What I'm Doing Today

    So today I am under doc's orders to be a hermit and a couch potato. To accomplish this I am watching way too much trashy reality TV, checking out HauteLook.com, Modcloth.com, and icing my knee. Thursday morning I got my first Synvisc-One injection, drained my knee, and received a cortisone injection.  Dr. Cochran's PA actually did an amazing job of the draining and injections making the procedure quick and painless.

    I am making the most of my lazy day and doing whatever the hell I want! Bring on yummy French Market coffee, Netflix, and snacks. I found the most amazing Pink English Lace shirt for work on HauteLook.com and cannot wait for it to arrive on my doorstep. Packages that come in the mail always make me happy! Hope everyone has a fabulous day :).

This is the best my knee has looked since November!

A Few of my Favorite Things

My love Steven! :)

Chocolate cake....need I say more?

My sis who keeps me from turning into a violent viking lol.

My French Press that makes early mornings possible.

 

My Person with her pug Monkey.

Bindy-Sue the gentle pitt who changed my life.

This nut butter is Amazing!

My weekend

    This weekend marks the first time in awhile that I have had a truly relaxing and nice weekend. The weather has been sensational with lots of sun and temps in the 70's! I finished my homework, cooked several yummy meals, finished laundry, and the best part has been seeing my knee look almost normal. The past few weeks have been very frustrating with the ridiculous swelling and pain that came out of nowhere. The rumor on the grapevine is that my Doc is retiring and his receptionist told me that he is not seeing patients right now. Unfortunately, all three of my physical therapists are worried about the swelling and want me to see a Doc ASAP.I'm hoping that nothing is wrong but my plica is incredibly inflamed and this fluid buildup will not go away. So I have found another orthopedic surgeon that I will get to see because Kevin Mannix (PT) made a phone call on my behalf.

       A lovely weekend with great weather and yummy food makes this girl much more agreeable.

Kombucha and a good book makes a weekend great.

Blue skies :)

Thoughts after a long day

     The going is tough and the days are long. I have just begun to fight. Through the setbacks, the pain, the difficult days and sleepless nights I have gritted my teeth. At times I want to quit and give back this beautiful gift. I want to scream and rage at the unexpected challenges that present themselves. For now, I will sit quietly and just be still like a placid lake. I will let go and be grateful that my heart still beats and I have use of both legs. Yes, for now I will just be.

Behold the power of Bacon

    Be not afraid my fellow Texans! Today is very cold and grey so I decided that chilli needed to be made. Even though I am a staunch advocate that chilli is not made with beans or any weird things like lobster, I did throw a few pieces of bacon into the pot.The world did not end and the final product came out better than expected!

Bacon makes me happy.

The beautiful final product.

I made a spice pyramid because I got bored while the meat was cooking.

Behold the wonder of bacon, onion, and red bell pepper!

    For me, cooking is a comfort in times of stress or a case of the Don't Talk To Me! moments. Physical therapy sucked balls today! Yes, I just used the word balls and I don't care. However, I do care to have another bowl of bacon chilli. Hope everyone is having a great day!

I Need a Laugh

The Swelling Chronicles Cont.

    My weekend has been spent nursing a very swollen knee instead of a Grade A hangover. At this moment I think a tequila hangover would be better. I have iced, elevated, taken anti-inflammatory meds, and kept myself pretty hydrated. Yet this swelling will not surrender! My knee gave me no choice but to call Bobby the PT guy and Dr. Cochran's nurse to tattle. Tacky yes but quite necessary.

    Bobby suggested I come to morning PT so they can have a look and try to calm the swelling down. If I can find no relief I get to have my knee drained by Dr. Cochran's nurse tomorrow afternoon. I wrapped my knee and propped her up on the biggest pillow I could find which seems to be helping. The swelling chronicles will continue tomorrow after I find out 1) why the hell is my knee swelling so much, and 2) if I have to get my knee drained. Goodnight everyone!

My knee in happier times.

I'm just going to think happy thoughts. The beach always makes me happy.

Synvisc-One Injection

      Friday I received a phone call from Dr. Cochran's office telling me that my insurance had approved my synvisc-one injection. I was kinda hoping that they had forgotten because needles are not my favorite thing in the world. The cherry on top is that they will have to drain all the fluid from my knee before I can have the injection.

