Post Op Day #3

Gosh it was humid overnight and there seemed to be a motor bike festival going on! Some very loud racing about! Anyway with the help of headphones and Netflix I managed to make myself sleepy enough to doze off.

I woke at around 5:45 with the sun bursting through the window and decided to make a series of video clips of my exercises for prospective TKR patients to see how I am getting on. I haven't done any video work for ages and quite honestly I don't think I am cut out for the media industry! Maybe that is why my attempt at becoming an MP failed!

So I video'd my pilates leg exercise and then got up and added in the exercises required by the physiotherapist and finally, especially for Jen at Anglesey Injury Clinic, a freestanding pilates exercise. Now came the interesting bit the video editing.... how this has changed over the years!

With iMovie and QuickTime I managed to get something passable so I am now waiting for it to upload to YouTube. Quite a way to spend the early morning while I had some of my pizza from last night as breakfast! Still only managed to get through half even with help from the night nurse!

Here is a video I have made for those who are considering coming to Lithuania for treatment with Nordorthopaedics.

 


My blood sugars are still monstrously high at 15.4 this morning and I am still constipated, which I experienced last time I had knee surgery with the spinal block. Having asked the new day nurse for some meds to help me out in this regard she has just brought a MicroLax container to me but I the instructions are not in english! I will have a quick look on the internet!

I had forgotten to bring extra insulin with me so I am going to be short on Lantus and Novo Rapid. I will try and resolve this through Jurate via email.

Juozas called in to check on me for the last time before I go off to the rehab centre. I said he can expect to see me back in November for the right knee... He is off playing golf today as it is a Bank Holiday here, the anniversary of Lithuania's only King on July 6 of 1253, Mindaugas was crowned as king which gained Lithuania its worldwide recognition. My dressing was then changed and I was introduced to the driver who helped me with my luggage down to his car ready for the drive to Druskininkai.

11:30 I am now in the UPA Spa Hotel my room is not yet ready so I am having to wait in the atrium for about 20 minutes which gives me enough time to get re-connected and sort out various bits and pieces.

Had a great drive down here with a very nice young man, it was my first trip in a hybrid car too. The countryside is just the same from start to finish of the drive, open fields with no fences, sections of woodland interspersed between the fields and rivers.

Very rich agricultural land with a few grazing animals here and there with the odd stork's nest on electricity poles or tall chimneys. Of course after I had seen several and failed to capture the pictures I saw the nest on the top of this chimney.

The driver dropped me off at UPA Rehabilitation Spa and helped me in with my bag to reception. There were some forms to complete at the desk and like all these first arrival times you need your passport number. Of course I had packed mine this morning... My room was not quite ready so I was asked to sit in the large atrium area until it had been prepared. This gave me the opportunity to get my internet connection sorted out and to let Catharine know that I had arrived.

The building is very impressive and the atrium is a lovely area to sit and chill but I didn't have to wait long before I was escorted to my room, at the end of the corridor on the second floor.  With views over the courtyard down to a stream.

For my 16:30 appointment with the Massage I got kitted up in the robe and the slippers and with the piece of paper which has my schedule on it I walked up one flight of steps and across the atrium bridge to get to the Massage Room. It was a great 20 minute massage and the young man providing the service was effective in relaxing my back. From there I went back to my room and fell asleep for a while. Now I am up and about and going for a walk in the grounds to have a look around, maybe pop in to the restaurant and check out the menu.

Back from dinner in the restaurant, I sat outside in the lean-to. It is a sort of help yourself layout and the food is good and varied with everything from steamed vag to salad and pickled fish, which I had.With all the entertainment today my leg has swollen a bit more so I am now resting with an icepack but given strict instructions to take it off after half an hour...