knee update

[altagirl]

I had my first PT session yesterday, which went well. Minimal swelling, no bleeding, 90 degrees flexion (they didn't want me to push more than that right now), and no problem doing 3 sets of 10 straight leg raises.

Went in to see the doc today. He showed me the pics from the surgery. I have "narrow notch" syndrome - basically in a lot of women, including me, the intracondylear notch (I'm sure I butchered the spelling there) is narrower than usual, and it puts added strain on the ACL, predisposing you to injury. He basically drilled it out to give my new ACL the space it needs and I don't have a narrow notch in my right knee anymore. So that sounds like a good thing for the future.

I also have what basically amounts to a crack in my lateral meniscus. The pics of both my medial and lateral meniscus look perfect, until he lifted up the lateral side and looked underneath and there's a tear there but it's not very deep. He said it's small enough that any repair he could have attempted would have just made it worse so he left it alone.

And I have damage to the back of my kneecap, but I knew about that. A few months after I first started mountain biking (like 5 years ago) I fell and landed directly on my kneecap on a rock. Squashed the cartilege on the back of my patella. But that doens't look too bad and he cleaned it up a bit. Doesn't appear to have caused any damage whatsoever to the rest of my knee and it's been that way for 5 years, so I guess it's not a big deal.

Anyway, I'm still ordered to use the crutches even though I feel pretty damn good, but I can live with that for a while I guess. I'm going to see him again a week from Monday.

I'm off to go to PT again... He said I don't really need to since I went yesterday, but I'm bored and the PT people said I could come.

[basom]

you're killing it already. give 'er!

best of luck

(i can't believe i'm still two months away from skiing )

[Vinman]

Glad to hear you are off to a great start. Way to get it done.

[Buzzworthy]

That is good news! Those strong muscles are really going to help in the recovery.

I don't recall at the first MINI, I was in a brace, crotch to ankle. Was to be on crutches, everyone was buying multiple beers for me and I could not crutch anymore so I justed walked, from GMD to the Peruvian for PTTP and even slogged up a short hill in the snow. DUMB!!

I payed the price with an extra 2 weeks of PT, strained too much.


But I had a damn good time anyway!!

Good luck C!!

[freshie247]

Right Arm,Stay on those crutches as long as your supposed to!

[homerjay]

mmmm mmmm you go girl!

[Altard]

Good to hear surgery went well. Keep rockin the PT and keep that positive attitude, you'll be in S.A. before you know it. I've got a couple of rounds with both of your names on them. See you soon.

[SkiingBear]

Sounds like surgery went well. Good luck with the rehab. I'd tell you to kick it in the ass...but it sounds like you're already doing that. Way to get at it.

[SLCFreshies]

Glad your surgery went smoothly. Hope your recovery continues to go well! Keep at that PT, and I'm sure you'll come back stronger than ever.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

keep the updates flowin A.G....i'm really interested to hear the progression


this might sound crazy, but at this point in the game, I'm actually lookin forward to the surgery, rehab, etc. sitting here just waiting is driving me nuts....just need to get the F on with it already.

[powderwhore]

Get after that PT. You'll be missed on the hill, but we'll see ya on the bikes soon. Stay on your crutches untill your doc says to ditch them. When I was busted I couldn't wait to get off those things. I remember the day my doc gave me the word to lose them. I was way stoked to walk on two feet, it hurt like hell but I made sure I was walking by the end of the day. It may suck right now but hang with it, those PT's know what the are doing.

BTW where are you going for PT?

[Theodore]

Good job on the ROM! The more the better, as its hard to get once its gone. Best of luck, it seems like you like your therapists which is a huge bonus. Get on it and stay on it. ACL killers unite!

[m1e448]

Great job AG way to go. Sounds like you've got a great therapist. Mine sucked. i 'd have to say it was one of the worst things about rehab and the whole ACL thing. She said she was followong the doctor's protocol, but really sisn't know what she was doing and tried to put me in this machine to test my qaud strength and just about ripped my goos leg in half with it. I quit there and found someone that really knew what they were doing because I was able to work with them everyday and it actually made the rehab process fun. Hey try swimming if at all possible. You can basically go all out a get a great workout because of the effect water has on your knee and rest of your body. I wouldn't start going hard until like a month post op and an OK with the DR. though. Swimming was a huge part of my therapy and it helped my cardio for riding and stuff too.

[altagirl]

Thanks guys! Yeah, my therapists are super cool - I'm over at the Life Center at Alta View (right by our house). They let me jump in on Mr.AG's appointments before I had a referral (since I'm a repeat customer) - I think in the medical world that would be the definition of cool, actually. Then today we were confused by what was written in the surgeon's notes and my PT ran down to his office to check with him in person and get clarification. Can't beat that. And we went over the arthroscopic photos so I know she fully understands what he did too.

Today's PT went well too. 95 degrees flexion, full extension when I'm holding it there, but I still have too much swelling to extend it fully with just my quads. Like 8 degrees short. Therapist said that if anything I probably need to worry more about overdoing extension than anything. So I can just do passive extension to maintain and focus on quad sets and SLRs. Which is sweet because I hate passive extension...

