I went to my PT appointment yesterday and was told that as it stands I have five more visits approved. It's not a done deal, and they will of course put in for more, but it got me to thinking... Do I need more? I think it's a decision to be made by myself as much as by the therapist. I was telling her that even though I have good range of motion (ROM) now, I am still concerned about strength and thought I would need PT exercises for strength. The therapist said that strength comes in time. She laughed and said that the knee's job is to bend and straighten - that's it. And if I can do that (which now I can) then the insurance company may not approve any more visits.
Another one of my concerns is that I start teaching my belly dance classes on September 24th and I'm not sure what I can and cannot do safely. I am going to bring in the drills that I use in class (should I bring the music too? lol ) and go over each step with her to make sure that I don't do anything that I'm not ready for. Whether I have the strength and endurance is another question - I just have to make sure they are safe to do.
I also got somewhat scolded yesterday (but lovingly, I assure you). My regular therapist is on vacation and I was working with the one that I had for pool therapy. She's the one who wrote WITH BIG LETTERS on the top of my exercise sheet: CONQUER THE FEAR. I asked her some questions about my home therapy and pool therapy and she just looked at me. "Asked and answered" she said. She pointed out that every single thing I asked both she and the other therapist has answered over and over for me. She said that she gets the feeling that I'm not listening and it's very frustrating for them. I told her it's more that my mind can't process the answers.
What I mean by that is that the questions involve things about how much should I do of this and that. Will I hurt myself by overworking my knee. What is safe and not safe. The answers are: Listen to your body. If it tells you to stop then stop. If you listen you will not hurt yourself. I tried to explain to her that the reason it is so hard for me to process the answers is that I spent close to 7 years in pain. I worked through it. I danced through it. I raced through it (I did two 5K races with a titanium brace on my knee with my cryocuff waiting for me at the finish line). I spent 7 years learning how to ignore my body screaming out in pain. I learned not to respect it. It's a whole new world now without the arthritis. If I feel pain it's not something to work/dance/race through. It's something to listen to.
Once I go through all my belly dancing moves with my therapist and she says my ROM is the best that it can be then maybe I have to consider not even using the five more visits that I have. If I can accept and digest the message they have been giving me for two months - "Listen to my body. STOP if it hurts" - then I know enough on my own to continue my PT at home or at the pool. I'm scared and yet excited.....
Miriam
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Exhausted but Happy....
OMG you would have thought I was in the throes of an orgasm. I rejoined the FitRec center where I work and as I lowered my body into the hot tub I was: "OMG..OMG oh yes.... oh yes... ahh...OMG..." I had forgotten how much I love the hot tub with its strong jets, lovely seating, and hot HOT water. I almost didn't make it - a truck was blocking me for more than 1/2 hour and I had just about given up but I had signed up that morning, and by hook or by crook I was going to get there.
I started with my water PT in the recreation pool - a nice warm pool that is about 5 feet at its deepest. There are lanes for swimming on one half, and the other half is an open area with jacuzzi jets at the end. What is nice is that there is ramp going into it (it's outfitted for use with wheel chairs) so although I used the stairs to get out it was nice to ease into it via the ramp. Following about 30 minutes of exercises I went to the hot tub for a full stretch.
There I did all my stretches, as well as the stair lunges that I cannot handle on land. Being in the warm water eases my joint enough to do it without discomfort. I also used the jets for massage - there is some muscle along the outside of my leg that is just so tight it won't budge except under the hands of my therapist. It was so painful - but so good. I didn't do the massage as long as I would have liked because I don't want to beat up the muscle either -- I just want to loosen it a little bit. When I next see my therapist I'll see what she says.
THEN - I went into the olympic pool (a little cooler than the recreation pool and truly olympic sized). I did "cycling" and all my deep-water exercises, like scissors kicks, etc. I used to swim a mile a day, but I didn't do any swimming today. I'm still afraid of kicking, as every time I did it in my own pool I paid the piper the next day. Maybe as I get stronger with my pool PT I will venture into swimming.
The BEST part of it all was that went up the steps that are built into the side of the pool. It takes more upper body strength than anything, as I have to pull myself out of the pool, but I didn't have any trouble at all. I was so tempted to make a second trip to the hot tub after this, but headed for the showers instead. It was so pleasurable that I had to talk myself into being careful. I also am going to aim to do this only twice a week to start. I tend to get very gung-ho about stuff like this, then I burn out something awful. I won't let that happen this time.
