We've moved from Baltimore, Maryland USA to Venice, Italy in pursuit of living our dream!



Thursday, June 2, 2011

Today's holiday renamed-- Festa della Karen's Ginocchio

Today- June 2- is a national holdiay in Italy- Festa della Repubblica.  I know it's an important day, banks will be closed, etc, but I cannot help it, I must rename the holiday and claim it as my own special day! And I want the world to celebrate with me. I don't know what the cause is-whether there has been some incredible shift in the alignment of planets, or whether I have been so good God has finally decided to give me a reprieve over here (unlikely), but for whatever the reason, my new knee is finally-- 6 1/2 months after surgery-- finally feeling like I have been waiting for it to feel- like normal.   Yahoo!  I want brass bands, balloons, and lots of great Italian fireworks ( they do have the best fireworks, let it be known).

Yesterday, I was having my usual mid-day tea with a lovely couple from Australia, when the conversation turned to our poor knees. Nolene (the wife) had commented that she noticed I'm going down bridges just like her husband is- one step at a time.  Yes, I am not happy to admit that even after my surgery, I have not been going down steps correctly.  It hurts when I attempt going down one step after the other like a normal person, and I find that I am using my hip,not my knee when I try to do it correctly. My therapist screamed at me for doing.this.  So, I resort to something that works easily, doing it one step at a time.

On my way home, I started to feel very guilty that I have not been practicing stairs correctly. So, I decided I would attempt them the right way for the rest of the day.  Gritting my teeth and gearing up for the worst of it, off I went.  And what to you know, on my way down the Ponte dei Carmini, my knees were going down just fine!  Damn, I wanted to start skipping!  On the remaining bridges from there to our apartment, the same thing  - going down just fine, one leg after the other.  On my errand to the Post Office, same thing. Holy crap!

I decided not to jinx anything. I didn't say a word to anyone about this. This morning when I woke up, I noticed that my morning getting out of bed routine was much improved.  Normally, when I first stand up, there is pain. I have go give the knee a minute or two just standing in one place, then I can slowly start moving.  This morning I put my foot on the floor and off I went, like a little bat out of hell. Again, I wanted to skip (I contained myself).

I put my knee through a few tests this morning- I did all the things that normally cause me some pain, and happily noticed that I was able to do them all like it was nothing at all. At that point, I declared my holdiday, posted a status on Facebook, and sat down to write this blog. The world needs to celebrate with me.  This has been a LONG, arduous, painful 6 1/2 months.  I certainly am not 100% there yet, but this is a major milestone!  Just like the day back at FateBeneFratelli when my knee decided it would bend 90 degrees after not doing it at all, and my therapist Blagha screamed "FINALMENTE!"

Blagha, I hope you can hear me this morning ...."FINALMENTE!!!!!".  I think there is some skipping in my future!


10 comments:

Italy to Los Angeles and Back said...

Well Karen that is fabulous and gives us one more reason to celebrate today...we can skip all the way to the Biennale!

Sandra said...

Karen, I have been following your blog for some time,as I was so interested in your ordeal of moving to Venice. Then your knee operation. Let me be the first to wish you complimentie un grande bouquet di palloncini! (Congratulation and a big bouquet of baloons!)

Lynda said...

Congratulations. I am glad to hear your knee is getting better.

Michelle said...

HURRAY!!!!!
Oh, Karen, it is indeed your day.
Sending hugs and kisses your way.
Michelle

Rob C said...

Congratulations!

Rob x

jane said...

Great to read that you are mended. Just i time for Summer

jonneke krans said...

congrats!

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! So happy to hear that you made it!

Hugs
Val

karen said...

Grazie, tutti!! All the well wishes are very appreciated. I'm doing the happy dance over here, as every day gets a little bit better :)

LindyLouMac said...

This is great news, no wonder you felt like having a festa.