Days 13 and 14 post surgery

Yesterday was the day - I was intending on seeing Inception. I checked the session times and decided on the 2pm session, so I bummed around at home on the computer until then. Maybe it's looking up at the monitor instead of looking eye level at my laptop, but reading things on the screen soon gave me a headache.

I headed out anyway at around 1pm, but stopped off first at the auto store nearby to look for a potential birthday present for Malay. I wanted to get him Honda brand steering wheel and seat belt covers, but they only had generic ones, so I left. I drove to the shopping centre near me, and since I still had some time, I checked out a few of the department stores but couldn't find any good steering wheel and seat belt covers. In hindsight, the white woolen ones at the auto store would match his car's interior fairly well.

I finally went to the cinema and bought a ticket to Inception, even though I had a slight headache. I just had this drive to do it mainly because I had been planning to for so long, it wasn't so much that I wanted to see the movie itself. I bought a medium popcorn and coke and headed (hobbled) in. I was actually curious to see how many, and what types of people would turn up for a movie at this time of day. Turns out they were middle aged and old people, some parents with kids. I felt like the odd one out. I felt unemployed.

Not long after the movie started, I began to forget about my headache and started enjoying the movie. Despite sitting at the middle, I still found it a bit blurry, grrrr.

The movie was pretty good. I've always thought about that before - dreaming about dreams. I liked the theory they put for the dreams, makes me wonder. The whole thing about stealing ideas and the rich guy having this huge hidden secret in the dream was a bit far-fetched, but you know what made it good? Leonardo DiCaprio. He was brilliant. I really like him, he's so versatile, he's so convincing in every role.

In the middle of the movie I felt a busting need to go to the toilet, so I went out, only to find out they were being cleaned. So I went back in, holding it. Ended up finishing the movie before relieving myself.

I thought I would have enough time after the movie to check out another auto store at Bondy, but it finished after 5ish so I decided it was close enough to head to the JB near my house. I drove there and got there a bit early for the 6pm sale, so sat in my car for a while before heading up.

I didn't think that many people would turn up for the sale, since there weren't that many cars parked in the car park. But when I got upstairs, I saw some people were sitting and waiting, and some were standing and waiting near the store. As I waited, more and more people came and gathered around the entrance to the store. They had closed it at 5pm, to re-open at 6pm for the sale. The amount of people there was beginning to freak me. Would I get trampled? What if they step on my knee? Would everyone dash inside as soon as the store opened? How many more would come? How could I get to the tv first when I hobbled?

But then I figured that not everyone was there to buy a tv. Besides, it was only 15% off, so no biggie. I messaged Malay to let him know, but found out afterwards he was sleeping.

When the store opened, everyone just walked in rather calmly with an eager bounce in their step. I went straight to the tv section, and told a guy I was looking for the one I was pointing to in the pamphlet. He showed it to me and asked if I wanted it. I thought I should ask some questions first, just so it didn't seem to easy, even though I was already intent on buying it.

It was a 42 inch LG LCD tv, which just blew me away. Taking 15% off wasn't much, but if I had to haggle 15% off at any other time, only Rod could do it, and I was no Rod.

I bought the tv, and he managed to sell me the extended warranty and a bloody surge protector which I thought was useless. How many electrical surges have we had since we lived here? None!

At the cash register, I was a bit scared the transaction wouldn't go through, since I had never done a transaction this big on my credit card. But when it went through, I was relieved. I must admit, I was hesitant in making such a large purchase, but then I thought "you think nothing of throwing $1000 onto the roulette table, so why hesitate when spending an equal amount for your family?"

Good point.

I had to drive my car to their pick up bay on the rooftop, which took me a while to find. Driving at night, in the rain, without my glasses had its problems. I found it eventually, and was greeted by a young guy who opened up the garage gates. I was expecting a big burly man to get the tv into my car. When I saw this guy, I wondered how he could carry it.

When he came back out with the tv, he asked me to help him, but I said I couldn't since I had knee surgery recently. He then lifted it up by himself and placed it in my backseat. Wow, he was stronger than he looked. He told me he also had his knee done, but it was the MCL.

I drove home, very excited that I had this huge ass tv in the back of my car. I was also to get a free 22" tv from LG! Wow, what a deal.

I called mom to see if she could help me get it up the stairs, but she said she was at the pokies and would come home. I went upstairs, but then couldn't wait. I drove the car back out and dragged the tv up the stairs all by myself. I could see how my surgeon and physio would disapprove this in all sorts of ways. Damnit I'm bad.

