I have been doing PT and my home exercises religiously and have gotten to 105 Flexion (normal 120). Can’t straighten leg all the way, but its getting better. Saw the doc today and he said to start placing 50% of my weight on the leg. That sounds painful. Apparently swellling and weird skin color are normal at this point. He said that in two weeks I will be crutch free (whooo hooo). That sounds unrealistic to me, but then again, I have made a lot of progress in the last two weeks – so if I keep it up, maybe so. In case anyone ever tries to sugar coat it — crutches suck. Sorry, no better way to say it. I do have quite buff arms now, but my lower body looks like it belongs to an old lady with 75 cats in her house. I am not going to be wearing shorts above the knee anytime soon…. This last six weeks feels like six months in some ways and in some ways I can’t believe its been as long as it has. Well, focus forward, that is all that I can do – and try to find something to look forward to. I would say the biggest challenge after the initial physical agony is fighting off being depressed – especially for someone who was addicted to adreneline. On the other hand, I am sure that placing 50% of my body weight on this feeble leg will give me a jolt of adreneline….
PT Works!
19 AprOn my third PT visit – today – ROM flexion – 96 degrees – which is way better than a week ago – (63). Can not straighten knee fully yet – but I’ll take it. Knee still really big and ugly but i was not on my way to a modeling career anytime soon – so I guess it does not matter. Three weeks until I am off crutches…
Aci recovery- we have lift off
18 AprYesterday I was able to lift my leg off of the therapy table! Whoo hoo! It will be five weeks since my surgery as of tomorrow- I feel like I’m making progress, but can’t imagine walking 3 weeks from now. Swelling is still pretty significant but my rom is improving. Random thought: God I miss running! Anyway, back to work full time- which is tiring but not too horrible. Took a shower this morning (as opposed to the night before) and still made it to work on time. Small victories…
Day 32- moving in the right direction
17 AprI am a little over 4 weeks post op. And finally starting to get some movement in my quad. I can’t lift my leg off the couch- but I can move it now. Started PT last week and religiously did my exercises over the last four days (pretty unpleasant). I am hoping to get some positive feed back tomorrow. Being that I am used to following training schedules, and actually liking them- it is not difficult to follow a routine. However going from a marathon training program involving the goal of 26.2 miles – to a schedule involving the lifting of a leg off the couch is a bit of a let down… I may need to find a new hobby…like wine tasting…my patience is running thin and I admit to being in low spirits with not a whole lot to look forward to, but I try to keep it in perspective- much worse things happen to much nicer people after all! Ok, so all my friends and my husband are going on a vacation I have to skip (after having already bought plane tickets) buy hey- I was the one who decided to go thru this ridiculous (I mean innovative and ultimately worth it) operation…:) that is all the whining I will allow myself right now- I’m off to do leg lifts.
Let the PT Begin
10 AprWent to the doctor today because I was getting worried about the lack of function in my quad and pretty much getting sick of dragging a dead limb around town. Doctor said that I am slightly behind on recovery, probably because my muscles are refusing to override my fear of pain response being sent by my brain. Translation – I’m a whimp. Bummer. He says I have “mentally divorced my left knee.” Ha – I wish I could! Anyway, he said that I needed some tough love PT for a few weeks – which I am totally cool with. I start Thursday, which will further mess up my work schedule, but I can’t help that really. I anticipate that this will be painful. However, I would rather feel pain (knowing I am not hurting my graft) than sit around lugging around the dead weight of my left leg.
