Are your knees working?
My knees are starting to work now. On September 24, 2019 I had both my knees replaced. My healing angels, were Dr. Fernando Javier Borjas and his assistant Brian Goldman at Miami’s Baptist Hospital.
My right knee was 5 inches off and my left knee was 3 inches off. In simple terms, my knees were not straight. No cartilage and 100% arthritis. That’s what happens when you had your knees operated 50 years ago playing football. And, running, dancing, playing all kind of sports for many years. They stop functioning.
Thank God for Yoga. It helped release enough dopamine to relieve the pain for at least 10 years. I decide to have the knees replaced because I could barely walk 100 yards without the knees locking up and hurting.
Waking Up
When I woke up from my operation, I immediately started to do circular breathing and breathing slow and full. All the nurses and a few young doctors in the recovery room were freaking out. Luckily, my friend and football coach, Ron, was there watching out for me. He calmed everyone down, by letting them know that I was a breathing coach and that I practiced that breath sequence everyday.
Ron and his wife Donna let me stay at their house for two weeks until I could walk up the stairs. They have been taking care of me since college. Ron was my roommate at Rutgers College and he handled everything when I had my knees operated. Both have been angels to me for a long time. You never go hungry when Ron is around.
I was wheeled into my hospital room from the recovery room. Now, walk to your bed with the walker. The strategy was for me to walk and stretch my knees right away. Three hours after I was in bed I noticed that the pain I experienced in college after my operations was not the same. I was only uncomfortable because I was still feeling the drugs. At the same time two therapists came in and suggested we walk down the hall.
Baby Steps
Since my ego (at 68 yrs old), is still competitive, I said sure. So they wrapped a rope around me and I started walking slowly with my walker. Luckily the therapist were holding on. All of a sudden I yelled I’m getting dizzy. My sugar level dropped to 60 and I was out. My other angel, Big Jorge, my friend from high school was there to catch me. Jorge has been next to me every time I had to be taken to the hospital in an emergency. He was my roommate in one of those times. I won’t go into details, but we are both lucky to be alive.
When I woke up, I yelled, I’m in Heaven? There were about 10 nurses taking care of me. Cleaning me up, taking my blood pressure and giving me apple juice to get my sugar level up. They seemed a little bit concerned but were very loving and just doing their job. Keeping me happy and alive. I had never had so many healing angels taking care of me.
After one day in the hospital, I was released and onward to Ron’s and Donna’s house. Slowly I started coming to my senses and I was ready to start physical therapy at the Professional Therapy Center in South Miami.
Breathe Happy
There I met a few more healing angels. My assigned therapist was Dr Gaby ( I added Dr). She had just graduated from the University of UM and U of Florida. What a combination a Hurricane & a Gator. She was so young. See picture: Dr Gaby on the right, next to Bee on the left (another Angel).
The first day, she started with a few easy knee and leg exercises. Then quietly asked me to turn over face down. She took my left foot and started bending my knee back to my butt cheeks. Oh boy, thanks God again for Breathplay. Inhale i’m happy, relax, exhale I’m happy, relax. After three times on the left, three times on the right knee. Inhale I’m happy, relax, exhale, i’m happy, relax. That exercise was not the most fun. However, my knees started working and five months later I’m walking 2.5 miles and riding my bike and practicing Yoga. I’m ready for salsa and golf.
In one of my early morning walks I was feeling so grateful for all the angels (the whole staff), at Physical Therapy Associates and Baptist Hospital, for their service, their expertise, their listening and their love. They helped me transition from walking like a baby to walking freely again. I’m blessed that my breath (“spirit”) guided me to heart centered friends, doctors, nurses, therapist and healing warriors.
Thank You Angels.
So, Let’s Breathe
Inhale slow and full, Exhale slow and full.
Inhale I’m so grateful, Exhale I’m so grateful
Just Breathe
El Happy Coach
Any questions, feel free to Contact Me.