Recovering From My Guatemala Trip

Written in journal style.

January 31, 2024

The day after patella surgery, Dr. Morfin released me from hospital care. I sent a text to my husband with the news.

A nurse helped me into a wheel chair and left the room for a few minutes. I’m sure she intended to return and help me dress, but I reached the bag of clothes and dressed my upper body. The lower items provided a challenge due to the unbendable knee.

I figured out how to lasso my right foot with each garment’s loop and raised them into position. I completed the task with my pants as the nurse entered. I smiled at her wide eyes as she pointed to my leg brace and asked, “How?”

I used a casting motion toward my leg. She laughed and shook her head as she had me sign papers. My husband entered a few minutes later and wheeled me to X-ray for a final check before my release. Our host family’s daughter, Rosie, produced a walker and my husband helped me stand. I proudly hopped with the device and pulled myself into her SUV.

Our sweet host family graciously prepared a downstairs room for us at Rosie’s house. The former upstairs room with the volcano view was officially off limits.Rosie’s house shares the same beautiful courtyard as the host family. I spotted a cute table and imagined my laptop fitting nicely when I felt like working again. I had four weeks to recover from surgery and bend my knee before the flight home.

February 3

My husband returned to school the next morning. After I took my medications, I opened my laptop, and managed to type one coherent paragraph before taking a nap.

February 7, 2024

I progressed to short strolls in the sunlight aided by my walker. However, the refreshing breeze carried fine particles of ash from Volcan de Fuego. A funny new allergen. I added sinus medicine and cough drops to my other meds.

Despite the annoying distraction, I updating my status on Facebook, then escaped into my story world. until my appointment with the surgeon.

February 8, 2024

I battled discouragement. Yesterday’s appointment with the surgeon reveled a little infection. I had to keep the staples, take a new antibiotic, and continue wearing the brace. I gave God thanks for our sweet friend’s and host family’s care.

February 13, 2024

My brain wanted to create, but my body still said sleep and rest.

February 14, 2024

Desperate for fresh air and sunlight, I braved the Volcanic-ash allergies and sat outside with raspberry tea. Still coughing.

February 16, 2024

Saw a different surgeon who assessed my incision, and decide a new antibiotics was needed in the form of injections for four days. My husband learned how to do this. LOL.

After the first week, I ditched the walker and I’m able to walk slowly. Once the doctor removes the staples, I have two weeks for my knee to bend before the plane trip home!

February 18, 2024

It was a wonderful blessing to meet with friends for breakfast at our favorite restaurant. I missed going up the winding stairs for the terrace view.

February 20, 2024

An addition downside of being injured in another country is the inability to call or make appointments until you’re back in your country.

February 21, 2024

Last appointment in Antigua. The surgeon substituted the staples for tape. He confirmed my body didn’t like metal but the infection was gone.

To celebrate, Rosie took us to the mall for ice cream. We took the elevator up to the second floor for a sunset photo of Volcan de Fuego (the smaller mt)

February 23, 2024

I walked 3 blocks in 20 minutes then back as a test for meeting a friend for supper the next day at the same distance. It might not seem big, but I was excited.

February 24, 2024

I made it to the Texas-style BBQ place! Nice evening walk and visit with sweet friends.

February 26, 2024

Our last Monday breakfast in Antigua. Each morning’s breakfast was different but repeated each week. Yes, it spoiled me. I love someone else cooking.

February 28, 2024

Preparing for our journey home, I filled out the request for a wheelchair with the Airline. I could walk for short distances, but not the length of the airports. I wasn’t allowed to bend my knee, yet, so I was a little anxious about the seating arrangement. I prayed for an available seat with leg room. A 3 hour flight to our destination.

February 29, 2024

We left Antigua at 11am and arrived at the airport in Guatemala. I had a special ride through security and to our gate. No way I could have walked through all that. The plane was full, so I made the knee bend work.

We made it through security at DFW but they do not have a good system for wheelchairs. I was exhausted, but not defeated. We enjoyed Chic Fil-A and Starbucks while waiting for our terminal and gate to post.

March 1, 2024

After a busy two days, James and I reclined on the couch. I had an ice pack on my knee, one on my low back, and a warm rice sock around my neck. I limited my activities that weekend and gave my knee a chance to calm down from being angry. Earliest doctor appointment was a week out.

March 7, 2024

The first Orthopedic doctor wanted to remove the hardware in my kneecap the following week. The main problem was his extreme rudeness. I canceled that appointment and scheduled with a recommended-by-many one. But it was a four week wait.

April 1, 2024

A great day to see a new doctor. He was reassuring and said the Antigua surgeon did a good job and the way he would have done it. He recommended a physical therapy place.

April 18, 2024

Starting physical therapy was a little scary but the PT assessed my need and gave me a few easy exercises to do at home until the next appointment.

May 2024

We returned our normal routines at home so I forgot to update this journal. It was exciting to drive myself to physical therapy three days a week! I also returned to my writing schedule. I take less ibuprofen for pain. Therapy was hard, but each week shows progress. I was able to sleep on my side but changed positions often.

June 20, 2024

My surgeon removed the hardware in my knee due to it inhibiting my range of movement. The rods and wire were no longer needed.

June 21, 2024

When I woke from having the hardware removed from my knee, I felt as if I’d successfully completed this trial. My Creator would complete the healing.

June 25, 2024

My knee has a natural shape and no longer feels restricted by foreign substances. Happy dancing in my head. Stitches were removes on July 3 and the doctor officially released me from additional appointments.

August 16, 2024

I’m back to my mile-and-a-half mall-walk on non-therapy days, as well as swimming and walking up stairs. (holding the rail).

Mid-August, 2024

Physical therapy ended on the 23rd—almost seven months after the fall that disrupted my vacation and my life. Saying goodbye to my “team” was bitter/sweet. Each staff member made me feel like family.

Conclusion

One of the best takeaway lessons of the whole ordeal came back in May.

I heard Daddy God’s voice in my PT’s response to, “I’m trying not to whine.” It was a particularly painful exercise.

He gently said, “It’s okay to whine, but you still have to do it.”

I laughed and thought, Thank you Dad. Message received.

I plan to return to MY sidewalk in Antigua in 2025!