Geek Habitat

Stolen from one of my many posts to Bob’s Knee Board:

I think my next hurdle is to learn that my knee is no longer the center of the known universe. Sorry, left knee, it’s time you got treated like the rest of my body parts — no more showing it off to every poor, unsuspecting victim; no more “Does it look like my quad’s getting bigger to you?” (which is really just the post-op version of the dangerous-to-answer “Does this make my butt look fat?”

• 8 minutes on the elliptical trainer – 4 minutes forward, then 4 minutes backward
• Single (post-op) Leg Press on the Total Gym for 4 minutes at incline level 10
• Ball (4lb.) toss into a trampoline, while balancing on an air-filled disc with my post-op leg: 2 sets of 30
• Hamstring curls on ball: 2 sets of 20 (replaces the supine hip flexion w/black Theraband)
• Side Steps (bends only the post-op knee): 2 sets of 20
• Balancing Squats (Like wall squats, but with me balancing on a 1-foot-tall air-filled disc): 10 repetitions of 10 seconds each
• Up on Two, Down on One (pushing up with the toes of both feet and then coming down on the post-op leg in a slow, controlled 3 count; then repeat): 2 sets of 20
• Lunges on the Slide Board: 2 sets of 20
• The ever-popular Lateral Movement, with Cones: Several full circuits (placing the cones & retrieving them = 1 circuit)
• Lateral Slides (full body) on the Slide Board: 3+ minutes
• And, finally, I-C-E for 10 minutes!

MAJOR MILESTONE: I see my OS for my 2 month post-op checkup on Friday. Renee, my PT, says that at 8 weeks post-op (which is what I’m at as of Friday), I’m basically DONE! Graduated! That doesn’t mean I’m 100%, by any means, nor that my exercise regimen and activities can slack off — not in the least! The way she explained it, all it means is I’ve hit the plateau in terms of the things they can have me do in PT, and that I’m now ready to assume control of doing those on my own. They’re not cutting me off, though. In fact, I’m invited to use their facility on an as-available basis to exercise on my own if I’d like for awhile until I locate a local gym that suits me. How cool is that?!

I feel great and have for several weeks now! I have occasional twinges of pain, but nothing too severe — actually about the same as what I dealt with just prior to surgery (but that was all the time; now it’s just when I do certain twisting movements which the knee’s not quite ready for.)

I’ll let you all know when I’m “hike-able” again (hiking, camping, backpacking). I suspect my OS will say, “Go for it, just wear your brace and listen to your body!” I’ve walked 2.63 miles already today, washed my car and raked more oak leaves (the hazard of having 3 oak trees in our front yard!) I’m currently waiting for Justin to get home from work to walk another 2+ miles with him. Walking’s been my primary exercise outside of PT, and at least in my case it’s made all the difference in the world (mentally, as well as physically — something proactive I can do to help the knee along and get outside.)

It’ll be awhile before I can jump into hiking and backpacking with real weight on my back, but I will be camping ASAP (sadly, I’ve missed the all-too-brief heavenly cool part of Texas springtime — 86+ degrees today, grrrr…), and I’ll be hiking as soon as I get the nod from my surgeon.

So, the executive summary is my PT won’t entirely cease, it’s just that it’s now my responsibility rather than my therapists to guide me through exercises. They’ve been GREAT!!!! If you live in San Antonio, Austin, San Marcos, Corpus Christi or Mexico City, I highly recommend the physical therapy component of The Orthopedic Store. Superb staff (I’ve been going to the Airport location, on Arion Pkwy in San Antonio,) all the right equipment, good attitude (they make you work, but they work to have fun as you progress, too) and well worth the time. My surgeon prescribed them to me, so it was the luck of the draw, but if I ever had a loved one needing physical therapy (they don’t just do knees — there are hand, shoulder, neck, hip and back patients as well), I will definitely recommend them!

I’ll post another update after I see my OS on Friday. I’ll probably be jazzed because I think he’ll clear me to walk on paved and level surfaces without my hinged brace now, and that’s been my mental waypoint for resuming hiking of any kind.

Thanks for the support gang! I had no idea I’d be this far along and feeling this good just 2 months post-op. I’ve worked hard in PT and listened hard, and I’m sure some of it’s just luck/genetics, but whatever it is I have been thrilled with the outcome thus far.

I’m so pumped I don’t know what to do with myself — which is why I’ve been keeping myself busy ever since PT this morning!

