Whoa. The last time I published a blog was in mid-July of 2025. And the last time I wrote a blog was in mid-August. I never published it because I never finished it. Bad writer! Bad!
In my defense, I think in the last year I’ve been completely
focused on my Total Knee Replacement surgeries, or TKR – and, since the first surgery
was my right knee, the appropriate acronym is RTKR.
This happened on September 29th 2025.
Never had surgery before – unless you count the removal of
four impacted wisdom teeth at age eighteen.
Never stayed overnight in the hospital before. Unless you
count the waiting time in the Emergency Room on multiple occasions, which could,
I suppose, count as an overnight stay.
Nevertheless, I had two for-real overnight stays – one in
September, and then my LTKR for my other knee in December.
As it’s now February of 2026, I’m (hopefully) done with
knee-related surgeries – for which I’m extremely grateful! Now all I’ve gotta
do is hope that the scars retreat to faded barely-discernible vertical lines
and my legs continue to get stronger.
To that end, I’m doing well. I just returned from a trip to Florida, which included a 6-day Caribbean cruise with my friend Susan that was just lovely and much-needed for both of us.
According to my handy-dandy Apple watch, I evidently walked
anywhere from 5,000-7,500 steps a day. That’s a LOT of steps in Jane’s Domain
where I’ve spent much of the last year hobbling around. And post-surgeries,
while I was still (at times) hobbling around using either a walker or a cane, I
wasn’t walking that much at all.
The only downside of taking that many steps per day was that my legs (knees, ankles and feet) got swollen. And I didn’t have my ice packs handy to reduce the swelling on the daily. Had I brought them, I would have needed an extra suitcase - and I overpacked enough, per usual.
My physical therapists had told me to expect swelling for six months to a year after knee replacement surgery. Oh, joy.
On the other hand, it was only a small nuisance and didn’t
really cause any major problems. (With the exception that I didn’t want my
puffy feet and ankles to be seen in my resort wear!)
Even better, I didn’t have any issues with airplane travel
this year as I had last year. And…I just realized I wrote three (count ‘em –
THREE) blogs about my trip last year to Florida. But I never published them! Don’t
ask me why. They weren’t bad.
So I’m thinking that after this, I may go ahead and publish
them. Why not? I’m only a year behind…!
Anyway, it’s good to be back in touch. It’s good to be
sitting in front of a keyboard.
And I hope you’re still out there willing to give my blog a
read!
Oh, but before I go – I wanted to talk about a couple random acts of kindness that happened at the airport.
The first one was when it came time for me to order an Uber
to take me home from the airport. I had only used Uber a couple of times – and
neither had been airport-related. So I wasn’t sure when to reserve it because I
knew I needed to get to Baggage Claim and collect my bags before I could get to
the pickup spot.
Well, this was my first error. I was standing at the
carousel once it started up when I requested the Uber. I told the driver that I
just needed to get my bags and would be right out.
Yeah, right.
Turns out that five planes had arrived around the same time
so there were five sets of bags that were being thrown on the same carousel.
Ugh. I watched that thing spin around spitting out all sorts of bags – but not
my Aqua blue suitcase and carryon bag.
Then the carousel stopped. For seven whole minutes, we all stood around losing hope that we’d ever see our bags again. The guy next to me guessed that every single baggage handler had gone on a simultaneous coffee break.
Meanwhile, my Uber driver is sitting out there waiting for
me to show up.
I kept texting her and apologizing and said I didn’t know
what to do. Cancel the ride? Order another one when my bags did show up on that
blasted carousel?
She assured me that it was fine and that she’d wait for me.
But what I later learned is that there is a fee incurred if
they have to wait too long. Only she didn’t know how long before that extra fee
kicked in. Five minutes? Ten? Who knows? All I know is that it was an expensive
Uber ride with extra fees tacked on.
Oh well. She was a very nice person and we chatted the
entire drive home. And she gave me some tips for future Uber rides – including
the one I’ve been most fearful of – reserving an Uber for a very early morning
airport run.
And the second random act of kindness happened as I was
dragging my heavy suitcase toward the Uber driver’s car. A young airport worker
in a yellow vest saw me puzzling out the signage and asked me if I was meeting
an Uber driver. I said yes, and told him the make, color and license plate of
car she was driving. He knew right where she was and he took my heavy suitcase
from me and said he’d be happy to help. He then lifted my bags into her trunk
and opened the back door for me to enter the vehicle.
When I tried to hand him a tip, he gave it right back to me
and said, “No charge, ma’am! It’s my pleasure. We should all just do nice
things for each other; I believe this world will be a better place!”
I told him I wholeheartedly agreed with him – and thanked
him profusely. And I told him he had just erased all those feelings of
frustration as I waited for my bags and fretted over keeping the Uber driver
waiting.
By the time I arrived at my own front door, I was in good
spirits and relaxed and oh so happy to be home again.
It only takes a moment to make someone feel better about
things. Even if it’s just to smile at them and wish them a good day.
So here’s me smiling at you – and wishing you a good day. Be
well, friends.
Until next time.
