Celebration Lunch

We had an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon later this week to check on Robin’s knee replacement. 

Arriving for the appointment

As expected we were in and out of the busy surgeon’s rooms in no time at all.  There were x-rays on the monitor showing the replacement pieces, and everything looked nice and straight.  The wound has healed nicely and Robin’s knee movement is excellent.  We were told that slow improvement will happen over the next year or so, but everything looks fine, and he can do away with the sticks.  Yes, he is cleared to drive, so a caravan trip will be happening in the near future.  Yippee to that! 

There was time to pick up a few things on our list, and then it was lunch time.  We had decided to lunch at Speight’s Ale House.

 

Lots of big hearty meals on the menu so we would only need a much lighter evening meal.  A Speights beer for Robin and a bubbly for me while we checked out the menu.  What to choose, that always takes a bit of thought.  I had belly pork, so surprises there, and Robin chose a big juicy lamb shank.  We hadn't planned on dessert, but a cinnamon oyster each with coffee afterwards was just a mouthful and so light and  tasty.

Beer, wine, coffee and cake!

A good result deserves a celebration lunch

The last few days

What have we been up to over the last few days?  Asparagus season has started so I needed to take a trip to Lewis Farms to get a big bunch of this delicacy.  The grading machines were busy, clatter clatter, keeping the workers on their toes as they sorted the different grades.  Many of the seasonal workers come and stay in their motor homes and caravans and park up on the grounds for a small cost - no travel time to work when you are staying on site.

Grading the asparagus

The farm shops stocks other locally made goods as well, honey, pesto, free range pork products, bread and crackers.  As well as an interesting display of items from earlier times.

Lewis Farms also grow strawberries and raspberries, and real fruit ice-cream is also available, as well as freshly ground coffee.  The shop was bustling with customers so I had a little wait for my coffee fix.

Coffee time

Saturday was Election Day, time for everyone to have their say and go and vote.  We had voted early, but many people like to cast their vote on the actual day.  We watched the TV coverage in the evening, and it was obvious people thought it was time for a change.  Labour was trounced and National will be the new government.  The Special Votes still need to be counted, those from Kiwis overseas, in hospitals, and those who voted outside  of their electorates.  There may well be changes to a few seats, but it seems that overall National will form a government with one or two coalition parties.

Democracy in action

Robin was up bright and early on Sunday morning to watch the All Blacks and Ireland quarter final game in the Rugby World Cup.  The All Blacks won, which takes them to the the semi finals.  There was no time for him to cook Sunday breakfast, he was much too involved in the rugby game!

Sunday morning rugby

His Monday morning physio classes are going well, and Robin is noticing improvements to his knee each week.  As I'm still the nominated driver, its coffee time for me while I sit and wait for him to do his exercise circuit.

We are looking forward to seeing the orthopedic surgeon on Thursday who will hopefully clear Robin to drive again. 

This and That

The General Election is coming up fast, and we decided to vote early.  There were several options of where to go, and after a meeting up town, we popped into the local library. Joined the short queue, handed over our Easy Vote card, received the voting papers, and we were good to go.  Nice and simple, and over in five minutes.  And with voting early, we wont have to join the crowds next week.  Rather, we can sit back and watch the results roll in.

After doing our civic duty we had a rather mundane job to do – take our recycling to the Transfer Centre.  This is generally Robin’s job, but as he has been out of action for a while, I was the driver and we both helped with putting the bottles, cans, plastic and papers into their various slots.

Getting rid of the recycling

After a break for a while while Robin while recuperating after his knee replacement, he finally felt well and steady enough on his feet to cook the Sunday breakfast.  So tasty – we breakfasted on pork sausages, bacon, egg and tomatoes.  Well worth the wait, thanks Robin.

Sunday breakfast

We have an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon next week, and Robin is hoping his knee has improved enough to enable him to start driving again.  That will certainly make him feel better, and maybe we can go caravanning again soon too.

Back to Physio

At last, Robin is attending weekly physio, funded by the Health Department as part of his knee replacement surgery.  And getting to these classes has been a mission, as for whatever reason, his name was not on the list of attendees.  But it all worked out in the end, the paper work was sent to the Physio Department, we had an assessment meeting, and now he is attending on Monday mornings with the other recent knee replacement patients.

Week by week, he is getting more movement in the knee.  The Physio lady has some sort of protractor which measures the angle that the knee can bend, and there is a definite improvement there.  So after a set back or two, the pain on movement is slowly improving, and he is starting to feel a lot better in himself.

My job is to drive down to the Health Centre, walk with him to the Physio Department then leave him to it.  There is no need for me to be in there with him as he does the exercise circuit, and I don't think the other patients would like me there invading their privacy while they are also working out.  So I take myself to the café, and relax with a coffee and my book, making sure I’m back in time to collect him and drive back home.

Time for a coffee

Little by little his mobility is improving, although there is a way to go yet.  We have another  appointment with the surgeon in a few weeks time, and Robin’s next aim will be cleared to drive, fingers crossed.

