Well here is my first feedback from the 2 outings I had this weekend.
Monday the 10th I will be 2 weeks from Surgery.
On Saturday I was feeling good enough to have a bit of cabin fever (mostly because I had been able to back off my pain meds and not nauseous.)
So when a friend of mine asked if I wanted to do a trip to Costco with her I "jumped :hysterical:" at the chance to get out and do a sort of normal every day life thing. I also knew that Costco had motorized scooters.
So I packed an "ice the knee pack" with 2 portable soft ice packs, one of my crutches and a soda! I also had some snacks and some pain meds just in case I needed to take more meds
I kept ice on my knee for the entire adventure, Just sitting (in the car as we did errands I was not used to, my rides to PT are just 15 min a the most) and I decided to keep ice on my knee while driving the scooter around Costco - I'm proud to say I didn't hit anyone or anything at Costco! and all and all I handled the trip really well! I had 3 people ask me while in costco if I needed help reaching or putting anything in my basket. (other shoppers) I thanked them but I had my friend with me to help me if needed.
All and all we were gone for 2 hours and I my knee really did feel great. I think the key was I kept ICE on my knee as well as I kept the rest of the day really easy. Even this "easy" outing prompted a nap when I got home! I hope people that have not had their surgery yet will please plan on no matter how well your knee is doing (and I think mine is doing great)
it takes A LONG time to get your endurance back.
that brings me to TODAY! a planned outing I was just not willing to give up! but I also knew it was a bit more than I really "needed" to do at this point in my recovery.
I planned ahead and had a "team" of people to help me my friend who was driving as well as 2 other friends that I knew were going to be attending this practice. I told them what I needed ahead of time and was not shy about being really specific about what I needed. It was a dog training practice where our dogs do a sport called lure coursing. It is not that "people" intensive but normally requires a good deal of walking.
Again I planned ahead, this time I had my soft ice packs as well as my portable ice machine chrio cuff? as well as cooler with snacks and drinks figuring I would need to take pain meds on this adventure. I got ready "early" so that the hour before my ride picked me up I was resting, icing and elevating my knee.
this event is held in a field so ground is not even. I had my chair and put my feet up on my cooler while not 'great' elevation I iced EVERY time I sat down.
The challenges of today - 90 min drive each way (again I stayed iced the entire drive), and 2 hours at the practice. I felt good and walked around as well as stood more than I had thought I would? but even at this stage, there is something that just makes me "feel" good to be able to do a few things for myself.
As soon as I got home tonight as quickly as I could did my chores, letting the dogs out that had stayed home then feed dogs/cats and me and took my pain meds. I got my ice machine loaded up and tucked myself into bed leg bundled up in my ice wrap elevated and my machine circulating away!. I found while I was not really in "pain" I'm restless, couldn't get comfortable - this is a sign of my pain not being managed. so I got up and took a 2nd norco and decided to post my weekend adventure.
Next weekend I have an actual lure coursing test for my dogs, again I will have a team of people to help me and I will plan to take my anti-gravity chair so I can better elevate my knee. Next weekend will be 8-10 hr day. I will need to do better on not standing when I don't need to.
I felt pretty good at my event today, I napped on the way home and I'm tired tonight. I think that when I'm done with this post and sign off my 2nd Norco should have done the trick, and I will be ready for SLEEP...............................................
I can't stress how much I love these ice wraps/machines that will circulate ice water. I'm always amazed at just HOW much ice helps for pain management... seems like such a simple thing but wow, the power or ice/elevation as well as I love the feeling of the "wrap" and compression from my (vitalwrap? system) ice machine I have. If anyone is wondering if these machines are worth the money? I say YES oh yeah, heck yes 100% I can't imagine doing this recovery w/o it!
good night!
United States
