One Week Until I Become More Bionic!

 View from the door of the Beluga

A month has passed since my last blog entry, and almost everything I've done since then has been focused on my upcoming total knee replacement, which is scheduled for a week from tomorrow.  

When we moved to Tucson for the summer so I could get medical treatment, I had these ideas about joining arts organizations and maybe joining a collective studio and all that.  But it wasn't realistic.  Pretty much, I can't walk anymore.  So I can get out and do stuff if there's a scooter or wheelchair available, but otherwise, not so much.

 One morning when I had the pool completely to myself!

So I've mostly sat at home, but I have no complaints.  There is a nice swimming pool and hot tub here at the South Forty RV Ranch, and I can hobble enough to get into the pool, which is nice and refreshing at the end of a hot day.  We're close to lots of good restaurants and grocery stores and everything else we might need.  Steve has friends and relatives here, so we've had a built-in social life.

And, it's temporary.  Once I have my surgery and have completed my PT, I'll be able to get out again, in ways that have been beyond my abilities for several years now.  

In the meantime, I'm working on some larger acrylic paintings for a solo art show in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  I'll be at RioBravoFineArt Gallery in December 2014 and January 2015.  My show is called "Faces of God," and it's a fun exploration of spiritual beliefs and ideas.  Here are some of my pieces so far:

 God As Explained By a Four-Year-Old, 24 x 30", acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

 Love, Sweet Love.  24 x 30", acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

Chosen and Unchosen, 18 x 36", acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

That's pretty much all that's going on with me from now until my surgery.  I'll be in the hospital for about four days and then at a rehab for twice-daily physical therapy for about a week.  I'll probably be back home, continuing PT on my own, when I post again in a few weeks.

Surgery Scheduled! Yay!

 View from our door at South Forty RV Ranch in Tucson, AZ

Some of you who have been following my blog for a few years know I've had some knee problems.  

In 2011, I went out four-wheeling with some friends at the Monticello Box and felt a painful crunch in my left knee while getting out of the back seat of a Geo Tracker.  Afterwards, I had arthroscopic surgery to deal with the most immediately problems, but it didn't really solve the underlying issue of my knee being worn out.  

Then I was without insurance for several years, so I've been limping by (literally) just trying not to be in too much pain, and my activities have become fewer.  I mean, I still get out and have some fun, but I almost always pay for it, even if it's something as basic as going shopping at just one store.  I hurt worse afterwards.   It's very limiting.

One of a series of modern icons.  This one celebrates devotion to the family pet, and it's called Holy Cookie Puss.

Fortunately, as an Arizona resident, I was recently able to get onto AHCCCS, the state Medicaid program that was expanded to cover more people as part of the Affordable Health Care Act implementation.  So I was able to see a Physician's Assistant at my primary clinic, and she referred me to an orthopedic surgeon in Tucson.

Steve and I moved into Tucson a few weeks ago so I could pursue treatment here.  I saw my surgeon last week and he immediately scheduled me for a total knee replacement on July 28th.  

A handmade book that, when complete, will have some interactive and pop-up elements

I am really thrilled.  I had this same surgery on my right knee in 2008 and it was truly life-changing.  It restored my ability to walk long distances, hike, bike, etc.  In fact, once I started to feel better physically after the surgery, I was able to also take initiative to make my entire life more happy.  I attribute my becoming a full-time RVer (and happily divorced!) to that knee surgery a few years back.  And I'm hoping for really positive consequences again this time.  

Steve came into Tucson for a visit before we moved here and checked out a lot of RV parks.  The one that seemed to make the most sense for us is South Forty RV Ranch up in the NW part of Tucson.  It's more expensive than what we usually pay for an RV park, but, hey, it's in the city and it's temporary.  In late September or early October, I'll be recuperated enough to head back to New Mexico, where I'll have some more solo art shows this fall and winter.

South Forty has a pool and other nice amenities.  We've been swimming many nights just after dark, when the air is cooler.  Our daytime temps have been over 100, so that cool-down in the pool at night feels great.

