frenchknees

Monday, January 6, 2014

monday jan 6 2014 visit to surgeon

Well this is , presumably my last visit to the surgeon who did the deed. We arrived in Lyon at the Clinic de Sauvegarde at about 1020 were met once again by our english speaking guide who is a miracle worker for parking and taking us around.
We waited with the great unwashed for X-rays.. tell me why the X-ray techs are always tiny little women..
then with copies of X-rays in hand we walked out of one building into another and waited for a small while until we say Dr Demay.
He is such a nice nice nice man.. honestly you could not have anyone more thorough and apparently patient. We reviewed the op, he showed me and C the actual prothesis and the patella. He examined the x- rays and compared them with the ones taken shortly after the op. Then he examined the actual
surgical site. Exclaimed at my ability to bend my knee easily to 110 degrees and said keep working on increasing that angle. He thought the scar was fine. The prothesis was in place as it should be.

We then discussed the OTHER knee. He looked at the X-rays of the right knee.. taken a few months before , he said it would not be necessary to have MRI done as it , altho not as serious as the other knee was afflicted in a similar way. The patella was not involved tho.

He said to wait at least 6 months before considering any action on the right knee..and wondered if some of the shots available wld help if the physio did not help . The durolane shots in Canada, are not covered by health care and cost 300 each, in France they are not covered either but cost 200 euros for a set of three.
The maximum you may receive are 3 shots, as after that I think they are not effective.

So feeling relieved and happy we offered to take our translator out to lunch and went to a lovely fish restaurant.. for scallops st jacques .. ( coquilles st Jaques) followed by a coffee gourmand which meant
a demi tasse coffee, with two small similar sized dishes of creme brûlée, vanilla with choc sauce and almond cake.. a great dessert.

We have just arrived home, it is about 4 pm having left at 0830. What a wonderful daughter I have.

We took the dog with us and when we were in the restaurant the waiters could see her in the car and told us to bring her in.. which of course we did.. they brought her a container, marked dog, with water and everyone made a great fuss of her. I shall miss taking her to restaurants in Canada.. she smooths the way to lots of positive attention. Even the chef popped out for a second.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

new years resolutions

I rejoined a brain training organisation called Lumosity , they sent me, and no doubt all their members a great thing about adding a habit to your existing habit.. and in the process keeping ones resolve to change something for 2014. I have copied it here.

3 steps for building positive habits

Start small

A tiny habit is easier to stick to.

Do you resolve to exercise more often this year? Start with just 10 pushups a day or a short jog around the neighborhood — something so quick that there’s no excuse not to do it. Once a habit begins to feel natural, increase the amount of time or effort you spend.

Fit new habits together with existing habits

Choose a habit that’s already second nature, then schedule your new habit immediately after. Think about your own days: what existing habits can be extended or transformed?

If you’ve resolved to read more, place a book next to your cup of morning coffee. If you intend to brush up on a new language, stick vocabulary cards into your gym bag and take advantage of that post-workout jolt of energy. Existing habits can be a seamless gateway to new activities.

Practice makes perfect

You’ll probably need a few nudges before your resolution truly becomes second nature. Create checkpoints to help you stay on track: enlist a friend to keep you honest, set alarms throughout the day, or mark your successes on a calendar.

The more regularly you practice your new activity, the more quickly it’ll become a part of your life.

January 5th 2014

The week with my eldest daughter and her child passed all too quickly. They left this morning at 0500, to the despair of the twins who wanted to be awake to give them a last large hug good bye. Gabriela kept saying she did not want to leave so we presume that means that she had a good time despite the weather of the past few days.
Last night a storm swept through the valley, the shutters banged so loud that I could not sleep and not wanting to go out into the howling gale just put up with them. But this morning it had blown itself out and we have blazing sunshine, much snow on the Jura and it is gorgeous. Unfortunately our travellers will not see it, but by now will be flying out of Amsterdam for the at least 10 hour flight home.

I have kept up, as much as possible with the notice board reports re the discord in the island and have for the first time decided to add a comment. Probably a useless thing to do.

My stationary bike is being put to good use but the seat is terrible unforgiving and if anything drives me away from that exercise it is the numb bum.. as they say. I probably should get biking pants with those inner lined bottom protectors.

Off tomorrow early for the last visit with the surgeon.