Geek Habitat

Lunchtime (12:30 PM): I am definitely feeling all of yesterday’s exercise today, particularly in my lower back, hips, upper arms and shoulders from the reintroduction of the rowing machine. This is what I’ve been missing — that all-over, total body workout sensation, like I’ve just come back from hiking 6+ miles at Hill Country State Natural Area with my thirty pound camera bag on one shoulder and my CamelBak hydration pack on my back. Wow!

The sum total of my activities today are a grocery shopping (done) and work in my office at the computer, with my leg and knee exercises this evening. I’m doubtful about doing another rowing machine session this evening. Today should probably be a “recovery day” so I don’t go in to PT tomorrow still hurting all over! I think my goal for the rowing machine should be 4 times per week, and working up from there, and I want to work back up to my old 40 minute workouts on it. At my peak, I could do 1 full hour on the rowing machine, but that tended to really do a number on my wrists, which take enough abuse with all my work on the computer and handholding of my digital camera (Canon EOS 1D Mark II).

11 PM: I popped in at my parents’ house to visit with them this evening, since Justin was doing the same with his after work. While we watched Colossus - The Forbin Project, I did all of my leg and knee exercises. The muscles are weak and shakier than usual, but I am ready for tomorrow’s PT session. Weather permitting, I may even get daring and wear a new pair of shorts to PT to show off my sexy new knee!

So many post-op knee patients stress about their scars, but aside from ensuring I’m not harboring an infection, I view my incisions/scars as mementos of the surgery and hard work rehabbing my knee. Actually, my legs are now a matched set: I’ve had a 6″ scythe-shaped scar on the calf of my right leg since I was about 14 years old due to scaling a chain link fence in lightweight pants, and getting the cuff caught on a barbed link as I cleared the top of the fence. I didn’t go to the doctor to get patched up, so the depth of the cut (clean through the fat layer) and the lack of stitches ensured I developed a long, keloid scar from that adventure. More than 15 years does wonders even for a keloid scar, though — the skin’s soft, supple and nearly blends in to the rest of my leg, which is a relief since for many years it was hard, itchy, blotchy purple and quite sensitive to pressure. I could never be a model. While I don’t enjoy collecting scars, I view all of them as “distinctive” — a part of who I am. That doesn’t mean I’m not applying topical Vitamin E to my incisions occasionally to help make them smooth and supple.