The miracle of pharmaceuticals! lol

So I went to see the doctor on Tuesday, and short of surgery - which in no way am I considering right now - there isn't much help for my (other) knee other than to control the pain.  Cortisone shots are, contrary to what most people think,  NOT the way to go, as over time they eat away at bone and muscle - the very things you are looking to preserve.  The doctor said that just prior to going to Italy in September, if medication hasn't controlled the pain, then we can consider a cortisone shot in September (and then I might revisit surgery the following summer). He did prescribe Ultram/Tramedol.  I had taken this years ago and had forgotten how well it works.  It is non-narcotic (although I was knocked out totally yesterday from taking it the night before and in the morning - my body has to get used to it) that works synergistically with Tylenol.  So after being knocked out yesterday I bought myself a super-duper pill splitter, and will take 1/2 a tablet with one extra strength Tylenol at breakfast and lunch, and one full pill with one Tylenol at bedtime.  After less than 24 hours I am totally pain free! 

I asked him about exercise (unfortunately I did have to skip my "In it to win it" class last night as I was so nauseous and tired when I got home from work).  The usual: If it hurts, stop.  And then MY usual: It doesn't hurt while I am doing it so I have no indications of when to stop.  I pressed him and got some specifics about what I should not do:  Mostly twisting (i.e., nothing like Zumba) and full leg extensions (it's fine to use the leg press machines and quad/hamstring weight machines, but don't fully extend my legs during the exercise).  And now with the Ultram in my system, I can be a little less afraid to push myself: If I don't have to worry about injury and the pain is controlled, I can move on. 

He did question why my operated knee is still so painful to the touch.  I cannot believe that my one-year anniversary is only 2 months away!  I don't think I need to see the surgeon before that because the surgeon already had told me that this "condition" could last up to a year or more so not to be alarmed.

A lot has happened since doing the past three days of the 100-days challenge and I am finding that my eating has been in check and under control "on its own."  Something just clicked. I really believe that first 10 days of the challenge were absolutely the most crucial, and that's part of it.  But also with my "Win it" group I seem to have motivation that I never had before on my own.  AND, I've been shopping for dresses for the wedding, and I have them - all one size smaller than is comfortable - and that has a lot to do with it too.  I just imagine myself in these beautiful dresses and also weighing in at my group on Monday nights, and I just have this motivation to stay on my food program.  It's as if it's not even an effort now (is that what "being normal" means?).  I want to write more on that tomorrow - otherwise today's blog will run its own 100 pages! lol

Anyway - the thumbnail is one of the dresses that I got for the wedding.  No dowdy mother-of-the-bride dresses for me!

Miriam