For those who are not versed in how they measure your healing, there are two things they look for first. Number one is how far your leg goes down on the table, you lay your leg out just stretch it out and the back of your leg, behind your knee, needs to touch the table or they measure how far off the table it is. My last appointment I was 4 cm away from the table. Yesterday I hit the table, that’s right all the way down, no space betwen my leg and that table! All the way down!
The second thing they measure is your range of motion. At two weeks after surgery I was at an amazing 115 degrees( usually one is about 100 degrees that close after surgery) How they measure you is, you lie flat on your back and bring your leg up from lying flat to a bent leg, with your foot flat and as close to your rear end as you can, then when you get it there he says” no bring it in tighter, closer” then you are measured in degrees, a perfect bend is about 135 degrees. I am now at 130 degrees, WOOHOO!!
The other evaluations are can you walk unassisted? Can you stand unassisted? How’s your pain? Answers, yes, yes, and some days are better than others but on the whole scale of 1-10, about a ’3′. Unless I over do it like two hours at the farmers market( I love my organic fresh fruits and veggies!)
So after the xrays show that both knees are in good shape, I walk a little and I’m still walking crooked bumping my knees and dragging a little on the right, also I click(a sound my knee makes) on the knee cap on the right knee. Poor thing has carried the weight while the left has been dragging so its not in great shape. Suggestion, get a stationary bike, maybe a recumbant bike, to loosen up and strengthen up the muscles around the knee. So I am now on a search for a maybe not too used recumbant bike.
We also came up with a compromise in walking. I will walk without the cane in the mornings while I’m fresh and rested, then use the cane in the afternoons, unless I’m just around the house and not walking alot. I can now go to the track and start walking till it swells or hurts, and the plan; two weeks and the cane is gone. You heard it here first, August 25th is the date we have selected for me to walk all day unassisted, and we were shooting for a bonfire of some sorts to dismantle the cane.
Now, when I first got the cane some of my friends thought it would be cute if I decorated it or gave it some character, well I didn’t. I knew in my heart I did not want to get attached to something that would be so temporary, even if it was two years, in my mind it was to be temporary, so No I did not decorate it. While thinking about the bonfire, I instead thought of a way to recycle it and my other equipment, and they will all go to someone or ones that needs these items, so I have started looking into that.
An update on the physical therapy, on the bike I am still at 1.5 miles but at a higher level so from level 2 to level 6, the treadmill although I am still having a bit of trouble walking straight, I am up to 2.7 in speed from 2; leg press from 100lbs to 120 lbs, and I’m doing walk outs with weights, they strap you around the waist and it is attached to weights and you walk step by step with the resistance;(on a small note here when I started doing this walkout last winter I had to have the larger dark blue strap to wear around my waist, this time I got to wear the regular size one, very exciting!)
And so my friends, the countdown begins, 13 days from today I will walk unassisted, hands in the air, dancing a little step or two around the track in my park. I am going to video it so you all will be on the walk with me. Faith and perseverance carry me, as I get to the end of this particular chapter of my life and joy brings me forward to the next chapter.
Blessed days to come,
Thanx for listening,
Cher