Have fun draining that!

     Basically this injection helps to regulate the fluid in your knee and lubricate and cushion the joint. This injection is a gel-like substance that is made from hyaluronan that comes from chicken combs (how delightful & disgusting). Hyaluronan is actually found in the human body within the joints and acts as a cushion for the joint and allows the joint to work properly.

Yummy injections!

     Although this procedure is important for the health of my knee I Am Not Excited and will require hours of Netflix, Pinterest, and maybe a small paleo brownie. I am required to be off my feet for 48 hours after the injection which for me is a little difficult. So Friday morning Steven and I will go to the doctor with caffeinated smiles on our faces. I plan on wearing red lipstick because why the hell not. If I have to feel like crap then I might as well look cute. I also plan on taking pictures and videos to upload in my next blog post. Spoiler Alert this will not be fun. Happy Weekend Y'all!

Life is too short not to laugh. #Funny

The Universe has Spoken

     I have an update on the pitt bull that I blogged about yesterday and she has been adopted by a very nice family. Even though I was highly disappointed by this news I was also glad that she found a home that would adore her. It is so hard for a pitt to find a good home due to all the negativity surrounding this breed. The Midland Animal Shelter has several female pitts that still need great homes, so everyone in the Odessa/Midland Area needs to check them out! These sweet girls are a one dog family and do not get along with other dogs but they Love kids. We already have a male rottweiler mix so we are unable to adopt one of  the female pitts the shelter has.

Check out the Midland Animal Shelter here:  http://www.lonestarsanctuary.org/

    My personal feeling is that the universe helped to conspire to get the blue pitt a loving home and that another dog might be The One for me. This situation has also made me think about my sweet pitt mix Catfish who lives with my parents and our female faun pitt Bindy Sue. I have seriously been considering having Catfish live with me and Steven. He would need to get along with my brother in law's dog Rodney. This dog came by his ridiculous name because he is just a Bubba who loves to be petted and chase butterflies. Thus my mama named him Catfish. Any suggestions on the Catfish situation y'all? Leave comments below please and thank you!

   

Bindy sue

Pit Bull Love

     I have fallen head over heels in love y'all!! The object of my affection is a 2 year old female blue pit bull that is currently living at the Midland animal shelter.

    
   Look at that face begging to be loved and understood. If you live in the Odessa/Midland area then you need to check her out, she deserves a great home and loving parents. I am going to see her tomorrow and find out if she is as sweet as I have heard to be. Anyone who knows me understands that I am a sucker for a pitt bull. I have raised them for a good portion of my life and love my Bindy Sue dearly. So I spoke with my hubby and he has graciously allowed me to adopt her if she indeed is The One for me. Stay tuned for details y'all!!

Adventures of the kneecap

     Holy swelling batman! This week was a test for my knee and how much stress it can handle, that I received a C+ in. After 12 1/2 hours spent at the lovely campus of +The University of Texas of the Permian Basin I get home and removed my brace/corset to find a very swollen and angry knee. Icing, rest, icing, and singing soft kitty helped to alleviate some of the swelling but not all. This song and dance continued the rest of the week. So today at PT I get through all my exercises without too much trouble. Bobby came over to my table to stretch and manipulate my knee which isn't a big deal. As he is manipulating the swelling he accidently popped my kneecap out of its tracking. This is our conversation:

Bobby "Oh man, are you ok?!
Me "Totally, its fine. Could you push my kneecap back in place"?
Bobby "Seriously"?
Me "Yeah dude, use your thumb. No big deal"

    Yes I am ridiculous but the thumb manipulation worked and the pain began to subside. Just another day at PT in which I ask for the hundredth time for someone to drain my knee. Or at least give me a syringe and let me do it myself.

      What I have learned is that I am not superwoman and working only 16 hours a week will probably have to be the norm. My knee is healing fairly well and I it is irresponsible of me to ask more of it than what is reasonable. One day I will scale mountains but for now I will simply sing soft kitty to my knee.

Good food and trash tv

Are these gorgeous or what?!

 

     The above mentioned brussel sprouts are in the oven right now with some bacon, olive oil, pepper, and garlic. I love an easy meal after physical therapy and of course I have to watch "Courtney Loves Dallas". I didn't want to like her but I am grudgingly becoming a fan. Is it too much to ask Steven to buy me most of the clothes in Courtney's closet? 