I spent the rest of the night unpacking and setting up the tv. The screws had me for a sec, but turns out that you just really need to push down hard while turning them.

It was a lot easier to set up, because it didn't involve the HD box, and we no longer needed the VCR (DVD killed the VCR star). When I turned it on, it was amazing. I couldn't believe it. We finally had a flat screen tv. It looked a bit too big for our lounge, but I think we can get used to it. But in all honesty, perhaps a 32" would've been more fitting.

Today, I went to the physio. It probably looked a bit weird to be carrying two crutches and hobbling, but eh. A school girl on the bus gave up her seat for me, lol. It actually wasn't a very good feeling. I'm not looking forward to getting old.

I mad eit to the hospital but once inside, I made a wrong turn, which meant I spent a long long time walking back to the right area. Told ya, when hobbling, making a wrong decision as to direction can be fatal.

Because of that, I was a bit late, so we had a short session today. I realised Jonathan looked a bit older than I had in mind. He measured how straight I could get my leg to be, and there was no improvement. I was disappointed. I did however have some improvement in bending my knee.

He showed me four new exercises: 1) push my knee down with my hands; 2) stand against a wall and slide up and down; 3) stand against a wall and push my knee against a balloon; and 4) have one foot in front of the other and just shift forwards and backwards.

He also got me onto a bike. I wasn't sure if I was ready for it yet, but I had to try anyway. I had a bit of trouble getting on, but once on it felt good. And then when I tried to cycle, it happened - I couldn't bring my leg to do one full cycle. I had to stop, then reverse, and stop, and go forward again. I swear I could've cried right there. It was so basic, yet I couldn't do it.

He left me to do that for a while, and I did it while listening to a female physio helping an old man with a walking stick. Listening to her, I wondered why I didn't get her. I reckon I would've fallen head over heels for her. The way she was helping the old man, was a demonstration of patience, personality and good intentions. I'm sure if she treated me like that, I would know both that she was acting professionally and that I would fall for her. So maybe it's good that I don't have her.

Jonathan found me a protocol and gave it to me before our session ended. He still wants me to use one crutch, so I left the other one there.

I used one crutch to go back home, and actually found I could walk faster with it.

I went home, and changed into my work clothes. I used one crutch to go to work, not sure about the look. Most people asked me about it, and I really didn't like the attention so I may have come off as rude/blunt to some (Maria) while to others who I needed to explan I was ok (Alanna, Erin).

Alanna said I was crazy for coming back to work early and I said I was going crazy staying at home. She laughed, but I think it was a fake laugh. Don't know why she spent time in my office. I just wanted to get cracking on the files placed on my desk. Wendy nearly didn't let me work, saying there was an OH & S issue.

Government jobs.

But Alanna was ok with it and said I didn't need to tell HR, lol. At one point Alanna came to my room to give me a file back, and said she could help me get anything I wanted. I said "anything?" as she was walking out. I thought she wasn't going to reply, but just before she walked out of sight she said "work related". I think she was taken back a bit and didn't know how to respond. I wondered if I had offended her, maybe she took it as sexual innuendo? But then later when she asked if I wanted her to bring over a file and I said yes, she jokingly said "you are SO lazy", so I took it as no :)

One time I walked out of my room and Katie was walking in front of me. I had my head down, but saw that she turned around to see me.

I think I got a lot done today, but I got tired pretty easily. Even though I got to work at 11am, I felt like going at on the dot at 5, but ended up leaving a bit after 6pm.

After work I caught the bus home and sat at the disabled seating again. The seating on these new red buses is really awkward, don't know who thought of it. If I turned my head to the left, I was staring into a woman's crotch. Ugh.

The lady sitting there kicked my left knee when she was getting ready to get off, and profusely apologised. I said it was ok, hoping she'd know that was my good knew.

When the bus came to my stop, I thought I'd get up before the bus came to a complete stop, but ended up hurting my knee very badly when it made a more sudden stop than expected. It was aching and ringing like a bell as I walked back home. Damn that really fucking hurt.

I got changed and went to the gym. I didn't want to look like a retward so forced myself to walk up the stairs normally. I did it, but using my right leg was really forced. I had to turn it sideways a bit, and even then it still looked awkward. But hey, I did it, so that must be an improvement, right?

I spent the whole time doing knee exercises. To most, I was just lying there or standing there, but I was working my knee so hard, it felt so tired afterwards. Again, I forced myself to walk down the stairs 'normally' afterwards.

Don't know how I'm going to do three sets of these exercises when I have work now.