To save for posterity: My related post on Bob’s Knee Board, commemmorating this milestone. With all the wonderful replies to that post, you can see why the board’s a favorite haunt of many post-op knee patients, as well as those still counting down the hours ’til surgery!

At the end of all this today, how do I feel? Terrific!

I’ll add more to this entry later, but for now I had to secure a home for my latest favorite post on Bob’s Knee Board (This is not the same Bob as “Gentle Bob”, one of my PTs, by the way!):

Read Larry’s post entitled, “If You Have To Look For An Exit ..It’s Already Too Late !“

Penned by the creator of Larry’s ACL Website, the post is a humorous yet accurate description of the day of knee surgery. Thankfully, the day of my knee surgery went a little differently — for one, I didn’t feel like I was in Dead Man Walking!

Here’s my contribution to the same discussion…

P.S. I keep getting tempted to switch to preceding entries with just what “Week #” it is post-op. For instance, this Friday begins Week #8. And yet, there will be something nice about seeing “Day 100:” Still, in the event I decide to preserve my sanity, here’s a reference point — 100 days post-op is 14.29 weeks post-op.

11 PM: I forgot to mention several things on Monday — I’m doing lateral slides (while wearing my brace) on the slideboard now in PT. Just as with my earlier lateral movement issues (mental, not physical!), this new exercise proved a little more challenging than it ought to have. But it’s fun once you get a rhythm going!

After Monday’s PT, I walked about 2.5 miles (I’m estimating since I left my Garmin Forerunner 201 at home, charging.) About 1/4 mile of that walk was on an unpaved, rocky trail; that was enough for me to reaffirm that my knee’s perhaps not quite ready for the surprise twists and lateral pressures of unpaved trails. It’s getting there, though! As long as the muscles feel up to it after PT on Wednesday, I’ll try to do a .5 mile stint on the unpaved trail — it’s a nicer view, and I think I’ve memorized every wildflower on the paved route I’ve been walking.

With so many entries in my “Knee Journal” now, it’s getting difficult for those who are contemplating surgery, or in the midst of their own post-op experiences, to pick their way through the Archives and find the information they seek. With that in mind, this entry serves as an inital Table of Contents to relevant entries posted thus far.

How did I tear injure my knee (complete ACL tear, medial and lateral meniscus tears)?

- First: Don’t fall or jump off ladders! (November 2004)
- Second: Stairs and laundry can be hazardous to one’s health! (January 13, 2005)

Diagnostic procedures to determine the extent of my injuries:

MRI and x-rays: MRI report.

Now What?

Initial Consult with my OS, and setting a date for surgery.

Preparing for surgery:

Building my “post-op nest” where I’d spend the first 12 days post-op.

My nerves build up as surgery date approaches…

4 days out, and I can’t sleep!

Connecting with others who have/are/will be going through the same thing:

I read a lot of ACL journals and related websites. There’s strength in numbers!

How Much Might this All Cost?

My early (1 month post-op) summary of charges submitted to my health insurance carrier.

** The Day of the Surgery **

My experiences at the hospital before and after my surgery.

My First Day Back at Home, 1 Day Post-Op:

Establishing a routine and adjusting to my temporary handicap.

Adjusting to My New Routine, 2 Days Post-Op:

Rest, Ice, Elevate & Compress (R.I.C.E.), medicate, and exercise

3 Days Post-Op:

My First Formal PT Session.

4 & 5 Days Post-Op:

Dealing with bruising and numbness.

Worried about numbness in my lower leg, 5 Days Post-Op

Numbness is normal. 6 months or so to regain sensation!

Getting a little itchy, 6 Days Post-Op:

6 days post-op

Celebrating the small successes, 7 Days Post-Op:

End of my first week post-op!

Taking one day at a time, 8 & 9 Days Post-Op:

Motivation & philosophy and enjoying the outdoors!

First OS Checkup, 10 Days Post-Op:

Cleared for Full Weight Bearing!

Walking without crutches, 11 Days Post-Op

Shuffling around the house before I get fitted for my hinged brace

Graduated to a Hinged Brace, 12 Days Post-Op:

My Breg X2K Women’s hinged brace

Ramping up my exercise levels, 13 Days Post-Op:

First real walk outside, and first shopping excursion post-op

Milestones for the second week, 14 Days Post-Op:

130 degrees flexion; full weight-bearing; walking and driving again!

Adjusting to more activity, 16 Days Post-Op:

Walking the stairs without my hinged brace (technically, a no-no still!)