I'm happy that I renewed my membership. The past couple of days I have just had this longing to get in their pool and I'm glad I saw it through. The fitness equipment is fabulous and there is also a rubber track that will be so good for my knees if I want to start walking it. I swear, I could spend 3 hours at a time at the gym if I let myself! I already spend close to two just using the pool.
So anyway - exhausted but happy....
Miriam
I started with my water PT in the recreation pool - a nice warm pool that is about 5 feet at its deepest. There are lanes for swimming on one half, and the other half is an open area with jacuzzi jets at the end. What is nice is that there is ramp going into it (it's outfitted for use with wheel chairs) so although I used the stairs to get out it was nice to ease into it via the ramp. Following about 30 minutes of exercises I went to the hot tub for a full stretch.
There I did all my stretches, as well as the stair lunges that I cannot handle on land. Being in the warm water eases my joint enough to do it without discomfort. I also used the jets for massage - there is some muscle along the outside of my leg that is just so tight it won't budge except under the hands of my therapist. It was so painful - but so good. I didn't do the massage as long as I would have liked because I don't want to beat up the muscle either -- I just want to loosen it a little bit. When I next see my therapist I'll see what she says.
THEN - I went into the olympic pool (a little cooler than the recreation pool and truly olympic sized). I did "cycling" and all my deep-water exercises, like scissors kicks, etc. I used to swim a mile a day, but I didn't do any swimming today. I'm still afraid of kicking, as every time I did it in my own pool I paid the piper the next day. Maybe as I get stronger with my pool PT I will venture into swimming.
The BEST part of it all was that went up the steps that are built into the side of the pool. It takes more upper body strength than anything, as I have to pull myself out of the pool, but I didn't have any trouble at all. I was so tempted to make a second trip to the hot tub after this, but headed for the showers instead. It was so pleasurable that I had to talk myself into being careful. I also am going to aim to do this only twice a week to start. I tend to get very gung-ho about stuff like this, then I burn out something awful. I won't let that happen this time.
I'm happy that I renewed my membership. The past couple of days I have just had this longing to get in their pool and I'm glad I saw it through. The fitness equipment is fabulous and there is also a rubber track that will be so good for my knees if I want to start walking it. I swear, I could spend 3 hours at a time at the gym if I let myself! I already spend close to two just using the pool.
So anyway - exhausted but happy....
Miriam
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Merry Maid....NOT
Well - I had visions of grandeur. I was going to clean my house.... 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. I made it through one wall of kitchen cabinets and was totally done for the day. I remember when I used to do the entire kitchen and at least three more rooms before I called it quits for the day. The sheer fatigue is what still amazes me. I "rested" for a few hours then went out with the car to do a little shopping, but was back within an hour. I fell asleep at 7 and woke up at 10. OMG - it was like I had been working non-stop for hours... (I was back asleep at 2, but woke up around 4:30 with burning medial pain - nothing to do with what I had done that day... just something that happens.)
However, that being said, I am still thinking to what I am doing now that I wasn't doing a month ago. I totally forgot that now I drive myself to PT - and that's a huge stride. And really, I couldn't have done what I did in the kitchen - with or without fatigue - even a couple of weeks ago. Gives whole new meaning to the phrase "baby steps."
I was talking to my therapist about the horrible medial compartment pain I am still having. She asked if that is where my arthritis was (affirmative!). She said that her patients who have had arthritis in the medial compartment continue to experience pain there (even though the arthritis is gone and there is no longer bone-on-bone condition) but that eventually it goes away. So that gave me hope - and faith that she is correct and that will be my experience too.
Speaking of hope and faith - I am a huge fan of Joel Osteen (my husband calls him my boyfriend). Today's sermon was on talking to your mountains. It's not enough to pray for things to get better, or to hope things get better. You actually have to address the mountain(s) in your life and tell it that it is no longer welcome in your life. He said to actually speak to your mountains - so I am speaking to mine: "Knee - thank you for being new, and of the best technology available. Thank you for being cared for by a super surgeon and great physical therapists. Thank you for supporting me when I walk and sit and bend and swim and drive and wash the kitchen cabinets. I need you to continue on your path to recovery and to get stronger and less swollen and I need you to stop screaming at me every time you might be tired or unhappy or uncomfortable. I need you to stop being a mountain and thank you in advance for becoming a molehill."