Visiting the Rally

With our caravan still up at Ohaupo and Robin’s recent knee operation meaning he was unable to drive, there was no way we would be attending the weekend rally at Rangiotu School.  So we did the next best thing and visited the rally for morning tea.  I was the nominated driver and we had a whoopsie on the trip up.  The only damage was to a pukeko who tried to cross the road in front of my little grey car – these birds have no road sense at all. 

It was a grey drizzly morning and we arrived at the school to be warmly welcomed by the rally family Russell and Maureen.    Morning tea was held in the kitchen/dining room and everyone soon arrived with their cuppas.  We had brought along some cream sponges to celebrate Robin’s recent birthday – no wonder everyone was pleased to see us.

Yes, he will be sharing that sponge cake

As we hadn't been to a rally for a while, as you can imagine, there was plenty of catching up to do.  We are so lucky at this school to have this room available to meet in, I imagine there wouldn't be much chance of sitting outside with the weather forecast promising a wet weekend.

The sponge cakes all got eaten

Originally we had planned to stay on for lunch, and I had packed a picnic lunch accordingly, but Robin’s knee was getting rather painful so we decided to head for home.  Many thanks to Geoff and Eileen who invited us in to their van for an extra chat before we departed, and to Russell and Maureen for suppling some Lemonade lemons to us all, I took a couple of these home to try.

Happy Campers

The drive home was uneventful, although the rain was setting in, and luckily no unwary pukekos ventured into the road in front of me.  These birds have been called “god dammed purple chickens” by USA visitors, we understand. 

Robin needed a little nap after our “at home picnic lunch”  - guess the morning had taken it out of him a bit.  After an easy evening meal we settled down to watch Jurassic Park, the very first film in the series.  It had been ages since this was released, and although I remembered bits and pieces as the film evolved, it was still very exciting and well worth watching.

It’s been a long week

The week started on Monday with RAT tests for both of us, plus blood tests for Robin.  His second knee replacement was happening on Tuesday, and a clear RAT test was required.  No trouble there, thank goodness.

All clear

The alarm clock was set on Tuesday morning for 5.00am, and we were out the door and driving at 6.00am to Palmy in the dark.  So many people were milling around the admissions desk when we arrived, we did wonder how far down the operating list Robin would be.  What we did find out was that there are four operating theatres in Crest Hospital, and Robin was first on his surgeon’s list that morning. 

Crest Hospital

Crest Hospital has contracts with the DHB to perform surgeries, which is helping to whittle down the public list, a great idea after Covid stopped elective surgery for some time.  Robin was shown to his room, extra forms filled in, the anesthetist came calling, and he was whisked away down the corridor just after 8.00am.  I departed for a coffee fix and to await the call that it was all over.  He was back in his room by midday, bright and perky.  Sadly it was a different story the next day, when he had a reaction to the pain pump, and was feeling rather seedy indeed.  But he still needed to get out of bed, move around a little, and get used to the crutches, once again. 

The menus at Crest are amazing, it was just a shame that he didn't feel well enough to enjoy his Filet Mignon when it was served.  He slowly came right and Friday was discharge day.  He managed to manoeuvre his leg into the small car and home we went.  All patients feel better at home, your own comfy chair and bed, Gemma there to check you out, maid service and home cooked meals, although Filet Mignon is not on the menu!

Home again, that didn't take long

There will be a stint of rehab needed to get that knee flexible again, a clearance to finally drive again, about 6-8 weeks we think, then life can get back to normal again.  In the meantime I will perform my duties as the nominated driver.

Ohaupo and Back

It was off to Ohaupo for Robin, towing the caravan merrily behind him.  Our Leisureline was booked in to get some repairs done in September.  But because Robin was going to hospital next week to get his second knee replacement done, Grant suggested he bring the van up early and leave it on site in storage.  Away he went on Saturday, with me and the cat staying at home. 

Off he goes

Travel on Saturday was in clear conditions, but is was rather windy at Waiouru.  Mount Ruapehu was nowhere to be seen, it was completely covered in low cloud.  He stayed at the Ohakune Club overnight, together with quite a few other vans.  It seems that these people were waiting for the mountain to clear, so they could get some skiing done.  I had suggested that Robin dine in the club that evening, but no, that didn't happen, the kitchen was closed and no meals available.  After a beer or two in the bar, he had to cook his own meal in the caravan instead.  It was very windy overnight with heavy rain beating on the roof.

Sunday was extremely wet for the drive to Otorohanga NZMCA camp.  Nothing much open there on a Sunday night except the local fish and chip shop, so that would have to do for his dinner.

Then a short half hour trip on Monday morning and he arrived at Leisureline Ohaupo to drop the van off into the care of Grant.  Ohaupo translates to “The place where the  wind blows at night”  It didn’t take too long for Robin to pack up the remaining food, his clothes and other bits and pieces, then he departed on the long drive home.  It was very wet driving along the Desert Road and all the way to Hunterville, with the temperature dropping down to 3 degrees.  He stopped for a bite at Turangi, then it was steady as you go all the way home, arriving here at 4.30pm.  That was a fair bit of driving and he noticed that the fuel consumption was certainly much less on the return journey, without the van on the back of the Jeep.  Robin was certainly rather tired after his long day, and after a home cooked meal he was tucked up in bed by 8.30pm!