One week later

 Day 7

 I managed that walk to the pub, it is roughly 500yds from Colin's gate with only an extra painkiller 'just in case'. A grassy slope was the only obstacle, went up okay but dreaded the coming back down later. Anyway, one glass of alcohol-free 0 Heineken was drunk because no wine has touched my lips since the first night home. Two glasses were had then, the multitude of the painkiller leaflets were read first to make sure it was okay (only said if you felt drowsy then not to drink alcohol) and deemed it safe. But that night, OMG, 2 am and I woke with palpitations, hot sweats and really feeling not quite right. It soon cleared, but that was the moment I said no more alcohol until I finished the painkillers! Dinner was also ordered, lasagna and chips. Hmmm, I should have remembered that my appetite has been poor of late and that the stomach has shrunk on my lettuce and water diet, so unfortunately I left almost half the lasagna, ate three chips and Ian finished the rest for me! Then the walk back down that slope was taken VERY slowly and holding VERY tightly to Ian's arm. Didn't fancy another fall, even though Colin was around to help pick me up. 

The walk must have done me good because the next morning I managed the exercises before I had painkillers. Lifted the leg by the amount required on the exercise sheet. The only downside was the amount of swelling there was around the knee, which has now spread down to my ankle. 

 

Having our daughter Christine and family over on day 8 was a lovely distraction. Our son did a BBQ, but I prepared the salad stuff, felt fine whilst making it, but all that standing did me no favours. The knee felt tight and the exercise difficult to do. It's very swollen now and am slightly concerned about why it's not going down. Maybe it is to be expected, after all it was major surgery. I'm seeing the practice nurse here at Shenley Church End on the 14th, for a dressing change, so will ask her then. I will also see if she has anything to remove these marks. Made by those pads for monitoring your heart, no amount of scrubbing has removed them!