The Absent Uncle: As the month goes by

Last year about this time, I wrote a column about school start-up and my career involvement in the school bus transportation industry. It is August again and sure enough, the juices started flowing about getting ready for that first day of school.

Having enough drivers, are the routes ready, buses clean and mechanically safe and certified, and is the staff ready for the pressures about to come down on them from all sides – schools, parents, drivers, and the never-ending ringing of the telephone asking the same questions over and over. 

My counsel to the staff I worked with was to remember that each caller is asking that same question you have heard a hundred times – probably that day – but that they are asking it for the first time and need to get an answer as quickly as possible. Sometimes the answer will not be the one they want to hear, but be patient, be professional, and most importantly, tell the truth.

I’ve no desire to re-enter that arena; too many first days of school for me. But it is so interesting how the month of August appearing on the calendar brings so many memories to the forefront of the mind. 

August this year has also been the month of recovering from knee-replacement surgery. As I write this column it has been exactly four weeks since the surgery. I really cannot believe how well the recovery has gone.

I am walking without the use of the walker (that was gone two weeks ago), and only use a cane intermittently when I get up from sitting for an extended period of time. No pain, just the stiffness in the leg muscles and around the knee when they have not been moving for a while.

It is really quite amazing to think a major weight bearing joint can be replaced in the body and within a relatively short period of time, almost full mobility is achieved!

Don’t get me wrong. A lot of time and effort has to be put into the rehab exercises and stretching. A bit uncomfortable, but as the saying goes, “No pain, no gain”. 

Last week my surgeon gave me approval to return to my aqua fit class and to resume driving. Driving was no problem, but I have to build up some more stamina to rejoin the class. Just walking into the pool from the parking lot is quite enough right now. But soon I will be able to do more.