DIARY OF ARTHUR OSCAR PEE

Friday 26th October
First time in the real world. Caught a train to Bournemouth to visit Will. On the train my head was fuzzy and felt like it was suspended in cotton wool. But it was good to see the world had continued on without me. The guard on the train was checking tickets and I handed him my debit card instead of the train ticket, he looked at me as if to say "you can't buy a ticket, I have a lovely fine for you" but luckily I realised and quickly exchanged it for the right ticket. I half heartidly laughed and apologised and said I'd had a knee operation. I don't think he realised the connection!!
Met Will at train station with Little O and we did some walking around a park and a bit of chatting and catch up. Attempted to show my vast knowledge of anatomy but brain's little man that goes through all the filing systems for knowledge had gone out for lunch.
Forgetting that this operation is actually for my good and I will be able things with this knee I haven't been able to do for a long time.
I got caught in a crowd of people going down stairs at my home station and went a bit faster than I should have done. Knee was quite swollen by evening.
No sleep again. My brain won't switch off. Funny thing - I can't sllep so I get out all the books and read up about insomnia and what to do about it. Looked at nutrition and exercises. Then was really awake. One good thing I read was to seperate bed and sleep time away from study and things with screens.
So I rearranged bedroom, took out all study books, pens, notebooks etc and put them in the living room so bedroom will come an oasis of rest and calm.
Will start doing meditation and EP and listening to soothing music and reading light books, and wafting off on a haze aromoatherapy oils and soft lighting


Thursday 25th October
Back to the hospital to see the physio therapist. Nigel, heroic brother-in-law,drove me and Paul, who also had his appointment half hour after mine. Getting to be real family outings going to hospital. He seemed please with my progress but was slightly surprised that he was telling me to get into doing all sorts of exercises. I had envisioned being horizontal for 2 weeks and I was happy that it didn't work out like that but I had tried to run before I could walk ( almost literally!!.) but he seemed to think it was ok to go ahead. So I took the advice with caution.
In the evening another part of my back up medic team, David my nephew, another extremely good nurse in the family, came to look at my steri strip dressings. He has a Mary Poppins type bag, that if you routed around in it I am sure you would find an operating table and a full ITC unit. Like white rabbits out of a magicians hat he produced a complete dressing change and I got to see my wounds for the first time. It wasn't that I wanted to see gaping wounds but all that was there were two tiny little wounds that looked like i'd been bitten by a vampire rather than surgery.
Wounds not quite healed so David out some steristrips on and Opsite plaster and I was ready for action, or sticking my leg up on the chair!!!
Not much sleep, sleep patterns are all over the place. Not getting any real quality sleep, so I spend the early hours of the morning reading anatomy books...is that wierd!!

Wednesday 24th October
LET ME OUT!! I WANT TO RUN TO THE SEA. Some of my favourite times recently, except family meals and Wagamamas, have been training with Will on Bournemouth beach. Doing my version of jogging whilst watching the waves and breathing in sea air or just being by the sea. So want to be back there.
I know all will be well soon and I will be back there able to do more but patience is not one of my giftings!!

Tuesday 23rd October
Another exciting day . Beginning to follow episodes on daytime TV and that Jeremy Kyle...so aggressive. Started to do some upper body exercises. Just to remind all working systems that we are still alive. 3k lateral arm raises...I am sure my 3k weights have doubles in weight. Bicep curls and heart has woken up. It is a bit scared now cos I know where it is and the names of all it's bits.


Monday 22nd October
Decided to behave and put knee up with a side dressing of frozen petti pois. But it's so boring having to stay still......... Some muscle anatomy info went in today.

Sunday
Got up early to watch IronMan Uk on TV. Ahhhhhhhh I am missing triathlons they are so inspiring. Behaved myself most of the day and then off to my sister's for Post Op party and a comparing of recovery tales with fellow knee buddy, Paul
Before we went Liz, my sister took off my big bandage. it was a bit like a scene from The Mummy. There was yards of the stuff revealing a gorey end but a little plaster. It's so good cos I have a lot of family in the medical profession and they are very good too. We had a nice dinner together and Little H was there too. We had quite a chat he is very cute

Saturday 21st October
after a lot of concerned remarks though I'd better behave myself. Need to knee to get better and properly. Only a few months to the Olympics.
TV is rubbish on Saturdays so I decided to do some anatomy homework. Someone has stolen my brain. It is scrambled and lying in a pool of oil. I try desperately to keep information in but it slides out again.
Have knee garnished with frozen petit pois.
These aren't just frozen peas these are little tiny, individually chosen by Saint Michael peas.
Blankly stared at books at the rest of the afternoon while learning how to sell properties abroad on TV
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Friday 19th October really bored decided I was doing far better than anyone ever expected and as usual believed I was the exception to the rule and took my self off to Tescao on the bus... I know STUPID. But I felt ok but obviously put unwarranted pressure on knee and wound.
Thursday in lala land dropping in out of lovely sleep. Knee ok considering. Able to walk on it a little. Gorgeous Stu came to visit.
Wednesday 17th op as below