In addition to talking to my knee I need to talk to my weight. Joel said that when you face an addiction (and there is no way around it... I turn to food as surely as other people turn to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol) you have to speak to it and say: "The power in me is greater than the power in you." I once read a book where the author said that every time you face down food you should say something like: "I refuse to take orders from a cookie." I realize that part of the reason my medial compartment may be screaming at me is because it wants to get my attention to take some weight off it. (Skinny people have knee problems too and their medial compartments may scream just as loudly... but I'm sure mine is particularly complaining because of the weight.)
When I named this blog "New Knee New Me" I wasn't just talking about the knee. I was talking about how, in having this operation, my whole life is going to change around. I've already taken steps by faithfully doing my exercises, and I know that I will keep up with this my whole life (I have to: "Motion is lotion" and if I don't keep up with fitness I might as well have never had the operation). However, I have to get a handle on my eating. I am not going to play the blame game - as much as I have had healthy food available to me it hasn't been easy being home for 2 1/2 months, nor going back to work and getting used to a schedule where I have to pack food for the day AND have a healthy dinner waiting. But, if I can wash kitchen cabinets and drive myself to physical therapy and go back to work, it's time to tackle this mountain as well. So... I'm adding my food journey to my knee journey from here on.
Watch out world - there are going to be very few mountains still standing when I get done with you!
Have a great day!
Miriam
However, that being said, I am still thinking to what I am doing now that I wasn't doing a month ago. I totally forgot that now I drive myself to PT - and that's a huge stride. And really, I couldn't have done what I did in the kitchen - with or without fatigue - even a couple of weeks ago. Gives whole new meaning to the phrase "baby steps."
I was talking to my therapist about the horrible medial compartment pain I am still having. She asked if that is where my arthritis was (affirmative!). She said that her patients who have had arthritis in the medial compartment continue to experience pain there (even though the arthritis is gone and there is no longer bone-on-bone condition) but that eventually it goes away. So that gave me hope - and faith that she is correct and that will be my experience too.
Speaking of hope and faith - I am a huge fan of Joel Osteen (my husband calls him my boyfriend). Today's sermon was on talking to your mountains. It's not enough to pray for things to get better, or to hope things get better. You actually have to address the mountain(s) in your life and tell it that it is no longer welcome in your life. He said to actually speak to your mountains - so I am speaking to mine: "Knee - thank you for being new, and of the best technology available. Thank you for being cared for by a super surgeon and great physical therapists. Thank you for supporting me when I walk and sit and bend and swim and drive and wash the kitchen cabinets. I need you to continue on your path to recovery and to get stronger and less swollen and I need you to stop screaming at me every time you might be tired or unhappy or uncomfortable. I need you to stop being a mountain and thank you in advance for becoming a molehill."
In addition to talking to my knee I need to talk to my weight. Joel said that when you face an addiction (and there is no way around it... I turn to food as surely as other people turn to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol) you have to speak to it and say: "The power in me is greater than the power in you." I once read a book where the author said that every time you face down food you should say something like: "I refuse to take orders from a cookie." I realize that part of the reason my medial compartment may be screaming at me is because it wants to get my attention to take some weight off it. (Skinny people have knee problems too and their medial compartments may scream just as loudly... but I'm sure mine is particularly complaining because of the weight.)
When I named this blog "New Knee New Me" I wasn't just talking about the knee. I was talking about how, in having this operation, my whole life is going to change around. I've already taken steps by faithfully doing my exercises, and I know that I will keep up with this my whole life (I have to: "Motion is lotion" and if I don't keep up with fitness I might as well have never had the operation). However, I have to get a handle on my eating. I am not going to play the blame game - as much as I have had healthy food available to me it hasn't been easy being home for 2 1/2 months, nor going back to work and getting used to a schedule where I have to pack food for the day AND have a healthy dinner waiting. But, if I can wash kitchen cabinets and drive myself to physical therapy and go back to work, it's time to tackle this mountain as well. So... I'm adding my food journey to my knee journey from here on.
Watch out world - there are going to be very few mountains still standing when I get done with you!
Have a great day!