     

I love torture

     Physical therapy Tuesday morning had a special surprise just for lil ol' me. Along with badass looking surgical scars I have also accrued scar tissue. The PT guys find scar tissue to be a very affront against their delicate nature. "We need to get rid of it" "you really need to start massaging the scar tissue and make it go away". I am great at following directions and began working on my scar tissue. The PT guys thought I was doing a lousy job so they happily demonstrated how this tissue should be handled. Kevin and his meat hook sized hands brought out my inner yogi as I tried not to scream in pain. Apparently scar tissue is like a bully and only responds to force, a lot of force. He worked on my knee for about ten minutes and attacked every scar. I stared at the wall and breathed in deeply while thinking of chocolate. Chocolate can help in almost any situation. I survived the scar tissue ordeal with a smile on my face and didn't knock anyone out. Go me!

    Physical therapy isn't all unicorns and rainbows, unfortunately it is a painful process that takes old fashioned hard work. This being my second transplant means I have a ton riding on this newly acquired ligament. Even though this recovery has been much better than the first go around I am anxious that my darling Hertha will fail too. Ok, I have had my pity party and I am done now. To chase the blues away I might roast brussel sprouts and bacon, just to hear Steven whine. It really is the little things in life.

This depiction is legit.

Light My Fire

     Oh the things we do for love. Moving across country, buying flowers, making dinner that has very spicy peppers involved, buying expensive gifts, just to name a few. It was in the name of love and hunger that I decided working with jalapenos and habanero peppers was a great way to spice up a meal. This adventure was admittedly not my finest hour. If it hadn't been for love I would not have danced the burning tango with capsaicin. For non pepper lovers, capsaicin is a lovely component of peppers that produces a burning sensation. This sensation was evident all over my hands because without thinking of my poor sensitive skin I roasted and cut into these peppers without gloves. After working with the peppers I did wash my hands several times but to no avail. During a hot shower which opened the pores of my skin I transformed into Lobster Hands. This is akin to "hulking out" I may not have been angry but I looked the part. For most of the evening I sat around holding an ice pack and trying to lay a guilt trip on Steven. Bearing a close resemblance to Spock the guilt trip had no effect. Instead he made me dunk my hands in cold milk and alka seltzer which actually improved things. I also tried using a sea salt scrub, cooling hand cream, and aloe vera gel. The things we do for love.

      Thankfully, my alter ego Lobster Hands was soothed by Monday and I felt relatively normal. The next time someone wants salsa, he can march his ass down the street and fetch it himself. Love ya +Steven Larizza , mean it :)!

An Ode to Coffee

    Ok y'all tomorrow is the first day of Spring semester and I am kinda nervous but really excited. I will be taking two classes which totals six hours of coursework which will leave me with only two more classes till I graduate with my M.A. I am only slightly nervous because school, work, and physical therapy is a lot to put on my plate. My major goals are to make A's and keep my knee healthy and happy. I have a feeling that coffee will be my hero this semester followed with a close second to healthy food. So here a few memes that deal with my love and appreciation of coffee.

Friday at PT

Both my PTA's now want to read this book :).

   When i go to PT I always take headphones and a book to keep me company. Listening to music during my workout keeps me focused on form and not on pain. I am a sucker for a good read and a book comes in handy when I am on the bike or hooked up to E-Stem with ice. Last week I took two different books to PT and did not expect the excited reactions out of Zach and Kenneth (physical therapy assistants). As I am reading my book on torture both PTA's are looking over my shoulder asking a million questions about what I am reading. I couldn't help but giggle with delight as these two guys became ever more engrossed with my book.
   As a graduate student I will have an exit interview in front of a panel of professors in the criminology field. So, to start preparing for this interview I have started reading about two subjects. 1) being torture/interrogation tactics from the Cold War vs what is being done today and 2) Teen behavior and the law.

     The second book I brought was merely for fun reading. It's a book written by a woman who was married to a psychopath for nearly nine years. This courageous woman also changed the divorce law in California, so that victim's of spousal abuse do not have to pay alimony or lawyer's fees for their attacker. Both books are great reads and I highly recommend everyone to check them out.

