@Jozilla,
@KTF, so good to read your experiences.
@Roy Gardiner too! I now know that I need to start icing again. I have to admit that I have been lax in it because I have really felt things were progressed far enough that I wasn't having swelling any longer. But obviously, the snapping pain I/we are having could be irritated or enhanced because of swollen tissue deep inside the joint.
Today, I get my 2 cooling machines out and seriously work on icing. KTF, I have been pretty active for the past several weeks. I do most of the housework (just my husband, myself, and our yellow lab, Casey). I do have help in once every 2 weeks to do bathrooms, total vacuuming, etc. I have been doing limited gardening - not up and down squatting, but planting and arranging lots of pots, placing plants in prepared holes in the ground, watering, etc. It feels good to do things like this, until the dreaded "snap"! I often feel that if it just has to do it once, get it over with! But sometimes it does it every 5 - 10 steps. That is when it wears on me. And I am able to drive with no problems - grocery shopping and regular recreational shopping as well. No marathon shopping sessions as of yet though - lol. I am able to bike - just a little stiff in the very beginning. Yesterday, I did almost 2 miles on our blacktop road. It felt really good to be out and feeling a little more "normal". No problems during or after that.
I'd have to say my problems are pain on the sides of both knees when getting up from seated position, and the snapping band on my right knee. KTF, your ROM will likely come along with time. Mine seemed to be pretty slow, but steady.
The dry needling may be similar to acupuncture. The therapist said it is intended to fire up muscles that don't seem to be responding to exercise. I think he worked on 2 areas, but I have to admit I just laid face down and tried not to think about anything relating to needles! My surgeon wasn't quite sold on the idea and said he only would OK it as long as they didn't go anywhere near the joint itself. So I'm not too sure if I'll have it done again. My next appointment is Wednesday, so we'll see what the next several days bring.
So, after getting 3 1/2 hours of sleep so far (that seems to be my longest lately), I have taken 2 hydrocodones and plan to go back and try for another couple hours before starting my day. Ice will play a part in it, and hopefully that, along with positive thinking, will produce a good weekend. I like your idea of no longer treating myself as an invalid. I'm not saying we need to pretend it didn't happen, but I am ready to be able to do things without having to really think how I'm going to take the next step! Let's get on with life, right?!