 An altar about freedom from drudgery.  When it's complete, the guy on top will be holding a fishing pole with a key hanging down in front of the workers.  Did you notice her hair is on fire and so are his pants?

 

Now I have a little over five weeks until surgery, and I'm hoping to utilize that time to get a lot of artwork done for my art shows.  I'm working on all sorts of mixed-media these days...altered books, papier-mache, altars, and more two-dimensional mixed-media stuff such as pseudo-religious icons.  My December solo show, "Faces of God" at Rio Bravo Fine Arts Gallery in Truth or Consequences, is challenging me to explore new media, new ideas,  and skills that I am acquiring on the fly.  

We're also enjoying being in a city!  We went to see "Maleficent" at the cheap showing yesterday morning.  Steve went into the mall first and got a wheel chair, then came out and got me in the parking lot.  What a difference that made!  I would've been exhausted afterwards if I'd had to walk the several blocks from disabled parking to our seats in the theater.  We've been trying a few restaurants.  Steve has friends and relatives here, so we're doing more social things.  I'm gonna have fun right up until the anesthesiologist puts that mask on my face.

New Work, and Some Thoughts About the Summer

 Steve's altar--you should see the cat jump when he plays the singing bowls!

It's that time of the winter here in the Senoran Desert that I begin to feel like one of the luckiest people alive.  I read about snow deluges in other parts of the country, while here it invariably turns into shorts and T-shirt weather every day by noon.  I have a quiet routine of getting up at sunrise, having coffee and thinking thoughts, doing artwork, selling on eBay, cooking good meals, sitting outside with a book, and being semi-social, then turning in around 9:30ish.  Life is good and simple.  
  

  
This past week our friend Janice came from Truth or Consequences, NM, to visit for about four days.  It was great!  I showed her around the area a little bit, and we played lots of games of Quiddler (a rummy-like card game, with alphabet cards, where you make words instead of runs or three-of-a-kind) and we had bonfires every night.  I decided to take a few days off from my strenuous routine while Janice was here, so it kinda felt like being at summer camp with a good friend. 

 Janice and me in front of the Beluga

Artwise (apparently not a real word 'cause it's got a squiggly red line under it), I continue to work on boxes, plus I'm painting for an April-May show at January's in Truth or Consequences.  I'm painting scenes from my own life, some pivotal moments when something inside me came alive.  Sometimes it's hard and I don't want to do it, so the mixed-media boxes are a welcome break, like going outside for recess.  

 Here's a box I made for Steve for Valentine's Day.  It's decorated inside, too, 
but that's a secret.

So, the only thing that's not going well in my life, which I haven't talked about much here in my blog, but which my closest friends know, is that my left knee is almost useless these days and I really, really need a knee replacement.  I haven't had health insurance since 2012 or so when my ex's COBRA premiums became too burdensome, and then I was turned down for insurance due to pre-existing conditions (I had arthroscopic surgery on this same knee in 2011).  I've been limping along for about 2.5 years since this knee became a debilitating problem that causes severe, chronic pain.  Now it's gotten to the point where I can barely walk, so I'm finally turning to some social services to get some help.  I'm hoping to get onto some health insurance within the next few months, probably through the State of Arizona, and eventually get this surgery done.  We'll see how it goes!

 A mixed-media wooden champagne box, with hinges and clasp

In the meantime, I think Steve and I will be staying in Arizona for the late spring and summer this year rather than going to New Mexico as we usually do when the weather is nice over there.  As I'm being considered for several programs, I'll need to maintain an Arizona mailing address and presence.  So we're thinking of heading up to Prescott!  I've only been there once, but liked the look of the place and have heard so much positive about it from other travelers.   

That's pretty much all the news.  No picture of Sonja this time--Steve rang his chimes and she skedaddled!

