees and with this surgery it will be over with.
A Friend: Yes girls have two knees, but men have three knees.
Me: OMG I am laughing so hard. It has been such a long time since I went to bed with a man – so that is a knee?
She: Yes Alexis, the Virgin Muslim.
I am still laughing. And then so much support and encouragement. I will need a care giver in the beginning but I have a volunteer who promises she will be there to support me. Her mother wrote:
She: Dr. Is taking good care of you with the MRI and the blood test. So that is good. You will be Ok
Me: Thank you! Thanks luv! He is great and I will be fine and be able to party on the 29th.
The other good news is that I am here in the USA and not Vancouver, B.C. Canada where massive shortage of MRI’s resulting in long waits for even a diagnosis. Then one can wait for two years to get knee replacement surgery. I know – I lived there from 2017-2019. Had to come back here to get the surgery – then just stayed.
So here is the other good news. I limped home bringing a reasonable accommodation request to the Leasing Office, so my tub will be accessible. When there, reserved the roof fire pit and barbecue for a party. I am throwing myself a birthday partyAAA and I doing invitations soon. It will be fun!!! I invited a guy from faraway. He probably will not come but there was this video with a fire and a kite.
Me: Come to my party and bring a kite. It is on the roof of the building and you can fly the kite.
He: No response. But he is in a different time zone.
This guy is rather famous, his handsomeness is concealed with sun glasses and a hoodie. Once in London, January of 2020 he at my hotel, across the room. Barely recognized him. That was VERY weird. No contact was made, Very weird.
For breakfast, I had egg bites and soon coffee. Then plan on doing a flower arrangement, throwing away the faded ones. I have been watching Ken Burn’s Hemingway series and have some thoughts about it. Fascinating series, as usual. Thanks Ken. Thanks KQED.
Photo is not pretty – of left knee. Super swollen but look at the purple toe nails.