My Saturday

     It is a gorgeous sunny Saturday in dusty Odessa. This weekend my goal is to watch too much Netflix (not unusual), cook maybe two more meals, and ice. Seriously I need to ice for the rest of the weekend to get rid of my baby knee bump. This is not a good look for me. Being the only cook around here can really suck when the meal is complicated and requires me to stand around for over an hour. However, I am finally done making the steak queso burritos my darling spouse has been bellowing like a water buffalo about. At least he is way cuter than a water buffalo and I get free tech support.

     I am pretty nervous about Monday and my school/work schedule. Basically I will be at work Monday & Wednesday from 8 am- 5 pm which is not a big deal. Then on those same days I get to go to two classes which means I leave campus at 10 pm. Dear sweet baby Jesus bring on the French Market coffee and a lot of gumption. On the plus side after this semester I will only need 2 more classes to graduate with my M.A.! PT will have to be on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and of course I have to have symphony practice on Tuesday nights. (I play the violin)

    This next semester will be a ball buster. I feel like my new ACL is an infant and thus needs time and attention. So, technically I am a new mom going back to school and working. This thought makes me laugh my butt off, it really is the little things.

Yes Please!

Burritos and Coffee

    So it's 10 pm here in the bustling metropolis that is Odessa Texas (totally kidding about the metropolis thing) and I am roasting poblano peppers. They smell utterly fantastic and will taste wildly good in the queso I'm making for +Steven Larizza. I better be earning some serious wife points for staying up past my bedtime making homemade steak queso burritos. His favorite restaurant Qdoba is back in Virginia along with his beloved burritos. So I brewed some French Market coffee with almond milk to help me stay up for the next few hours. This burrito will contain chopped steak, queso, jasmine lime rice, habanero sauce, and pinto beans. Can you dig this? Tons of wifey points being made here y'all.

    As I stay up with my coffee and ingredients I cannot help but think of my soul sister +Shawntee DesaRay Goff who is going through some adversity. However, I have the utmost faith that she will be able to handle whatever is thrown at her. I have always said that I am truly blessed by knowing her and her beautiful soul. This woman will move mountains one day and be an inspiration to many people. This lovely gal is a loud mouthed, loving, feisty, and intelligent human being who will bake a cake in a crisis and give you courage to face anything. During some of the hardest times in my life she has stood by me, when many abandoned me. If words could heal a broken heart or act as a salve to soothe an emotional wound, I would write for an eternity to brighten up this darling woman.
 
    +Shawntee DesaRay Goff know that you are loved and needed in this world. Your family is very blessed to have you in their corner. Remember you have this tiny viking in your corner and that God will give you unfailing strength to bear. Love you sis! xoxoxoxo

P.S. I totally talked about food but I know you will eventually forgive me ;)

I just want to play in salt water

      Thursday, January 9, I will be a month post-op and of course all I want to do is jump on a paddle board somewhere in the ocean. Maybe such a strong urge will help me to get through the more difficult parts of my recovery or maybe I'm just impatient. When I lived in Virginia, I was only 10 minutes from the beach and could play in the salt water anytime I wanted. Whenever I went paddle-boarding or for a swim my knee always felt better, I always felt better.

     For now I'm waiting for the warm weather to come back around and hopefully my new ACL will be ready for a test ride.

In the meantime Steven should buy me this.

Baby It's Cold Outside...Let's Make Stew!

     My darling +Steven Larizza told me over lunch today "I have a tip for your cooking. Stop using ingredients that I don't recognize". After I stopped laughing and being momentarily offended, I started considering his suggestion. My husband's palate isn't exactly grandiose and maybe he had a point with his suggestion. All I really want is to make cooking at home the new normal instead of eating out several times a week. So, tonight I decided to make a stew. A normal meat and vegetable stew that is loaded with amazing but recognizable ingredients. This way we both get what we want and need. It's flipping 16 degrees outside and stew sounded amazing when I began brainstorming about what to make for dinner. I get lots of yummy vegetables and mega protein while Steven gets a tasty home cooked meal with stuff he can name. Team Larizza for the win!

All my delicious ingredients: ground chuck, celery, carrots, red & yellow bell pepper, yellow onion, red potatoes, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, oregano, garlic, red pepper, parsley, salt, and pepper.

I love a little color in my meals.

Simmering success :)

The final product, Team Larizza for the win!

Red potatoes.