Back in the Saddle & Making Travel Plans

A cherub-topped birdhouse that is ready to grout and my next little project

Today it's been two weeks since my arthroscopic knee surgery. I was feeling like my recovery was slow, with more pain and swelling than I'd expected, because I've heard so many stories about people having such quick recoveries. However, when I saw my surgeon yesterday, he said I'm right on track for a person who has a lot of arthritis. I have more pain and swelling than some people because the surgery, although fairly minor, stirred up my arthritis. So it's just going to take me a while longer to become fully functional and pain free.

In the meantime, though, I am released to go back to all of my normal activities, including being able to fully immerse my knee in water again. Yay! So I went to the spa last night and soaked in the hot mineral waters, and it felt really good. I'm going to do that every day for a while, maybe even more than once a day.

I also rode my bike this morning for the first time in well over a month, and that felt great! Biking is easy on my knees because there's no impact. It's actually easier than walking. The doctor said I can ride up to 30 minutes a day, and just be careful to stay where the streets are flat and fairly smooth. So I rode my bike to my 7:30 a.m. meditation meeting and then to the grocery store, with no problems.

I'm very happy to be able to get back into the flow of life. I lost some income from my spa job while I was convalescing and I also took a break from eBay selling because there wasn't much point in selling stuff that I wouldn't be able to get out and ship. But now I am fully back to work, and I'm getting more mosaic artwork done again, too.

Sonja in one of the boxes that arrived while I was convalescing

While I was housebound, I ordered some box lots of vintage scarves from other eBay sellers, and now I've sorted through them and selected the best ones to resell individually. So today I will iron or steam some of the nicest scarves and photograph them, then write up some descriptions, set the prices, and upload the auctions. Some eBay sellers don't have the patience to do this with individual scarves, and that's why I'm able to buy estate lots of, say, 50 scarves or three pounds of scarves from other eBayers. Personally I love the work I do to sell individual scarves. I'm grateful to have found such a fun niche. I love the beautiful colors and handling the silk and the descriptive writing that's involved in preparing each auction listing.

I'm planning to work really hard this fall, winter and spring while it's the busy tourist season here in Truth or Consequences. I'm planning to continue at my part-time spa job as well as taking my own artwork and found objects (antiques, collectibles, other people's artwork, etc.) to January's Gallery for consignment, as well as working my eBay business.

Shelf that will go above my stove when finished

My hope is to get a little bit ahead of my monthly expenses so I can take off and travel all of next summer. Steve and I are thinking about going to Alaska, although we have a few other possible destinations in mind as well. Steve has never been to Alaska and it's been a lifelong dream of his to go, and I haven't been up there since the 1980s when I used to live there. So it would be a great destination, and we could visit lots of family and friends along the way.

In the meantime, we're going to take a shorter vacation up to northern New Mexico the first week in October, to visit friends in the Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos areas. This will be a good test of how well we travel together in the Guppy before we plan a really big trip!

Steve standing between the Guppy and John Rogers' 1970 VW Camper

Steve has lots of knowledge and experience with RVs, having lived in RVs and RV parks for about 25 years. So he's fixing everything on the Guppy that never worked while I was living in it full-time. I could never hook up to water, because there's a leak that gets the kitchen cupboards all wet. Steve is in the process of eliminating that problem, and then he'll see if the hot water heater works and whether we can use the shower. (I always used showers at campgrounds along the way, and I just filled up gallon jugs of water for drinking, dish washing, etc., and heated up water on the stove.) He's also going to fix the propane furnace, which I could never get to work. So the Guppy will be in great shape for our October trip--and the trips to come!

Sorny's Sore Knee and Wonderful Support Team

There will be no pictures accompanying this blog post, because I'm a gimp these days and am not getting out of the house except for necessary stuff like work, medical appointments, and the occasional errand or social event. No wandering around aimlessly on foot or bike lately, so I haven't had my camera anywhere interesting for a while.

About 45 years ago, I acquired the nickname "Sorny" first at school, later at church camp, and then I used it as my Girl Scout camp counselor name into my 20s. It's short for Sorensen, which was my last name before I decided I'd rather be Sue Soaring Sun. I wonder if there was something prophetic about choosing the name Sorny, because in my dotage I have had nothing but trouble with my knees. Shoulda picked something like "Goodny" instead, I guess!