Miriam
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Looking back a month
Yesterday, at my physical therapist's suggestion, I looked back to where I was a month ago. If for nothing else, and if I write nothing else, this blog has served one of it's main purposes - to remind me of my daily victories along the way. I looked back to July 3rd - I was only contemplating going in the pool, and wished I could go in some day soon. I had decided that I still need crutches in the driveway because of the slight incline - and a cane was not safe enough for me. July 4th I actually walked into the pool with all my clothes on because I had only planned to put my feet in ... And all through the month I was still working out a Vicodan-Percocet-Tylenol schedule. Oh my, I guess I HAVE made progress.
Her point was not to be discouraged because a month from NOW I will be where I can't even imagine, and another month from then I will be even further along in my recovery.
Today I was very careful about getting up often and walking around. I even did my marching exercise up and down the hall when no one was looking. I also put my leg up during lunch. It resulted in a much better day overall, and a better commute. I also did ALL my exercises before work, and I iced and elevated while I enjoyed my breakfast and coffee. Oh - and I did something I have NEVER done - (really, you can believe me) I brought home a pizza because I decided I was just too pooped to make dinner! (I'm learning! lol)
I don't know what clicked. Maybe it was going back and reading where I was a month ago. I just got out of bed and decided that it was going to be a good day, and it was!
Signing off to head to bed - it was a full and a good day!
Miriam
Her point was not to be discouraged because a month from NOW I will be where I can't even imagine, and another month from then I will be even further along in my recovery.
Today I was very careful about getting up often and walking around. I even did my marching exercise up and down the hall when no one was looking. I also put my leg up during lunch. It resulted in a much better day overall, and a better commute. I also did ALL my exercises before work, and I iced and elevated while I enjoyed my breakfast and coffee. Oh - and I did something I have NEVER done - (really, you can believe me) I brought home a pizza because I decided I was just too pooped to make dinner! (I'm learning! lol)
I don't know what clicked. Maybe it was going back and reading where I was a month ago. I just got out of bed and decided that it was going to be a good day, and it was!
Signing off to head to bed - it was a full and a good day!
Miriam
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Become One with the Noodle
I got all dressed ready to go to work this morning - even packed my lunch and had everything by the door... then just sighed and said "I can't do it." I had such a miserable and worrisome time of it yesterday - my body was just screaming to stay home and put my feet up. So I did. And I feel better.
I talked everything over with my physical therapist and she said that she "warned" me that there was going to be a lot of dips in the road and this was one of them. She also said that the awful shooting pain I had in my leg while driving home yesterday might just have been spasms - not so much because my feet were down but because I didn't move around ENOUGH. She said that from now on I have to set a timer and get up every 20 minutes and walk, do a few knee bends...SOMETHING, but get moving.
I also talked about the overwhelming fatigue that I was feeling. She said that, in part, it might be because I was in and out of the car, and walking long lengths, but mostly it was probably mental fatigue. Everything I wrote about yesterday - the getting dressed, worrying about needing laundry done, packing lunch, worrying about dinner when I got home, thinking about work stuff, etc. She said that for 10 weeks my ONLY concern was resting, doing my exercises, and taking care of MY immediate needs. Changing all that is reason enough for fatigue - THINKING about changing all that is reason enough for fatigue!
She gave me MORE exercises... but in fairness, we took a couple off the table. She stressed once again that all the up and about counts as exercise, and that I have to listen to my body - if I am exhausted when I get home don't worry. We also laughed because she told me to "become one with the noodle" when I told her that I haven't been going in the pool much because I wanted to avoid exercising and swimming, as too much was making things worse. She said - CHILL!!!!!!! Float! Become one with the noodle! wow - whatta concept!
Miriam
I talked everything over with my physical therapist and she said that she "warned" me that there was going to be a lot of dips in the road and this was one of them. She also said that the awful shooting pain I had in my leg while driving home yesterday might just have been spasms - not so much because my feet were down but because I didn't move around ENOUGH. She said that from now on I have to set a timer and get up every 20 minutes and walk, do a few knee bends...SOMETHING, but get moving.
