Post operative months in NZ
My last Blog was sent the night before my knee replacement operation. I will make a folder with post op photos for those who like the detail and wish to view.
The operation was very successful, and I am now three months on from that day. Walking mostly without crutches, completed 8 weekly sessions of physio at the hospital and in much less pain on the operated knee. Currently I have 112 deg of bend in knee joint and continue to do exercises every day. Seeing the surgeon in October with regard to the other one.
The stay in Grace Hospital was only two nights and they had me up walking with a frame on the day of the op. Returning home Lynn moved me into the en suite bedroom for ease of movement. To cut a long story short, I did a bowel test as part of a bowel cancer initiative in NZ.. Lynn and I completed tests in England prior to our leaving but they have only just started to introduce them in NZ for our age group. My + result was a bit of a shocker as was the Colonoscopy that I eventually had. The bowel screening department was excellent in terms of instructions and support. Tauranga hospital was very good too on the day. Although the surgeon removed a polyps, all is well and I have been given the all clear. They will book me to have another in three years as a precaution. For those of you that have not had the pleasure of this examination the 24 hours prior was pretty terrible..... thank goodness for the apple juice chasers I drank following the laxative solution........ all four litres of it! Anyway all done now but it expanded my stay in the en suite by a few more weeks and halted my knee surgery recovery for a bit, for obvious reasons.
Sadly the Easter bunny is no longer a visitor and his entrance and exit paths are all that remain. The weather has continued to drench NZ from head to foot and therefore plans for trips have had to be explored. We had Rarotonga booked for six months after my operation as a focal point so really looking forward to that. With no visitors booked for Christmas we have booked to go to the South Island for six days.... see itinary.
Lynn's Neice Jessica has announced that she and boyfriend Jacob are planning to come to Sydney for 12 months in September to work and then travel......... so we have booked a trip to Sydney for end of Feb early March. We will have a week with Jill on the Northern beaches, in a rental overlooking the sea. Richard and Rebecca have indicated that they may come to visit Jessica and then us, maybe January and Simon and family may come at Easter so we are back to pre Covid excitement for trips and visitors.
We have also booked to go to a womens' world cup football match in Hamilton to see Sweden v Argentina in early August which we are looking forward to seeing. Currently suffering the 2nd Test v Australia which is extremely disappointing after the first test excitement......... It is not looking good with two days to go.
For those of you who remember the contents of the blogs, I have to sadly report that Patsy, who visited us in 2019 and was our first UK visitor in NZ, sadly passed away in May. We will always remember her trip and the fun we had from eating beef and horseradish sandwiches on Ohope beach to our trip around the Coromandel. She was an incredibly talented person and will be sadly missed. This tribute by Alison at her Dance production would have made her smile.
The picture at the start of Blog 32 has Marshie's 70th birthday present to me alongside Patsy's painting of Camber Sands. A daily reminder of a friend who will no longer be able to respond positively to the blogs.
Our lemon tree is amazing as has the easy peel mandarin tree been.
Even more incredible than that is that I have baked my first blueberry muffins after 71 years and scrummy they were too. I will leave you with my baking pride of Blog 32.
Much to look forward to in the coming months and so much to be grateful for. Love to all of you.
