Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

I had a very interesting day today.  It started with out-patient physical therapy first thing in the morning.  It's still very gentle - a lot of  massage to keep that scar tissue soft, and break up what is still there.  I talked a lot with the therapist about some problems I am having.  I went into this procedure with sciatica.  It was at bay thanks to chiropractic visits (but no thanks to a spinal epidural that I had at a pain clinic for it).  The sciatica wasn't full blown when I went into surgery, but I am finding now that some of the exercises I am doing aggravate it.  Most notably, the lunges on the stairs causes pain in my hip and my foot (the endpoints of the sciatica).  Other things as well will cause this pain.  So my question was - do I work through it or stop?  If it were knee pain the advice might be to stick with it but since it is causing the sciatica to flare up I definitely have to STOP.  IMMEDIATELY.  So now I'm cutting out some of the "prescription" exercises.

Then I showed her some exercises in my knee rehab book using a "brazilian futebol" - and she thought that was a great idea.  I went immediately to Sports Authority in hopes they would have the ball, but they didn't, so I ordered it on line.  So I will add those to my home therapy.  I also signed up for a pool therapy session tomorrow.  Although I am loving using my pool I thought it best to learn an ordered program so I don't hurt myself.

I spoke to my daughter's best friend who is a physical therapist.  She said that it is very easy to overdo exercises in the pool because things are much easier to do so you tend to push yourself more than your body is ready for.  I already know this. I was doing all sorts of range-of-motion exercises today - showing off to my husband how I could practically kneel in the water.  OMG - am I paying for it now...  but I did have fun.  I think right now in my recovery this is the hardest thing for me.  If something feels okay at the time do I go for it or do I hold back?  It is probably a continual learning process - i.e., something you never really figure out, but have to reassess every time you face it.  That's why I really need a program instead of being left to my own devices.  Anyway, my daughter's girlfriend said that at this point it would be best to mix land therapy with pool therapy.  Even though I have my own pool it is not heated, and I would best benefit from the warmer water of the rehab pool. 

She also said it is a learning process to learn to listen to your body.  It's not enough to recognize when something is causing pain and it's time to stop, you also have to tune into fatigue.  Not laziness, but fatigue.  When your body is saying - "no more, it's time to rest" LISTEN and OBEY.  So in that spirit, I am done for the day!  I didn't do ANY of my prescribed exercises today but boy did I move.  I don't know that I would allow myself more than one day of not doing prescribed exercises no matter how much I move.  Although - between using the pool (hopefully every day) and working with the futebol maybe I can slowly move away from the prescription.  My daughter's friend said that once I am at this point it is just important to MOVE many times during the day. 

Right now I can't see myself ever going back to work....  but that's the point of this blog.  By the time I reach next week and read back to this week I'll say to myself - boy I guess I have been improving.  I don't really see it so much day to day yet.  However, my "NSV" for today was that I easily prepared my own breakfast, lunch and dinner - and they were all healthy!  I don't know what impresses me more - that I did all the preparation myself or that it was all healthy choices. :)  Which brings me to my next challenge - I don't have a ton of weight to lose, but I sure could stand to take at least 30 pounds off my frame.  I read that the less weight on your frame, the longer your cemented knee will last.  This has become SO real for me.  I do NOT want another replacement - on this knee or the other one! 

Well I'm off for the evening.  Here's to comfortable one!

Miriam