I also talked about the overwhelming fatigue that I was feeling. She said that, in part, it might be because I was in and out of the car, and walking long lengths, but mostly it was probably mental fatigue. Everything I wrote about yesterday - the getting dressed, worrying about needing laundry done, packing lunch, worrying about dinner when I got home, thinking about work stuff, etc. She said that for 10 weeks my ONLY concern was resting, doing my exercises, and taking care of MY immediate needs. Changing all that is reason enough for fatigue - THINKING about changing all that is reason enough for fatigue!
She gave me MORE exercises... but in fairness, we took a couple off the table. She stressed once again that all the up and about counts as exercise, and that I have to listen to my body - if I am exhausted when I get home don't worry. We also laughed because she told me to "become one with the noodle" when I told her that I haven't been going in the pool much because I wanted to avoid exercising and swimming, as too much was making things worse. She said - CHILL!!!!!!! Float! Become one with the noodle! wow - whatta concept!
Miriam
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
An observation and some disappointments....Happy Anniversary!
Today is week 10 since surgery on Tuesday, May 24th!!!!
My son made a very astute observation yesterday when he saw me come home from work and walk around the house doing things. He said that I seem to be better than, or at least the same place as, before I went in for surgery. Therefore even if I didn't get better from this point on I was no worse off. It really got me to thinking that I AM going to get better, so I can look forward really to a life that I haven't had for at least the past three years.
However, on the drive home today I realized how disappointed and discouraged I am about some things. I know I am only 20% into my recovery (10th week of 52). Since I am no worse than I was on May 23rd I have to have faith that it is only going to get better from here.
What are the disappointments? That I still have to walk SO slowly. And I have trouble with things like walking on an incline. I have three options for getting out of my building: A first floor entrance has a handicap ramp and is direct access to where I park; the second first floor entrance has very steep stairs going down and is a LONG walk to where I park my car; I can go down to the basement on narrow dangerous steps, then back up again 1/2 a flight to get outside to near where I park my car. No-brainer - I take the handicap ramp but I have to hold on for dear life because although it is not exceptionally steep I still cannot walk safely on an incline.
Then while driving home I had shooting pains up and down my leg. Whether they went up from the foot or down from the knee I couldn't tell. All I know was I was in pain and it wasn't a pleasant hour-long drive. I have to ask my therapist what is going on with that. I was okay all day long except for the drive.
THEN, I had to stop at Staples and Trader Joe's. OMG I move like a snail. It really did feel like it used to be before surgery where I couldn't wait to get off my feet. However, now I didn't have pain in my knee. I sort of had an overall "discomfort" of just feeling exhausted, and logy, and dying to sit down. Before surgery, though, I would have all that AND be in pain, so I guess it is an improvement.
I wanted to make a few other stops (like pick up Mederma at CVS, or even going through the drive-through window at the bank) but I couldn't, for the life of me imagine not going straight home. Where there IS a difference is that before the surgery I would push through the pain until I couldn't stand it anymore - I might have made 5 stops on the way home - but this time it was just a general fatigue of not being able to be on my feet anymore.
I also am having a really hard time getting back into real life. It's only Tuesday and I am already overwhelmed. Thinking about dinner - shopping for it and cooking and cleaning up, packing my lunch in the morning, planning my day. I have to think about what to wear, do I need to do laundry? etc. etc. Going from zero to 100 in 24 hours.... I could work less hours at work but that doesn't impact the basic difficulty with my day. I still have to commute. I still have to plan (and/or pack) my meals and snacks for the day. I still have to figure out what I will have enough energy for in terms of tending to everything that I have neglected for 10 weeks. Oh - and never mind keeping up with housework. I've turned a blind eye for 2 1/2 months (as helpful as my husband and son have been, you know no one does it like MOI) but since other parts of my life are getting into gear it's harder to ignore the house.
I'm not depressed about it. Just amazed and overwhelmed. I knew that I wouldn't get back into the swing of things immediately (just as I knew what to expect after surgery). I have very realistic expectations. But the AMOUNT of things that I can't back into the swing of is daunting.
Oh - I did my "bed" exercises before leaving for work and I'm so glad that I did, as those contain all of my stretches. I will do my sit/stand exercises later this evening as I did not get to them at work as I had planned. The darn day just isn't long enough!
I will try to stay upbeat and not get bogged down in the sheer volume of things that I cannot comfortably do or of things I have let go all this time. I have to remember - I am no worse off than before surgery and it's only up from here!
