Apologies to all. I promised more regular posts and then fell off the edge of the world. In mid September my knee became very much swollen, painful, red, and hot. It was almost as bade as it was before surgery. When I saw my infectious disease doctor at the beginning on October, he hustled me into hospital again. I had another needle aspiration that removed a lot of fluid and had a pic line inserted. I started getting very large doses of penicillin every four hours. After a week I asked if I could receive the treatment at home because all I was doing in hospital was lying in bed all day. I was given permission, came home, and am on the same regime I was on before, but this time I’ll be getting antibiotics for at least 6 weeks. I’m going through the Canberra Hospital instead of Calvary. It’s farther away but it has the better medical facilities, I think. That’s where I had my knee removed and replaced 8 years ago. At this stage I’m still due three more weeks of antibiotics, and I go in tomorrow to have a second ultrasound of my knee with possible needle aspiration. My knee overall is looking better. It is no longer red and hot, but is still swollen on the inside of my leg. To add to the mix, a cyst I have had on the top of my head for over a year with no pain or other activity, suddenly decided to burst open, leaving my hair full of gunk and a hole where it had been. It’s been seen to as well and I have a bandage on the top of my head.

Once again J has gotten more than he has bargained for, and has provided taxi service across Canberra weekly, if not more frequently. Most of my healing is due to his care, and his bringing me goodies like fresh figs and takeaway Indian food. I was hoping to put up my Christmas tree this year but there’s no way I could get it down by myself. In fact, summer has arrived suddenly and it’s in the 30’sC this week and continues windy. This is fire weather and so far we are the only corner of Australia not to be enduring bush fires. I was hoping when J was scheduled for a visit that we could go down to the coast for a couple of days but I am on the hospital’s schedule which means daily nurse visits.

I cannot promise to post as frequently as I had planned. I hope I can do better at least, now that I’m no longer in such pain. I hope you are all getting prepared for holiday festivities but it will be a quiet one here I expect. I still sleep a lot. I missed the World Series in hospital but I’m glad Washington won.