Beginning my third week of PT, 17 Days Post-Op:

Working up a sweat

Still adjusting to my new schedule, 19 Days Post-Op

PT, self-guided exercises, post-PT tiredness…

My first movie at a theatre again, 21 Days Post-Op:

3 weeks post-op!

My first post-op “tweak” of the knee, 22 Days Post-Op:

Slipped off the running board of our truck

First Flight, 23 Days Post-Op

My first post-op flight with Justin in a rental Cessna Skyhawk

Confusion over Type of Graft I Received, 24 Days Post-Op

Hamstring graft, rather than a patellar tendon graft?

Whirlwind of Firsts in PT, 26 Days Post-Op

New exercises keep things interesting!

1 Month Anniversary, 28 Days Post-Op!

I’ve come a long way, baby!

Time Management Challenges as a Rehabbing Small Business Owner, 29 Days Post-Op

Where does all the time and energy go?

The Power of Positive Thinking, 30 Days Post-Op

Maintaining one’s “mental” fitness is just as important as all that PT!

Feeling Really Good! Showing Off My New Knee, 31 Days Post-Op

PT progression, plus incorporating indoor rowing machine and longer walks on my own.

Surgical Scars as Badges of Honor, Day 32 Post-Op

Scars? No big deal. I’ve had worse!

Early Celebration, 5 Weeks (34 Days Post-Op)!

Celebrating all the progress I’ve made in 5 short weeks!

PT Continues to Get More Challenging, 35 Days Post-Op

Information on my modified PT regimen

6 Hours Gardening + 2.2 Mile Walk, 36 Days Post-Op

It’s that old, “You never know what you can do until you try,” adage at work!

New PT Exercise + 3 Mile Walk, 38 Days Post-Op

Healthy soreness from lots of knee-intensive activity!

Unsung Benefit of PT: Getting in Shape Overall, 40 Days Post-Op

Enjoying the all-over toning and strengthening that 3x/week PT provides!

Neck & Low Back Pain Curtail Activities for a Short Time, 41-44 Days Post-Op:

I woke up with Neck and low back pain and had to cancel PT on Day 42 and take it easy on Day 43 due to continued pain.

Back on Track, 45 Days Post-Op

Walking 2.6 miles, attended PT and feeling great!

Teaching My Body to Move in Ways it Apparently Never Has Before, 47 Days Post-Op

My PTs and I discovery I am inherently a “Motor Moron” due to my difficulty executing a simple new PT exercise — lateral slides.

Still Working on those Motor Skills and Coordination, 48 Days Post-Op

Updated PT regimen and musings on my next OS checkup in a couple weeks.

Trucking Along, 51 Days Post-Op

Trying to make up for slacking off on my self-guided exercises over the Easter weekend.

More Knee Guide entries:
version 2.0 — Days #51 to #62 post-op

Hope this helps!

Happy Easter Sunday!

AM: I’m doing well, but Justin’s been sick the past 36 hours or so — some kind of tenacious stomach bug. It figures that he’d have to spend one of his free weekends sick in bed.

I still find myself fiddling with my post-op knee and leg, and talking about it to anyone unfortunate enough to be in my company, but it’s therapeutic. I see improvement in the muscle definition — I have a teeny little quad “bump” outline that exhibits now when I do quad sets; my flexibility and comfort level with the knee and leg continues to improve. My scars are healing and can now handle my brace worn directly against them, without a Band-Aid as a buffer — good thing, too, because my Band-Aid budget was getting pretty discouraging!

I’ve walked less this week than I planned, but I figure my back-to-back PT sessions on Wednesday and Thursday offset that somewhat. I find myself doing more informal (I don’t count the reps) leg lifts, quad sets and hamstring curls whenever there’s an opportune moment, such as while I’m watching television or working on my laptop.

Around 9:30 PM: Justin’s doing better — not great, but better than the “Please, Lord, put me out of my misery, now!” way he was earlier. I was a bad wife and left the house this afternoon, with Justin’s approval, to get a 2 mile walk in before Monday. I’d been a bad, bad knee rehabber since PT on Thursday — hardly any self-guided excercises and two skipped walks since then.

I tweaked my knee a little on the walk, and after it was already a little angry at me, I was forced to play “human pylon” when two protective gear-laden 12-year-olds on overpowered motorbikes raced at me on the paved walking/jogging trail I was using. We all know how poor my lateral movement skills are, so I had a moment of terror wondering if I’d get out of their way quickly enough. I got out of their way, but not without boring a hole through their helmets with a glare of, “What the *ell do you think you’re doing riding those on a paved walking trail?! Happy Easter to you, too…morons!”

