Pre op I figured I would be able to drive myself to the post op appointment; my new knee would be healed and I would be back to myself, enthusiastic and energized. Not so. Again I had to rely on Ellis for an assist. Seated at the vanity pulling myself together for the appointment, my head was foggy from the pain killer I took last night. I was hung over and worried about my stamina to take the ride, operate the heavy machinery that Is the walker,sit in the waiting room on those hard, shallow chairs. You name it, I worried about it as I put on earrings for the first time in a week. My stamina was depleted. The worst was I realized how unkind aging had been. In my head, I am still a lively, vivacious girl. In truth, I feel like a tired old lady, WHO LOOKS FABULOUS FOR HER AGE, but lost the bounce in her step. I put on my eyes and a brighter lipstick to impress the doc. God forbid, he thinks I am under the weather. God forbid I think I look under the weather. Images are me. They can pump you up or knock you down. I need up.
I got it. Home again, my bounce was back. My X-rays were great. My knee looked more like a knee. And, the best, he changed the pain medicine to a non-narcotic that doesn't cause constipation. I was very pleased. I could now take it as I should have been--regularly, so I could handle the physical stress of physical therapy that would get my leg back to being my leg. My reluctance to be drugged had slowed my progress, but not so much that the doc didn't clear me for outpatient PT, which will begin next week with three sessions per week for four weeks. Officially in phase two of recovery, I'm on my way. What will I draw today? Flowers.
A SECOND LOOK: MY FAVORITE FORMAT, THE SQUARE. This one I might consider a reference for a larger painting, 20"x 20" or larger.
It's a beautiful painting and so fitting for today's post.
ReplyDeleteYou do look fabulous! And your spirit is intact and healthy.
I'm so glad you got your up!
Now heal heal heal!!!
Thanks Pam. The iPad painting app, ArtRage, has been the best --the most I could do this last week. I really am glad I chose it as payment for a portrait. If you don't have one, you should work a trade; you'd love it. There are plenty of graphic apps to download free and use to work out cartoon ideas--I hope you're still drawing when not writing. You're too good to put that skill on a burner too far back from the front of the stove. Thanks for visiting. It's really boring being held passive by a knee. :-))
DeleteGlad to hear the good news about coming off your narcotics. Keep improving - you have a great attitude.
ReplyDeleteSo this painting is a computer made image? I really like it. Would you use it as a foundation for a painting or are they purely your computer art?
Thanks Julie. I suppose you could use it for both; I never thought about it. The app I've been using these past days is ArtRage. I seem to understand how it works best. I learned quite a bit more about using while doing this. It kept me fascinated most of the day. The interesting thing is that I successfully painted small. The image is 5 3/4" x 7 3/4", the size of the iPad screen.
DeleteWell these pills seem okay. I'll see after a full day's dosage. It seems to be important to the professionals involved that I be exercising under the influence of pain killers. I keep wondering whatever happened to "build up slowly"? "Feel the pain, feel the gain" went out with Jane Fonda.
Great to hear the spring in your voice again and know that you have a literal spring in your step too. Love the IPad drawings/paintings. I've been using mine a lot to do preparatory drawings for commissions - wonderful time saving device instead of re-doing the sketches.
ReplyDeleteTime saving because you can use them while doing other things and can correct without going through solvents or white outs. Thanks for visiting. I enjoyed myself at your place.
DeleteAm happy for you that it is something better is don't force it then you go a step forward and three reverse is quite picturesque from hugs Danielle
ReplyDeleteThank you Danielle. You're right. Recovery has been that way. But today, I dismissed the Health care agency. I graduated to a cain. My mobility is excellent--even if a bit painful. All that working out all those years must have had something to do with that?
DeleteGlad things are going better.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are getting some art work done too; also like the crop you did.
The crop did make the difference. The drawing made it into the paint possibility bin. I do like having an undemanding landscape on the side when I need portrait painting relief. 20 by 20 would be nice. It would be #5 in with my Four Season's Series. :-))
DeleteThe square works for me. By the way, you ARE healing.
ReplyDeleteMe too. See the value of photography and cropping Yes, I am.
DeleteI love this one. The different patterns and "brush strokes give it lovely depth and structure.
ReplyDelete