Miriam
My son made a very astute observation yesterday when he saw me come home from work and walk around the house doing things. He said that I seem to be better than, or at least the same place as, before I went in for surgery. Therefore even if I didn't get better from this point on I was no worse off. It really got me to thinking that I AM going to get better, so I can look forward really to a life that I haven't had for at least the past three years.
However, on the drive home today I realized how disappointed and discouraged I am about some things. I know I am only 20% into my recovery (10th week of 52). Since I am no worse than I was on May 23rd I have to have faith that it is only going to get better from here.
What are the disappointments? That I still have to walk SO slowly. And I have trouble with things like walking on an incline. I have three options for getting out of my building: A first floor entrance has a handicap ramp and is direct access to where I park; the second first floor entrance has very steep stairs going down and is a LONG walk to where I park my car; I can go down to the basement on narrow dangerous steps, then back up again 1/2 a flight to get outside to near where I park my car. No-brainer - I take the handicap ramp but I have to hold on for dear life because although it is not exceptionally steep I still cannot walk safely on an incline.
Then while driving home I had shooting pains up and down my leg. Whether they went up from the foot or down from the knee I couldn't tell. All I know was I was in pain and it wasn't a pleasant hour-long drive. I have to ask my therapist what is going on with that. I was okay all day long except for the drive.
THEN, I had to stop at Staples and Trader Joe's. OMG I move like a snail. It really did feel like it used to be before surgery where I couldn't wait to get off my feet. However, now I didn't have pain in my knee. I sort of had an overall "discomfort" of just feeling exhausted, and logy, and dying to sit down. Before surgery, though, I would have all that AND be in pain, so I guess it is an improvement.
I wanted to make a few other stops (like pick up Mederma at CVS, or even going through the drive-through window at the bank) but I couldn't, for the life of me imagine not going straight home. Where there IS a difference is that before the surgery I would push through the pain until I couldn't stand it anymore - I might have made 5 stops on the way home - but this time it was just a general fatigue of not being able to be on my feet anymore.
I also am having a really hard time getting back into real life. It's only Tuesday and I am already overwhelmed. Thinking about dinner - shopping for it and cooking and cleaning up, packing my lunch in the morning, planning my day. I have to think about what to wear, do I need to do laundry? etc. etc. Going from zero to 100 in 24 hours.... I could work less hours at work but that doesn't impact the basic difficulty with my day. I still have to commute. I still have to plan (and/or pack) my meals and snacks for the day. I still have to figure out what I will have enough energy for in terms of tending to everything that I have neglected for 10 weeks. Oh - and never mind keeping up with housework. I've turned a blind eye for 2 1/2 months (as helpful as my husband and son have been, you know no one does it like MOI) but since other parts of my life are getting into gear it's harder to ignore the house.
I'm not depressed about it. Just amazed and overwhelmed. I knew that I wouldn't get back into the swing of things immediately (just as I knew what to expect after surgery). I have very realistic expectations. But the AMOUNT of things that I can't back into the swing of is daunting.
Oh - I did my "bed" exercises before leaving for work and I'm so glad that I did, as those contain all of my stretches. I will do my sit/stand exercises later this evening as I did not get to them at work as I had planned. The darn day just isn't long enough!
I will try to stay upbeat and not get bogged down in the sheer volume of things that I cannot comfortably do or of things I have let go all this time. I have to remember - I am no worse off than before surgery and it's only up from here!
Miriam
Monday, August 1, 2011
First day back at work!
Well... the day arrived. I got up nice and early thinking I would take my Vicadin about 7 with breakfast, then do my PT at 8, and leave at 9. Yeah right. My body - but mostly my knee and leg, of course - were just aching. I don't know what I did yesterday to deserve that but alas that's how I was this morning. I took two Advils instead, didn't do my PT, made my lunch and left for work. I stopped at the library to get a few books on CD - can't face two hours of commuting a day without them!
Going in was fine - I didn't find the drive hard at all, except it was hard for me to relax with drivers making short stops behind me, or cars I thought would run red lights through intersections. The driving itself was fine - but after 10 weeks off the road, the psychological difficulty dealing with Boston drivers was a little hard - but I was okay on the way home.
