I've had my new right knee for about ten weeks and it feels great. In fact, when I do my exercises it is often the other knee which causes me pain. Soon I'll be planning the second surgery.
My core set of exercises consists of going up and down the stairs, riding the stationary bike, and walking. Yesterday, Doug and I took a little walk and I took a closer look at the tree that uprooted in the heavy rain we had a week or so ago. It may not show so well in this photo (I should have had Doug stand next to it) but this root mass is huge! I'm usually inclined to let the woods be, but this tree is so enormous that it really is a bit of an eyesore. I don't want to think about what it will cost to have it cut up and removed ... well, save the wood for the fireplace and remove the rest.
We didn't walk far because my left knee was acting up, which would be okay except that once it starts there is a concurrent pain that hits my back and that's the one that makes walking more or less unbearable. We walked to the end of the drive and then we sat on a little bench which Doug installed about twenty years ago, for use when waiting for the school bus. When it was time to get up and head back to the house, Doug offered his hand, partly to help me up from the bench and partly to keep me steady, to ensure I wouldn't fall while walking. I suddenly had a memory of a darling, white-haired older couple I saw in Ann Arbor, Michigan, about thirty seven years ago. They were walking down the street, autumn leaves all about, and they were holding hands. I thought it was so sweet!
Yesterday, I realized that now we are the older couple. From now on, when I see an elderly pair holding hands, I'll wonder: is it because they are still sweethearts after many years together, or is it because they hold on to keep each other from falling down. Probably it's both!
After all, those roots we build during decades together run deep and support us in many different ways.