changes are happening!

but not without pain...

Walking is getting smoother and faster. Yesterday I walked one mile in about 20 minutes (I google-mapped it when I got home.) I was tired when I got to my destination, sat for a few minutes, spent the next hour or so on my feet. When I got to physical therapy later in the day, I told of my exploits and my therapist thought it might be a bit much. As we went through the exercises she could see the fatigue in the leg, it was shaking.

Today the whole leg is sore -- the hip, the IT band, the quad, the hamstring, the calf, the ankle...and of course the knee but not the overwhelming pain. It was the hip that woke me up.

My take on this is that it is a good thing to have tired the leg muscles through exercise and targeted work and that the pain is reflecting the use. In my limited understanding of the body, this should lead to strength. Unlike the pain I felt with the damaged knee, where the pain did not lead to strength but eventually atrophy of the supporting muscles because they were not able to engage due to lack of the supporting knee.

This pain caused me to miss a morning yoga class that is within my current abilities but I had gotten up for ice for the hip pain and fallen back to sleep. I hope to reliably get back to my regular activities soon.

Crutches are gone!

Sent my crutches and bath bench to the first responder on Craig's list. Luis wants them for his old parents who are in their 80's. You go Luis!

I am happy to have them in a good place.

My secret weapon has remained with me - that is my aluminum cane - which I can use to wave at buses when I need one to kneel down for me. It is a great tool when you are out in crowds and just want to make sure noone bumps into the sore part.

5 weeks out

Getting a bit tired of this...still having a good bit of pain, not necessarily in the new knee, but in the muscles in the thigh and the calf and the foot -- all bits are connected when it comes to the body!

But all I have to do is remember the days of these photos from the hospital stay...of course, then I had lots of drugs in me and I was pretty oblivious to how anything felt and what I was doing.

I'm ready for some quality of life improvements -- I'm thinking of Glucosamine and Ibuprofen. The G may help with the 'other' aches and pains of my body and the Ibu is better for muscle pain than the tylenol, IMHO.

Still on the 2x per week rehab and today I want to get some muscle massage for the leg - it has been keeping me up and waking me up at night. I have also scheduled a cranial sacral massage by someone I have not tried before. My friend Sue swears by her C-S massage therapist for helping her past her surgical experience.

Stay tuned. I think this story will improve soon!

2 of my angels

Many people have been like angels to me during this past 4 weeks of surgery, recovery and rehab. I call them angels because they have been sending me their caring thoughts whether or not they have been in direct contact with me.

Today I got to experience the hands-on caring of two kind and skillful women who lead me in yoga, Brooks Hall and Eileen Gormaly. I had missed Brooks Wed. morning class at Yoga Circle since before my surgery. It is a class in lengthening, strengthening, breathing and alignment. About a dozen or so people take it regularly and Brooks is very adaptive to people and their limitations in this class. The other class of hers that I love is held at my health club at noon on Mondays and is attended by many young, energetic people on their lunch hours. Brooks paces this class to the audience.

Given that I am still limited in my mobility and flexibility, I knew her Wed. class would suit me. And it did -- completely, wholly and fully. During this class, Eileen always teaches one pose and then assists with form for all the poses. I feel like this is the first opportunity I have had in the four weeks to engage my full body in a form of exercise. Most exercise has been focused specifically on my left knee; bending, straightening, balancing on the left leg and strengthening the supporting muscles. This experience, although making allowances for the left knee, was holistic for my body while also focusing on my specific needs for the knee. I was able to pull out my back and shoulders in stretches, twist to the right and left, extend and breathe into abdomen and chest and breathe, breathe, breathe fully and completely. It felt so great and it paid off in increased energy. I knew at the end of class that I had felt the exertion and would be happy to have an afternoon at home. But I surprised myself by the energy I had on the walk home and a quick stop for supplies. I even found the wrist & ankle weights I was planning to look for.

These girls are my angels because through their work, they have been able to affect a positive change in me. That is of so much value, it is impossible to express in words. Thanks my friends!

out-patient physical therapy

Here is my daily routine...

• standing heel raises -- 15 per set / 3 sets
• sitting knee flexion - pull L heel toward buttock -- 10 per set
• prone knee extension - face down, legs hang from bed w/2# weight on L, hold 3-5 min. -- 3x
• standing knee stretch - L leg back heel down, lean into stretch, hold 30 sec. -- 2x / 5x day
• supine hamstring stretch, knee straight, hold 60 sec. -- 2x
• straight leg raise, hold 3 sec -- 10 per set / 3 sets
• side-lying hip abduction, knee straight -- 10 per set / 3 sets
• prone hip extension, knee straight -- 10 per set / 3 set
• bike 5-10 min
  

Doc says I'm 2 weeks ahead of schedule!

Xray taken today - L knee on right in picture showing new knee.

I think he was flattering me a bit but for 3 weeks out, I'm feeling good, getting around albeit slowly, and gaining independence daily.

Milestones include:

• last nursing visit & blood draw for cumadin levels yesterday.
• last home visit by PT tomorrow
• full backward revolution on stationary bike
• outside PT begins Thursday

Other notable points:

• at 6 weeks out I can get in the tub and/or the pool!! That'll be 3 weeks from today!
  
• I can go to yoga!! I'll start with Gabriel's "gentle class"
• I can go to the dentist at 6 weeks out, w/RX of antibiotic
• I can drink alcohol in another 5 days!! legally!!!