Updates, Shoulds, and TILTs, oh my!

Current mood: Pleasant
Current song: Glee cast (The Warblers) - When I Get You Alone

Thanks to being busy most of this weekend, I decided to combine a few of my weekly posts. So let's get right down to it. First...

Knee update:
It's been a while since I discussed my knee situation, and I know you're all just *dying* of curiosity. So here's what has been going on since the surgery itself... Two weeks (and one day) after the surgery, I went back to the hospital to get my stitches removed. My regular doctor was out of town, so I saw his practice partner, who was taking all his patients. I won't get into all the negative details, but let me just say... if you're planning a visit to Lutheran's orthopedic center, do NOT see Dr. Berkowitz. You've been warned. 

Anyhoo, because he couldn't answer any of my questions, doc Berkowitz advised me to make yet another appointment in two more weeks to see my regular doctor. He also instructed me to continue to wear my immobilizer 24/7 until said appointment, since it "didn't specify in my chart otherwise." Yeeeah, that didn't happen. I decided to take the logical route, and follow the instructions I was given during my last surgery; wear it only sparingly if out walking a lot. Seemed better than doctor Pompous' advice.

So today, another two weeks and a day after the stitches came out, I went back in to see my regular doctor. Suuuch a better experience. He answered all my questions and told me I did exactly the right thing about the immobilizer. When asked why I hadn't started physical therapy yet, I had to explain how doctor moron wouldn't give me a script since my chart didn't say anything about that. Dr. Bohl rolled his eyes and sighed. Apparently I wasn't the only patient screwed over two weeks prior. He had a whole separate stack of detailed instructions for every one of his patients coming in, that apparently Dr. Berkowitz had missed entirely. *facepalm*

Anyway, I have my first physical therapy appointment scheduled and I'm all set to start strengthening again! The only downside I found out today, is that the numbness on the right side of my knee is apparently permanent. When my doctor made the incision down the middle of my knee, he cut through the nerve that goes from the inside of the knee to the outside. Technically I should have no feeling in my left knee either, from the same surgery I had on it 2 years ago. But by some fluke, the feeling came back in that one. Hopefully that means it will in the right one too?

Shoulds:
Okay, since I won't be doing a whole new list this saturday, I figured I'd do an update on some of the shoulds I've already listed. One of my readers commented in my last blog post about how some shoulds are hard to keep a firm grasp on, without having a more specific goal or timeframe to complete it in. This is extremely true, especially for me. I replied how I either need to set an exact time on which to start each should, or else I need to begin immediately after the idea enters into my head.

I followed the latter strategy with my Hawaii scrapbook. Pretty much as soon as I posted the idea in my blog, I went out to Target and bought an empty scrapbook with a few accessories for it, then had 90 photos printed out the next day. Now I'm about halfway through a beautiful 20 page Hawaiian vacation scrapbook.

With my other shoulds, I've tried to set timeframes and exact dates to accomplish them in. My ice skating should will obviously take place once winter hits. My vegetarian should I've set for the date of July 5th, the day after I gorge myself sick on holiday cookout food, hopefully making me want to avoid the stuff for a while. My drawing should will be accomplished soon. I got the small blue sketchbook in the mail two days ago, and now I'm just waiting on the new clutch that I'll be carrying it around in to arrive. As soon as it does, I'll be switching my wallet things into it, and the first time I go out somewhere, I'm making it a goal to draw something - anything - before I get back home. I figured if I do that each time I leave the house, I'll get myself back into the swing of things.

And now I'll end this post on a positive note, my Things I Love Thursday this week:

• The beautiful sunny and 70 days we've continued to have
• Starting and already almost accomplishing one of my shoulds, my awesome Hawaii scrapbook (this week's TILT picture, above)
• Fun shopping trips to Target and 5 Below with Katy-kinz
• Craigslist
• Getting most of the arrangements made for our party next week
• All of the people who are coming to said party - I'm surprised so many confirmed already!
• Enjoying a trip to Lakewood park for the first time this season
• Root beer floats
• Discovering a new sandwich shop that I'm immediately in love with (Cyclones Pitas in Fairview Park... I highly recommend it!) 
• Parade the Circle
• Seeing a bunch of old Case friends again at the parade, and the fact that they're all still in Cleveland for the summer <3
• Talented artists who help to continuously expand my art collection (aka, art buying addiction)
• Late night Portal gaming with Matt
• Having an old tree in the backyard cut down, and thoroughly enjoying the 4 buff, tanned, shirtless men who climbed up branch by branch and hauled each massive log out on their shoulders
• The 10 adorable fish who now reside in our pond
• Music - the universal language of the soul
• So You Think You Can Dance, Master Chef, and Game of Thrones all being on tv right now
• Old movies with new friends
• My mom forever being my biggest supporter, confidant, and friend

• And last but not least, my best friend, Markos, graduating from the Cleveland Heights Police Academy, the place he's been busting his butt in for the past 4 months. I almost cried at the ceremony today. Congratulations, Markos! Love you!