I noticed that Facebook friends of my nephew Eric also call him Sorny. Eric, tell 'em to stop, quick!!! You're not getting any younger!

A few weeks back, I blogged about going off-roading with friends and it was a wonderful time except for one brief moment when I was climbing out of the back seat of a small vehicle and felt some horrible pain in my left knee. The right knee is made out of Titanium and is more reliable than my left knee. I had it replaced about four years ago. After the painful exit from the back seat of the Trekker, I switched seats so I'd put my weight on the bionic knee while getting out of the car.

For a few weeks after that, I had intermittent pain in the left knee, but it felt okay if I didn't push it too hard or sit or lie in one place too long. Eventually, though, the pain got constant and more intense. On the day I could no longer get on my bike, I called the local clinic and made an appointment to see the doctor the next day. He ordered an MRI, which showed that I have two torn menisci.

There are no orthopedic surgeons in my small town of Truth or Consequences, so tomorrow I am going down to Las Cruces to see a specialist and he will schedule me for arthroscopic surgery. This will be a day surgery and I'll only miss about a week of work at La Paloma Spa. What he'll do is make tiny incisions to insert an arthroscope, which has a light and camera, and surgical tools. He'll basically shave off the bad parts of the menisci, which are arc-shaped pieces of cartilage that act as a cushion between the shin bone and thigh bone, and clean up any other problems he sees while he's in there. Hopefully there will be plenty of cartilage left so that I won't eventually need to have this knee replaced, but he'll get a better idea when he sees it close up.

I had this same surgery on my right knee about a year before my total knee replacement, but it wasn't successful in relieving my pain, swelling, stiffness, etc. I hope this one is! It's a lot easier surgery than a knee replacement, which has a long recovery time.

I've been taking pain meds for about 10 days now and I am really sick of them. I wish I could just get by on over-the-counter Tylenol or Advil, but it just doesn't help enough. The prescription pain meds make me feel sick to my stomach a lot of the time, so I've mostly been staying close to home while waiting this out. I'll sure be glad when this is over. I hope my surgeon is not too busy and can fit me in for surgery pronto!

In the meantime, I am feeling enormous gratitude towards my VanDweller friends Brian and John, who have taken me to the grocery store and other places I've needed to go. John is taking me down to Las Cruces tomorrow, and both guys said they'd try to be available for whenever the surgery happens. Also, my new boyfriend, Steve, may be back from Arizona by the time I have surgery or at least while I'm still recovering, and I know he'll do all he can to take good care of me. The women from my 11th Step meeting are planning to bring a meeting and game night to my home after I have surgery. Other friends have promised to bring me some entertaining AA speaker tapes to listen to, since I probably won't get to a meeting for a few days. Also, my best friend back in Washington State, Helen, has been through all the same knee stuff that I have, and more, so she is a wonderful listener and help to me.

So I'm sure your ears perked up when I mentioned having a boyfriend, and I won't get away with just mentioning his name and not giving any more information. Steve is the nicest guy I've ever dated. We haven't had a chance to date much yet, because about the time we decided we liked each other, he already had some commitments in Santa Fe and Tucson, so he's been on the road more than he's been here since we started seeing each other. However, he'll be back to TorC this coming weekend and is going to rent a place and stay here in town so we'll have lots of chances to get to know each other better. We met in an anonymous program for recovering drunks, where we are both old-timers with lots of years of sobriety. Steve is serene, kind, gentle, generous, smart, fun, good-looking...I'd need to get my thesaurus out to completely describe what a nice man he is. We both deserve a great relationship, and I'm glad we've found each other.

I'm off to make myself a protein shake, which is one of the easy foods I really appreciate on these pain meds, and then John is going to drive me up to the movie theater to see the latest Harry Potter film. John is a fantasy writer himself and has followed the entire Harry Potter book and film series, so it will be fun to go with him, and I so appreciate not having to walk or drive myself to the movie theater.

Wish me luck tomorrow when I see the surgeon! Let's hope he can fit me in for surgery as soon as this week!