Two Months and Counting

Two months post-surgery and I am functioning like a normal human being again -- whatever that means. I am doing all the expected life-stuff, like tying a shoe, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, pulling weeds in the garden, cooking, cleaning, shopping, carrying books and groceries and even enjoying the mountains again.

Am I pain-free? Not exactly -- I still take an Advil PM before bed. Sometimes I ice the knee in the evenings when it aches. The therapist said it will swell after use for as much as a year after surgery. I taught at a church, standing at a podium for about 45 minutes, and my knee was stiff and sore. It felt like I had a big stretchy bandage around the knee. I still get up slowly from sitting for any length of time. A pedicure is time-consuming and difficult, but not impossible!

I am not bending my knee back as far as my "good" leg, but perhaps that will come with time. The doctor said that I cannot injure what has been done inside the knee. This is reassuring -- I can do anything except run marathons (no need to worry there). The stationary bike is my friend on a daily basis, and I try to walk around the neighborhood in the evenings. It seems to be more beneficial than watching the Rockies on TV.....

I have learned a lot about myself in two months. The healing that I have done emotionally and spiritually has paralleled my physical healing. There are many reasons for this; suffice it to say that I have more patience and tenacity with life and with myself. I can "push through the pain" and come out better on the other side. Depending heavily upon other people is humbling. Certainly I need to relax and "bend" more. I hope that I am less self-centered and self-absorbed. I think I am more compassionate with others, since we all experience throbbing pain at some point in time, in one form or another.

It has been said that "in the storm, we discover who our real gods are. Only the true God rescues us and walks through the storm with us." This is a lesson I hope I will not forget.

Colorado Wildflowers

There is very little debate concerning the awesome scenery in the Colorado mountains in the summertime. July is the apex of the wildflower season, and this year the flowers are spectacular. We went hiking at one of my favorite places, at Shrine Pass, and had a day of sunshine, breath-taking views and photography. We drove a dirt road from the top of Vail Pass (exit 190) to the bottom of Shrine Pass. There is a great hiking trail up from a parking lot to open meadows. At some point in time, a forest fire ravaged these meadows, leaving stumps and fallen trees. The effects are still clearly seen, but now the grasses and flowers have surrounded the uniquely shaped wood, creating a masterpiece of color, form and contrast. One could not plan or plant a better symphony of colors -- blue to purple lupins, indian-paint-brush in bright orange and even raspberry, white and purple asters, yellow sun-flowers and soft blue-bells in the shade. As a back-drop, the sky was blue as only a Colorado sky can be, with big puffy white clouds.

What a glorious day, and I cannot stop thanking God for his awesome creation and for the fact that I can hike into such a magnificent area.

Summertime in Colorado

Dave and I went to Dillon Lake yesterday to do a little fishing. We love to go to Dillon and sit at the water's edge and just soak up the mountain scenery and cool mountain air. It doesn't hurt to catch eight beautiful rainbow trout that came home for dinner. We caught just two in the morning and then went to Frisco to eat lunch. After lunch the wind really picked up on the lake, and it was difficult to cast into the wind. Dave had some alone time fishing while I took a quick visit to the Outlet stores in Silverthorne (caught good stuff there, too!). When I returned to the fishing site, Dave had almost caught our limit. Then, thanks to his casting, I pulled in two great big fish. It was really fun.

The best part was that I could do any of this! My knee is still rather stiff and sore, but I can go up and down stairs, up and down the slope to the edge of the water, around on hiking trails and even shopping!! Yippee!
In conclusion, the summer sunset last evening from our back deck was too beautiful to miss! Enjoy the best of Colorado in the summer.