[altagirl]

tonight sucks.

I've been feeling really good and only took one Lortab yesterday - just before PT (figured it might help with ROM). So last night we're watching South Park and I unplug the ice machine for a minute because my leg is getting cold and I figure I'll take a little break. Next thing I know I wake up at 2:15 - my leg is now 1 million degrees. Still elevated, but wrapped under a comforter, in a neoprene brace, ace bandage, the plastic ice machine pad, bandages and surgical stocking. I'm dying.

Holy crap I want a lortab. But I can't take them on an empty stomach. I get up. Sweet - that's much worse with the blood now rushing down into my leg. Eat a weird combination of soy milk and fresh pineapple out of the fridge and grab a hunk of bread to bring back to the sofa with some water. Sat down and hooked up the ice... oooh, that's a little better. Reach over to the end table to grab the Lortab and it's not there. Lights are out, so I'm searching around in the dark. Can't find the damn bottle. I figure it fell off and is under the table, but I don't want to disconnect that wonderful ice, so I slide down onto the floor and I'm crawling around looking for the bottle now (still attached to the ice thing). Not there. I'm now thinking the cat must have seen the bottle full of rattling stuff and batted it around. Dammit. Disconnect the ice and proceed to search around under the tables and sofa. No luck. At this point I turn all the lights on and I finally notice the bottle is over by the sink. hmmm... I wouldn't have put it there and there are fewer than there were before... Dang spouses helping themselves to painkillers and not putting them back where I can find them... (Suddenly not feeling so guilty about stomping around with crutches and turning on all the lights in the middle of the night).

So I'm finally back on the sofa, leg elevated, took a Lortab, ice on... I'm freezing now, but I figure I'll warm up sooner or later and I don't want to get up again to find more clothes. I coerce the cat into cuddling up with me because she's a little mobile space heater... Mmmm....

1 minute later. Wet dog nose in my face. What? Wag wag wag, lick. I can't decide if he's asking to sit on the sofa with me (which ain't happening - he won't fit on the little sofa with my leg up) or if he needs to go out. "Go get your male owner." I get a confused look. He walks to the door and comes over and licks me again. Noooo..... I again order him to the bedroom to go and bother Mr.AG. He obviously does not comprehend this. I get the "Look at how cute I can be with the sad eyes" Labradog begging routine. Waggle waggle lick, nose in face. I pretend not to notice and hide under the comforter, hoping he will go and bother Mr.AG since I am finally comfortable and it is freezing outside the comforter I'm trying desparately to stay under. But there's a cold nose burrowing under the comforter. Eventually the dog wins. Dammit. And when I open the door the cat decides to go out - there goes my space heater.

Oh well. I guess she's spending the night outside because I'm NOT getting up again. I did at least find some wool socks and an extra sweatshirt. At this rate I'll be falling asleep right about the time Mr.AG gets up to head up to Alta in the morning...

[Xover]

heal up C; there are many more Alta seasons in your future.

[Theodore]

Ahh the memories. My first day back from the l'hopital my mom had to move my leg for me. I felt horrible for it, but she claims its just another motherly duty.

[Lynx]

hang in there AG! are you allowed out for things like the frizzo fish fest??

[altagirl]

hang in there AG! are you allowed out for things like the frizzo fish fest??

Yep - we'll be there. Also planning a quick expedition to the gym today to do some upper body (PT approved - yay!)

[GT40]

AG. I love your TR. About the cat, dog and spouse. LOL Maybe it wasn't supposed to be funny, but you write a great story.

[Mcwop]

Get better. After three shoulder rehabs - my advice is to take your time through rehab.

[altagirl]

AG. I love your TR. About the cat, dog and spouse. LOL Maybe it wasn't supposed to be funny, but you write a great story.

Actually, that's kind of why I wrote it down. I was grumpy about it until I thought about the whole thing and it started to seem kindof funny... so posting it made me laugh at myself and I cheered up.

[Sublime]

At this point I turn all the lights on and I finally notice the bottle is over by the sink. hmmm... I wouldn't have put it there and there are fewer than there were before... Dang spouses helping themselves to painkillers and not putting them back where I can find them... (Suddenly not feeling so guilty about stomping around with crutches and turning on all the lights in the middle of the night).

Classic.

[Big E]

Keep up the good work AG!

[Arnold Babar]

Great stories! I'm scheduled for a hammy graft on Nov. 17. Been in limbo since April, and it sucks. It's comforting and encouraging to hear about your progress, but your tales of immobility have given me pause. I've got a 12 year old dog (who has to be let out twice a night to pee), two daughters (9 & 4) and a pregnant wife with chronic morning sickness and a "this is all your fault" attitude. I don't know if my household can handle me being confined to the couch. Might be time to throw in the towel. Anyhow, it sounds like you have the attitude and ethic to make it all a memory in no time. Keep after it, and keep posting your progress.