I was fine all day. I spent a lot of my morning just visiting with everyone - catching up, telling stories of my surgery and recovery, gave advice in general (like the ONLY way to heal is to REST), etc. etc. My brother picked me up around 11 and took me over to see my mother in the nursing home - she had entered the nursing home the day after my surgery, and I had only seen her twice in the 10 weeks since. (The drive was too arduous for me up to this point, really.) I was back in my office an hour later - sweet short visit - just right.
It came to be around 4 and I thought I would stay later but my knee/leg started complaining - probably about being down all day, since for 10 weeks I had been spending the better part of the day with my feet up in the recliner. I'm glad I left when I did. All the way home my thigh and shin and derriere were aching and begging me to get home. I couldn't wait to walk through the door and put my feet up with an ice pack. -- which I did!
My concern right now is getting my PT in. At work I did do a full flight of stairs going up, step over step. However, I didn't do anything else "official" (all the up and around does counts toward PT, but it's still not doing exercises). My intention was to do PT at work - but I was just too busy and the day ended too soon. I don't think I can do anything now - I am so exhausted I will just hurt myself (I cannot do my exercises mindlessly - I have to pay attention to each movement). I think that I will do my stretching (which I have been warned NEVER to skip) but won't do the working exercises (squats, leg raises, etc.). A few weeks ago I determined that it was best to get it all over with at once, but I think I am going to try an adjustment. I can do the "bed" exercises in the morning - those are the least stressful. THEN I can try the others at work. If not, and I have to do them when I get home, at least it is only 1/2 the routine instead of the whole one -- AND, if I skip I will have only missed 1/2 a routine, although I don't see that happening. Having a healthy knee is way too precious for me.
Tomorrow I will pack ice, which I didn't have today. I will also set my alarm just a little earlier - I forget how slowly I move! Even to pack lunch took about double the time it normally would. And, maybe at this point, it's one of the most difficult thing to get used to. Just walking down the hall today to the bathroom I almost didn't make it! "Let me run to the bathroom" has really become an obscure phrase! lol
Have a great evening.
Miriam
Going in was fine - I didn't find the drive hard at all, except it was hard for me to relax with drivers making short stops behind me, or cars I thought would run red lights through intersections. The driving itself was fine - but after 10 weeks off the road, the psychological difficulty dealing with Boston drivers was a little hard - but I was okay on the way home.
I was fine all day. I spent a lot of my morning just visiting with everyone - catching up, telling stories of my surgery and recovery, gave advice in general (like the ONLY way to heal is to REST), etc. etc. My brother picked me up around 11 and took me over to see my mother in the nursing home - she had entered the nursing home the day after my surgery, and I had only seen her twice in the 10 weeks since. (The drive was too arduous for me up to this point, really.) I was back in my office an hour later - sweet short visit - just right.
It came to be around 4 and I thought I would stay later but my knee/leg started complaining - probably about being down all day, since for 10 weeks I had been spending the better part of the day with my feet up in the recliner. I'm glad I left when I did. All the way home my thigh and shin and derriere were aching and begging me to get home. I couldn't wait to walk through the door and put my feet up with an ice pack. -- which I did!
My concern right now is getting my PT in. At work I did do a full flight of stairs going up, step over step. However, I didn't do anything else "official" (all the up and around does counts toward PT, but it's still not doing exercises). My intention was to do PT at work - but I was just too busy and the day ended too soon. I don't think I can do anything now - I am so exhausted I will just hurt myself (I cannot do my exercises mindlessly - I have to pay attention to each movement). I think that I will do my stretching (which I have been warned NEVER to skip) but won't do the working exercises (squats, leg raises, etc.). A few weeks ago I determined that it was best to get it all over with at once, but I think I am going to try an adjustment. I can do the "bed" exercises in the morning - those are the least stressful. THEN I can try the others at work. If not, and I have to do them when I get home, at least it is only 1/2 the routine instead of the whole one -- AND, if I skip I will have only missed 1/2 a routine, although I don't see that happening. Having a healthy knee is way too precious for me.
Tomorrow I will pack ice, which I didn't have today. I will also set my alarm just a little earlier - I forget how slowly I move! Even to pack lunch took about double the time it normally would. And, maybe at this point, it's one of the most difficult thing to get used to. Just walking down the hall today to the bathroom I almost didn't make it! "Let me run to the bathroom" has really become an obscure phrase! lol
Have a great evening.
Miriam
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