Well tomorrow is 10 months out from surgery. I have regained some quad strength and definition. I have minimal swelling (maybe the size of a quarter on the outside of my knee cap). The skin at that spot feels a little numb, but nothing I notice too much. I have no limp. I continue with weight lifting 3-4 times per week and elliptical 5 x per week. I am up to resistance level 6 and can do about 3-4 miles per work out. My biggest challenge is stairs – going down is difficult. I can do it normally, but with the bad leg it feels not very controlled, so I plop down hard on the step when I bend the “bad” leg to lower the good leg to the stair. I have called my doctor to get a script for one PT session to get some ideas about exercises specifically to deal with that problem. It appears from my research that it’s normal to have difficulty going downstairs after long periods of quad atrophy. I would definitely say I am better now than before surgery in terms of stamina and pain in the knee with high activity. My tip to anyone having this surgery: write yourself a note about what you are feeling like before surgery – so when you are doubting yourself and your decision, you can see what kind of shape you were in. I did that, and was surprised how bad off I was before the surgery in terms of everyday functioning, which now makes me feel like I made the right decision in having this surgery. The reality I think for me is that I am a high activity person who loves to work out. If I did not have this surgery, I would have become sedentary because my knee was getting worse pretty much by the week. Now I am getting better by the week. Not sure I can expect much more than that. I am still determined to at least try to run, if the doctor clears me to do that after my MRI in March. The closer it gets to the date of my MRI the harder I find myself working on regaining my strength – if the doctor clears me, I want to have the quad strength to at least try to run. Well, as they say, it’s a marathon not a sprint — I am figuratively at mile 18 (you know, when you start to feel kinda tired, sore and frustrated but there is an end in sight — but it’s still a ways down the road). 🙂
7 1/2 weeks post surgery
7 MayWell, I’m almost to eight weeks, at which point I am suppose to be able to bear 100 percent of my body weight on my knee. I have come to terms with the fact that I will not be walking once I get to eight weeks in a few days. But I am hopeful that I will be walking using one crutch this week and hopefully without any next week. I am starting to feel somewhat better and can get around better now. My knee is about twice the size of the other knee, but that is an improvement. This is a really LONG road. However, in the bright side, I have resumed my routine of doing push ups ( 4 sets of 30) and sit ups (4 sets of 50) a couple of times a week. I’m still lifting weights and the doctor said I could use te elliptical at 8 weeks. That should be interesting. I can’t wai to sweat again!
6 Weeks Post Surgery
26 AprI 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…
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?
desperate2run 