Nurse in transit

After being so optimistic on Wednesday that my knee was better, I had a day from hell with it yesterday. It started out a little shaky (translate: hurting and weak), and by the end of a very busy day at work that included the holiday party and a thousand laps up and down the long hallway (photos of said hall to follow), each step caused me to see stars due to a jabbing pain at one little point below the knee. One tiny spot that felt like a knife was stabbing it repeatedly (think shower scene in "Psycho") with each foot fall.

This obviously had me distressed and thinking "I'm suing that freaking orthopod"; but after a conveniently scheduled acupuncture treatment, rest, Aleve, ice and warmth alternating, and a fantastic night of sleep, it felt better enough this morning that I went back to work. The staff and I all thought I'd never make it in today after the shape I was in at the end of the day yesterday, but it felt much better, and since I want to take off next Tuesday for my first PT appt. (which is in the middle of the morning and would be hard for me to leave work for and come back), I really didn't want to miss today if I didn't have to.

But I knew that I had to be very careful, and try to avoid some of the possible overdoing of the last 2 days and take it easy. So, in an effort to shamelessly garner sympathy from fellow bloggers, I took some pictures of the long hall and ramp that I'm up and down over and over during the course of each work day: left is looking down the ramp to the far end of the building, and on the right is standing in the same place looking in the opposite direction up the other end of the hall
My office is just before the close small bulletin board on the right (past the big one with the aqua paper), so I'm in the center of the expanse. The ramp in the picture on the left has been a killer on the knee...not walking up it, but down. So today, I found a better way to tend the flock at work...WHEELS! Not a wheelchair, but this:

and here's another view: This is a therapeutic trike that our clients can ride in the gym for exercise, therapy and fun, or a nurse with a bum knee can use to navigate the long halls of the building to pass meds, check on people, and get laughed at. Note the white basket behind the seat; this perfectly holds my med tray. I coasted down the ramp, but then found I could actually pedal back up with both knees (slowly and carefully) and it felt good! It makes me realize how much I need physical therapy and can't wait to get started with it.

This really helped me today - all kidding aside. I didn't walk down the ramp one time and I know that prevented additional wear and tear on the knee. This trike handles surprisingly well and has a single handbrake that makes it easy to use, and fun!! I always like to keep things light (when possible and appropriate), and this certainly helped today. We'll see if I pay tomorrow for the pedaling I did today.

My food has continued to be not awful, but not measured and clean. I continue to stay at the 198 range, which is not great but acceptable to me right now, given the circumstances under which I'm operating. Maybe next year I'll be one of the bloggers who talks about how some weight gain and relaxing off the food plan doesn't have to accompany the holidays. But for this year, I'm hoping to just stay in Onederland, no matter how close to the next "country" I'm dwelling. Maybe that's a sucky attitude, but it's my reality today.

We're supposed to get snow tonight, with a possibility of 10 inches. I'll believe that when I see it! Our local forecasters love to whip us all into a frenzy and cause mass chaos at the grocery stores over impending snow. Invariably predictions of 10 inches turn into and inch or 2 at most, with the weather reporters claiming a "late change in the track of the storm". Personally, I'd love a 10 incher, or more. That might help keep me from overdoing it this weekend and be satisfied to hang out on the couch with my books and knitting.