Day 55

Day 55-

I guess life is a roller coaster with ups and downs. I haven't updated lately because I was studying for final exams and today I'm officially now a senior in college. I found out late last night from my surgeon that I will have to undergo surgery on my wrist as the healing is going backwards and they need to put a screw in my wrist to fix it up. That's a big disappointment because I'm finally starting to get back into the swing of things and feel great. I'm not sure when I'm going to have the surgery either during winter break in Chicago or come back a week early to school and have the surgery done here. I don't really want a cast over break because I have Christmas, New Years Eve, and my 21st birthday to celebrate, but I also don't want to be in a cast too long during school because I need to take notes. But enough about my wrist and onto an update of my knee. Yesterday during physical therapy I rode the bike for 5 miles and jogged at a brisk pace in the underwater treadmill for 1 mile and walked another .15 of a mile. The swelling my knee is practically gone and for the most part my knee feels great. I sometimes get a cracking sound or clicking but I think it's pretty normal. Today during measurements, I was able to bend my knee 145 degrees, only 12 degrees difference between my good leg and repaired leg. My left quad is 52.5 cm and my right quad is 57.7 cms around. All of my physical therapy has been concentrated on strengthening my quad and on balance. My physical therapist says that I should be able to start running in the next 2-3 weeks and when I get back I will do tests to see the difference in leg strength in various muscles of both legs. If my repaired leg has 80+ percent strength compared to my right leg then I can start to do soccer/sport exercises outside such as passing and dribbling. As for now I can run in the pool, swim, elliptical, biking, and treadmill walking as well as do upper body weightlifting but that will be hard with a broken wrist.

20 Days and Counting

Today is day 20 post-op and things are starting to get better. I still have a lot of swelling in my knee but the scars look good. I wasn't suppose to be off crutches for 4-6 weeks but I should be off of them some time this week. I have been walking around my apartment and around campus with just my brace on, which is still locked out at 0 degrees. It is very hard to go up and down steps when you cant bend your leg. I go to the training room to meet with my magnificent 3 athletic trainers that work me 2 hours a day 6 days a week. My physical therapy has increased in difficulty as now I rock back and forth on a bike for 10 minutes, leg press, mini squats, and new ways to do knee extensions and other activities. I can bend my knee 65 degrees but I'm a little worried because I'm suppose to be somewhere around 90 in about a week. It hurts to bend my knee and I feel much more comfortable walking around with my brace on. The pain in my calf has vanished but recently came back in a different place but not nearly as bad. I have LOST 12 pounds in my leg, which is a stick or more like a twig. I will begin walking in an underwater treadmill as well as some new exercises this week. I'm happy that I can walk and get around without my crutches and drive again, however its disappointing my knee is still huge and I can't bend it as much as hoped. I will update pictures soon.

Day 9

It has been a long week and some change but I'm starting to see improvements in my knee. I have 8 incisions and 25 staples in my knee. I'm in a knee brace locked at 0 Degrees. My knee is locked out straight for a 4-6 weeks which means I can't walk or drive for that time. I've never had to use crutches before so it took a couple days to learn and get used too ( looks fun but it sucks!) and also trying to sleep on my back. The first week I was fighting a fever, chills, and cold sweat. I'm also equipped with a game ready, which is a device that you fill up with ice and water and you put a sleeve around you knee and it pumps ice cold water ( usually 38 Degrees) and pressure. I'm allowed to put 50-75 percent of my weight on my left leg but i can't totally stand on it until at least 4 weeks. The first couple days I couldn't move my leg in any direction. I began rehab and now I can see the swelling go down and much more movement in my leg. I will try and explain what exercises that I'm doing but I will also post my recovery protocol so you can follow along or in case you are about to undergo surgery and want to see what your limited to for the next 6 months or so. At day 5 I could bend my knee 49 Degrees and my excercises include leg raises, ankle pumps, quad sets, bending my knee, knee cap movements, knee extensions and stepping out with my leg and bringing my hips over my left leg to put weight on it and also sliding sidways. My knee has minimal pain, however I have terrible pain in my calf and shin.