Celebrating the Little Things

Ever since my knee replacement surgery, I have been in a kind of a “funk.” Everyone says I am doing FINE. Things are going great. Healing is happening. But, I don’t see it that way. My knee is still tight because of the swelling. There are places on my knee that I have no feeling. It is hard to get comfortable at night, so I am not sleeping well. Sometimes, I have to think about how I am walking. I definitely have to remind myself how to go up and down steps. Getting in and out of cars can be a challenge, especially if the car is a small one. And I wonder…will this ever end? You see, I tend to look at what I can't do instead of what I can do.

So, this week, I FINALLY decided to celebrate the little things. What kind of things? Well, I can drive now. I was able to drive to do my errands. (Something to celebrate!) Two weeks ago, at church, I was able to go down the steps, the proper way, holding onto one handrail! A first! (Something to celebrate!)  I haven’t been able to wear jeans because my knee was too swollen.  They were too tight at the knee. A week ago, I could wear a pair of jeans for a whole day! (Something to celebrate!) Sunday, I wore “normal” shoes to church, not the sneakers that I have been wearing because I could make them loose to accommodate a swollen foot. (Something to celebrate!) The degree of bend of the knee is very important. The goal is to bend the knee at 110 degrees or more. It is a painful part of recovery! Well, this week, I was sitting in a recliner, and I was able to pull BOTH knees up and bend then like a capital “A.” I don’t know the degree of the bend, but, that was the first time I was able do that. (Something to celebrate.) Today, I went down the cellar stairs using only one handrail. Another first. (Something to celebrate!)

So, even though I seem to look at the negative side of things connected with my knee replacement, I am learning to appreciate and be grateful for the small victories. It will be several months before all is healed properly. So, I need to remind myself that God is faithful. He brought me this far and will continue to work in my life, teaching me to trust Him.