Well I finally got my new computer!!
My old one was going downhill fast. I remembered I had some retirement money in the Hospital from when I worked there, and called in January inquiring what I can do about it. They told me I needed to wait until I was 59 1/2 until I can start drawing on it. I was that old in August and remembered again about the money. I called a few weeks ago and asked how much I had. I knew I had about $1,500 about 8 years ago. Well she told me it grew to $8,000. WOW! Knowing the market is teetering, I asked if I could draw it out in one lump sum. She said yes, and also suggested me having about 20% rtaken out for Federal taxes. So I told her to take out 23% just to be safe, and I got a check for $5,000. That took care of my Home Depot bill for my new wimndows, and my Discover account and left me with about $1,000.00 for a new computer. I went to Costco and found this one for $699.00. I really lucked out, because AIG is losing alot of money, and my check was from AIG. whew!! That was a nest egg I didn't know I had and came in real handy when I needed it!!
Now on to my knee. I have been going downhill as fast as my old computer! Arthritis etc. I asked for xrays of my knee and they found arthritis in both knees and worse in the right knee. Well glory bee imagine that! My doctor sent me to a new Orthopedic Doctor here in town and he suggested having an arthoscopy done on it. (definition from wikipedia follows)
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage of the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a type of endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed either to evaluate or to treat many orthopaedic conditions including torn floating cartilage, torn surface cartilage, ACL reconstruction, and trimming damaged cartilage.
The advantage of arthroscopy over traditional open surgery is that the joint does not have to be opened up fully. Instead, only two small incisions are made - one for the arthroscope and one for the surgical instruments. This reduces recovery time and may increase the rate of surgical success due to less trauma to the connective tissue. It is especially useful for professional athletes, who frequently injure knee joints and require fast healing time. There is also less scarring, because of the smaller incisions. Irrigation fluid is used to distend the joint and make a surgical space. Sometimes this fluid leaks into the surrounding soft tissue causing extravasation and edema.
Well I am so happy that this is minimal because I HURT!!! I am also happy because they gave me Oxycodone for the pain. I had this done Thursday at 3:30pm and got home at 8:30pm. I slept most of Friday and now it is Saturday morning at 2:00am. I didn't get a cane or walker as I didn't think I needed one. HA!! I have a small house so I lean on the walls as I hobble around grunting and screaming at times. I left the pills in the kitchen, dang!!
I am an alcoholic so I hesitated taking these strong feel happy pills. Some people in the program (we call it the program in Alcoholics Anonymous) think we should not take pills for pain because it is mind altering. Well some people are complete asshole idiots, too!! Let them hurt in agony trying to be a martyr NOT, ME!! The doctor gave me 45 pills. Believe me, I have them counted. I told him not to let me have any more. So here is where my alcoholic mind comes in. I was thinking that if I had 45 pills, and it says to take two every 4-6 hours as need for pain, I will only take one only when needed. That way I can keep the unused ones for later when I might need them. Well throw that theory out the window!! I started out taking one and went to bed. I woke up yesterday afternoon after sleeping 8 hours and my entire leg was throbbing so much the cats were holding on tight just to stay in bed!! It took me about 15 minutes trying to get out of bed, (I have one of those mattresses that conform to the body, and after sleeping for 8 hours, you have to crawl out of the hole the mattress has you in. It is not a pretty site, that is for sure)! By the time I hobbled into the kitchen to get to the pills, I wanted to take 4!! Nope, I'll be a martyr and only take two.
Well they are beginning to take effect, so I better close for now before I make a complete idiot of myself! hehehehe
