Back from Ortho Appointment

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Had a 9 AM appointment with my ortho this morning.  Couldn't believe how smoothly everything went.  Got checked in, sat down and picked up a magazine to read while I waited.  Didn't even get the cover opened when they called me back.  Sat down in my treatment room after the nurse checked me in and like 30 seconds later tops the x-ray technician came in.  Took 3 different views of my knee and then brace went back on and I zipped back to my room.  May have waited for 5-10 minutes before my ortho came in, which is entirely acceptable to me.

So the good news is that I can start putting as much weight on it as my knee will tolerate.  Bad news is that I need to wear the brace for another 4 weeks.  That pretty much blows large chunks about the brace but so it goes.  He said that it is healing well and when I go back in 4 weeks, he will x-ray again to verify that the knee is completely healed and then turn me over to physical therapy.  I had already looked at the x-ray before he came in.  4 weeks ago, there was a large split that turned into a long crack that ran the length of tibial plateau bone.  Today, the crack was no longer visible.  You could still see the split but it was filling in with new bone.  Looked cloudy instead of solid.  All in all, I'm pleased.  Right now, I'm taking baby steps while still using the crutches.  Once I get some strength back in my leg, I'll ditch the crutches and walk with the leg brace that keeps my knee straight.  He also wants me to start working my knee more.  I've been bending it when I'm sitting on the toilet but now I'm taking off the brace so that I can move in freely.  I give it about 6-8 good knee movements and then put the brace on.

Disappointed that the brace is still on but very happy that I can start putting weight on that leg and that 4 more weeks until I can ditch the brace.  This week the brace has decided that it doesn't want to stay up which is very irritating.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Walking with both legs yesterday was a trip.  Very slow and cumbersome but I could tell each time there was significant improvement.  Didn't switch to the walker for middle of the night bathroom trips as the reason I did that was my habit of tripping and falling in the dark.  Since I have both feet down, that didn't seem like it would be an issue.  Only had to get up once in the night and walked slowly but much more normally.  Just have to make sure I keep the knee straight.  Even on the 0 dial on the brace, you can still move the knee a little so I'm trying consciously to not move it at all then.  Moved the dial to 50 (goes to 90) 3 times during the evening and did at least 10 or 12 reps each time so I was pleased with my home PT yesterday.

Today after breakfast and clean-up, I moved to the landing to watch the dogs run amuck in the yard.  When I first got here, I did my slide bit to get sat down.  Then decided I would try to go up the stairs holding on to the newel post and one crutch.  Had no issues at all with it so went down the stairs with one crutch and using the newel post.  That is slower as it's just not as comfortable.  Knee was a little whiney on one step so I think I wasn't holding it as straight as I could or had too much weight on it.  Other two steps went better.  Then realized I didn't have the phone so I went back up the steps and walked over to the phone stand and got the phone and then went back down the steps correctly.

I'm going to do the load of sheets later this afternoon as I see no reason why I can't handle those (no basket to deal with).  Bob will still have to do towels and people clothes for now.  Though I may try towels but he would have to throw them down so I will need to be comfortable with the one crutch method of walking -- maybe in a couple of weeks.

I also took 2 small steps using just one crutch and it went well.  So, all in all, I think my next step of recovery/PT is going great!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Hey that's great. Sounds like a pretty ambitious work out for day one. If your knee barks at you---listen to it!

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Really knee feels pretty good.

Day two was just crazy.  Up and down into S&S I think 4 times.  Once because Missy grabbed one of my vintage Skipper dolls, almost mint condition, and beheaded it.  By the time I got upstairs, Joe had chewed off one hand and both feet.  GRRRR.

Then a trip to Menards to replace items that Ray can't be bothered to deliver, at least I did ride the motorized cart, which is tons of fun by the way.

We've worked out laundry.  On Saturday, Bob brings down a load of towels and sheets in a laundry basket.  He starts towels and heads up stairs.  I'm working down there anyway.  Once washer starts, I move towels into dryer and start sheets.  Stay downstairs until sheets are done washing.  Throw towels into basket and sheets into dryer.  After an hour, Bob goes downstairs, put sheets in basket and brings everything up.  Today we are doing light and dark load with same methodology.  That saves Bob 2 trips downstairs so his leg is much happier and I feel like I'm not as much of a lump on the couch.

I have 2 pairs of blue jeans pinned for a customer I'd like to sew today.  Found out that I don't have to use the pressure foot, I can use the same button that I start embroidery designs with and use the speed control for embroidery to control the speed.  Way cool!

Won't stay down here longer than laundry takes as I want to hang on the couch as much as possible.  Have alteration customers coming tomorrow so want to be as rested as I can be for them.  I'm kind of back to work as normal within the limits of my knee.  Plus I have less than 2 weeks to finish income tax.  Almost done rolling business numbers together and then it's just a matter of filling forms out on-line and printing them.  Hoping to finish that next weekend but by God, I'm slower than molasses right now and it drives me CRAZY.

Much happier being able to put 2 feet on the ground.  Easier to do clean-up, brush teeth, dress, etc.  Tomorrow, I'm going to try and shower by myself though Bob is going to hang around to make sure it goes ok.  Fortunately we put a large walk-in shower upstairs when we bought our house and for the last month, we've showered together with Bob being responsible for not only cleaning me but washing and conditioning my hair.  He definitely deserves multiple brownie points for everything he's been doing.  Though he says the showering has some advantages.  Dork anyway!!! ; )

VIrginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I cannot believe this.  I've been standing without crutches, even yesterday, once I got my "sea legs" back a little.  I've also taken 5 or 6 steps here and there with only one crutch.  Came back upstairs with the dogs, after supper romp for them, and decided to see if I could get out of the kitchen with only one crutch, then it was the dining room and then all the way to the couch.  I thought it'd be at least a week with two crutches but it was really not a big deal to drop one crutch.  Don't see walking without crutches for several more weeks though.  Need a lot of strength back in my leg but already it doesn't look near as atrophied tonight.  WHO HOO!!!

Virginia