I did a little better on my lateral slides today, although after yesterday’s experience, that’s not saying much! This time, Kara ran me through the drill several times, but it still felt incredibly awkward — especially when Kara stopped and I had no one to mirror. And the cones? The cones are still too much for me, like asking me to chew gum, recite the alphabet backwards, and jump rope simultaneously. (God, I hope I didn’t just invent a new PT exercise, there! )

My PT regimen is now the following:

• 8 minutes on the elliptical trainer – 4 minutes forward, then 4 minutes backward
• Single (post-op) Leg Press on the Total Gym for 4 minutes at incline level 10
• Dual Leg press on the Total Gym for 4 minutes at level 10 This is now optional.
• Standing resistance exercises for my hamstring and quad muscles, using light gray Theraband: I can’t recall if we retired this one today, or if I forgot to do them! I think it’s the former…
• Ball (4lb.) toss into a trampoline, while balancing on an air-filled disc with the post-op leg: 2 sets of 30 — much more challenging that that old foam disc!
• Forward/Normal Steps: 2 sets of 20 This exercise has been retired, in lieu of other activities I’m doing now.
• Side Steps (bends only the post-op knee): 2 sets of 20
• Balancing Squats (Like wall squats, but with me balancing on a 1-foot-tall air-filled disc that requires constant balance checks to remain on it!): 10 repetitions of 10 seconds each
• Lunges on the Slide Board: 2 sets of 20
• Supine Hip Flexion: 2 sets of 20 with black Theraband pulled by one of my PTs (The second set is still difficult, but the muscles are learning there’s more work to be done after the first set of 20 reps, now!)
• Up on Two, Down on One: (I’ve always forgotten to post this one — it’s simply pushing up with the toes of both feet and then coming down on the post-op leg in a slow, controlled 3 count; then repeat): 2 sets of 20
• And then, as always, I-C-E for 10 minutes!

While I’d be lying if I said my muscles aren’t feeling the two back-to-back PT sessions this week (due to the Easter holiday), I feel great! Tomorrow marks my 7th week post-op, and the leg and knee are really doing well. Renee, Kara and Bob put me through my paces in PT three times a week, but I can’t complain. The exercises and activities they’ve put me through thus far have made an enormous difference in how the knee (and, truth be told, the rest of my body) feels. Equally important, the PT has helped me regain trust in my knee after all those pre-op episodes of it giving out and dumping me on my butt.

Friday of next week is my third post-op checkup with my OS, and I think he’ll be quite pleased with my progress. As strong as my knee feels, I’m going to ask him if I really need to continue bracing the knee for normal walking. Three months post-op would put me in the brace until May 4th, which is fine, but I think I may be ready now. With three cats under foot at home, I’ve had plenty of little “tweaks” to the knee when I’m not wearing the brace, and the knee’s responded well. That said, there’s no sense rushing the graft before it’s ready, and I realize how it feels is only part of the equation — there’s healing going on inside. We’ll see. I won’t be bummed if May 4th remains the target; it’s just that I’m using the end of braced walking as a barometer for when I might safely attempt some actual hiking (wearing the brace for support/protection), since it’ll mean the graft is stronger and less in need of “coddling”. I miss real hiking trails, even though I’ve rediscovered some nice walking trails around town as a result of my rehab.

P.S. After PT, I took a quick 1.5 mile walk at Walker Ranch Historical Park; the bluebonnets and other Spring wildflowers are coming into full bloom.

Now, for something completely different:
My Mom mentioned several days ago that her local HEB Marketplace had a good selection of gardenia plants (Gardenia Veitchii) for under $13 a pot. She’s had one miniature gardenia plant growing inside successfully for over a year, and she knows how much I love their scent (I had the most beautiful bridal bouquet of gardenias at my wedding — huge, fragrant blossoms!) Yesterday, Mom mentioned she would pick up one or two plants for me the next time she was out, but with her busy schedule I thought I’d save her the trip. We’re both too efficient, however — within the span of probably the same hour, she and I both purchased 2 gardenia plants today… both for me! We figure either we each get one to experiement with growing outdoors, or I’ve got two extra gardenias up for grabs — maybe one for Jerry (Justin’s Mom), and his sister, Jeanine?

Of course, I’ve never owned a gardenia plant before, and I know they’re quite finicky. I didn’t realize just how finicky, however, until I stumbled upon the infamous suicidal gardenia thread. It’s a riot, and it’s chock-full of useful tips (and voodoo) to attempt to care for one of the world’s most fragrant yet temperamental plants!