Aftermath

I didn't realize it until I went back and looked, but it's been a year and a day since I first had to deal with my left knee, other than to use it and ignore it. It was a year ago that I took my first trip to the hospital emergency room and from there to physical therapy and then more doctors, leading up to the MAKOplasty operation two weeks ago.

Since that event I've been home recuperating, daily following the directions of the physical therapy people to slowly gain complete reuse of the left knee, and the left leg. The pain caused by the loss of cartilage within the joint is gone. Completely gone. The pain I feel now is different, more a healing pain, and far less intense than before the operation. My walking is limited, but I no longer walk with a limp. That's gone completely.

The only issue at the moment is lack of flexibility in the left knee. It's still swollen, but the swelling goes down slowly but steadily. The home-based PT helps me to build up flexibility in the knee, although somewhat painfully. The pain is not intense and subsides rather quickly after PT, especially when cold is applied. I've got a trip scheduled to the surgeon next Monday for a follow-up examination. I will probably spend one more week at home, transitioning to external physical therapy again at RDV Sportsplex in Maitland.

The Rest of the World

I voted by absentee ballot because the presidential election last week was the Tuesday right after I'd gotten home from the hospital. Based on all the reports about long lines and waits it's a good thing I did.

I could, as one commenter wrote to an earlier post, gloat a bit. But I won't. Frankly I see nothing to gloat about. We have nearly insurmountable problems with our economy and sequestration (the "fiscal cliff" we face in January), global warming, terrorism, China's surging nationalism, Iran's nuclear ambitions, the ongoing economic collapse in the Euro zone, and many more issues beyond those mentioned. During the campaigns neither candidate offered any real tangible solutions (or hint of a solution) for any of those problems, tending to ignore a few of them altogether (specifically global warming).

Closer to home I was embarrassed yet again that Florida can't count... its votes in a timely fashion. Florida didn't officially declare for Obama until the Saturday after Tuesday. It didn't matter anyway; Obama won without Florida. Florida had become an irrelevant footnote to the process, helped in no small part by our current governor Rick Scott and his rubberstamp Republican-based state house. Many of us in Florida have seen Scott run roughshod over our ability to vote, especially cutting back on early voting and contributing to the long delay in the final tally. If there was any reason to limit Scott to one term, then how Florida's 2012 presidential election turned out is the final straw.

The map you see above is a more nuanced and sophisticated voting map for the presidential election. It is based on individual counties and includes both Republican and Democratic voting mixed together. The "spikes" include population density, especially over large urban centers. Note that the large spikes are Democratic or heavily leaning Democratic. The deep red areas indicating Republican are in the west. Note the large Democratic voting oasis in New Mexico. If you want to read the article and the individuals that created this graphic then read this.

Jesus Wasn't a Capitalist

16 And, behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said to him, Why call you me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He said to him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and your mother: and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 20 The young man said to him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 Then said Jesus to his disciples, Truly I say to you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Matthew 19, American King James Version

I quote this in light of all the money the conservative billionaire-funded super-PACs spent on this election, such as Karl Rove and Crossroad's $300 million "investment" in the election.