Things I am grateful for at this point 1) take out; 2) clothes that do not need to be ironed; 3) places with no stairs; 4) the internet- allowing shopping from the couch; 5) people who help me out; 6) the fact that I do not have a terminal illness or that none of my loved ones are in peril; 7) that my great dane sleeps most of the time, and therefore only occassionally steals my food or gets in my way; 8) my awesome plastic shower seat; 9) the fact that surgery apparently steals your appetite so I am not getting fat while I sit here; 10) that I will be off crutches 4 weeks from this Thursday! Things which I need to improve: 1) my children’s ability to put dishes in the dishwasher, fold clothes and pick up stuff they leave ALL OVER the house; 2) muscle control; 3) range of motion in my knee and 4) placing the foot of the offending leg flat on the floor while crutching to keep it from turning blue. AHH so much to look forward to…. Until next time…
Day 23 – making progress
7 AprI decided to try to return to weight lifting today. Obviously only upper body. As an initial matter the logistics of getting on the bow flex brought me to tears. But where there is a will there is a way. I was able to do all but two of my typical upper body exercises (the other two require standing). I cut the weight down by 10-20 lbs. but probably could have done the regular weights. Prior to surgery was doing 300 raised leg sit ups a couple of times per week, but can’t figure out how to do even one yet- since leg is still painful and has very little function. I actually have to pick it up to move it. Going to work 1/2 days for one more week. I keep reading posts on various boards of people who just give up on sports like running after this surgery so I am bummed out. I know that there are successful surgeries- maybe its just whiners like me who bother to blog about it. I have accepted that I will not be running full marathons most likely ever again (although I admitt that one percent of me hopes I’m wrong). But I’d at least like to run a few more half marathons and lots of 10ks – we shall see. When I lay in bed at night I start worrying that the whole thing will fail … In the morning I try to remember that I am the person who almost never got sick, healed really fast, was in great shape and worked out almost everyday right up to the day before surgery. I guess I just have to keep a positive attitude and hope for the best! I may try to go tothe grocery store today with my husband and ride in one of those motorized carts- awesome – just the look I’ve been hoping for!
ACI – A DAY IN THE LIFE – DAY 18
2 AprWell, I managed to drive my kids to school for the first time in 2 1/2 weeks. After the drive, I came home, rested a few minutes, changed my clothes and went to work for a half day. I was really tired after that half day because I did not sleep well, so I came home at 1:00 and decided to make a sandwhich.
Let me describe making a sandwhich. Step 1) crutch to refrigerator, lien on one crutch to free up arm. Locate chicken salad and grab container. Carry container by grabbing it by the corner in my teeth. Step 2) crutch over to the bread box with container in teeth. Drop container on counter and then realize you do not have a knife. Step 3) Crutch back over toward the knife drawer. Get knife and a couple of plastic bags. Slip these in my pocket. 4) Crutch back over to where the chicken salad is. Lien on one crutch and make a sandwhich while standing on one foot. Chicken salad container goes back in teeth and crutch over to the refrigerator to put it back. Spy pickles in refrigerator. Take those out and put some in a baggie (all while standing on one foot). Put pickles back. Step 5) Crutch to kitchen door to let dogs in (fatal mistake). Step 6) Scream like I am giving birth while waving a crutch as great dane begins to remove sandwhich from the counter. Step 7 ) Curse at dog. Scream some more. Dog drops sandwhich on the floor (on the napkin of all miracles). Continue screaming at great dane until his tail goes between his legs and he becomes concermed for your sanity – he is thinking “it’s just a sandwhich afterall! She did not freak out this bad when I ate the whole chicken leg in one swallow!”. Step 25,000) Retrieve sandwich. Inspect for teeth marks and replace top piece of bread. Place in baggie. Put pickle bag and sandwhich bag in teeth. Begin to crutch to the couch in the next room. On the way, spy IPad on counter, reach for it. Drop it on good foot (this is really painful). Bend over to pick up IPad and spill pickle juice all over my pants. So much for wonder baggies. Forget IPad . Crutch over to the couch. Foot hurts. Fall onto couch too tired to eat. Take a nap. Wake from nap in pain – in the foot where the IPad hit.
This explains how one can stop working out entirely (after working out 5 days a week for a decade) and start to loose weight….. Ahh well, I got not where to go but up. Holly cow, what will I do about dinner?
Aci – slow recovery
1 AprSo it’s been 2 1/2 weeks since surgery. I have gone to work twice for half days. It’s exhausting. My job involves listening to people and makining decisions. This is challenging when my leg is throbbing. I need to come up with a way to prop up the offending limb in a dignified fashion. Yesterday I felt pretty down. This morning I feel some what better. My husband leaves for a two day business trip and my sitter is out of town. I’m nervous. Kids might have to miss some sporting events – as driving for more than 20 minutes is uncomfortable. Oh well- not the end of the world. My doctor did not prescribe a cpm machine- which seems odd since all the websites on aci surgery recommend using one for 6-8 hours a day. I’m going to call him about starting PT soon which will undoubtedly hurt. I feel like I have physically aged 10 years but mentally I have turned into a baby. I have shed more tears in the last 2 1/2 weeks than I have in the last 2 1/2 years. I can’t stand being around me – I’m no fun! Good thing no one reads this as I am not exactly inspirational!
desperate2run 