knee replacement postponed

I went over the MRI of my knee with a doctor today and the good news is I may not need a knee replacement for 10 years or so. The other good news was that the doctor proceeded to drain nearly a cup of fluid off my knee and gave me a cortisone shot and knee brace specially designed for people with arthritic knee caps. I was dancing with joy as I left the doctor's office: a slow fox trot seemed appropriate. It has been a bit of a rough go the last few weeks but I should be on the mend presently. The knee has decreased in size and feels so much better already.

And as if that good news were not enough for one day, I bought People Magazine for the week on my way home from the doctor, and learned that Jane Fonda, age 73, is releasing a set of new low-impact exercise videos. So, what is so good about that you may ask? Well, Jane has not released an exercise video in 30 years and in those intervening years, she had hip and knee replacement surgery. Maybe all that high impact exercise took a toll on her body. She says she now feels like 50. She looks about fifty too, undoubtedly due to the plastic surgery she has had recently to take the wrinkles out of her neck and the bags from below her eyes. Jane also has a younger boyfriend: he's 68. (People magazine tells you everything!) I felt emboldened upon reading this story! There is hope for the old and infirm.

Lately, I would have settled for feeling 60 and looking 59. I had visions of myself soon needing a cane as I waited to have my knee replacement surgery scheduled for after Christmas. I have always had a tendency to become obsessed about the worst possible outcomes in life. (Ask my husband about how close he came to divorcing me as he brilliantly drove us home in the snowstorm last night!) I guess that then, when things don't turn out so badly, I can have a moment of euphoria.

I know knee replacement is no picnic. A dear friend of mine, Louise, had her knee replaced, and it was extremely difficult. Louise has always taken time to exercise and she worked extremely hard to recover. I have luckily been granted some time to prepare mentally and physically. Harry's mom, Olga, opted not to have her knees replaced and has become an invalid the last few years, although her mind is still sharp. I am similar to Olga in that becoming an invalid would make me very cranky.

Needless to say, my exercise regime went by the wayside these last few weeks. I felt fortunate just to be getting around at all. The orthopedic doctor told me yesterday that biking and thus spin class are not a good idea for someone with an arthritic knee cap, but swimming would be good. I did not think to ask about Pilates. Looks like I will have to invest in those expensive water shoes after all and get back to water aerobics. And I will, of course, be ordering Jane's video from Amazon.com. I can afford the videos, just wish my health insurance would pay for some plastic surgery.

*Harry is not much older than Jane's new boyfriend so I don't think I will need to replace him. Yet.