Good morning Smarties, and it IS a really good one for me! I just returned from my visit with the surgeon's PA and he's thrilled with my progress! Whoohoo! This is incredibly hard to believe, so you may want to sit down for this, but...here goes: He said I was on *ahem* The Fast Track," for recovery? What? Me? Ms. Concrete knee 2017? Permanent member of The Slow Benders Society? How can this be? I have the T-Shirts that say otherwise, right?
Here's how he explained it: Very simply, it's just NOT all about flexion. They rate recoveries as Fast Track, Medium Track and Slow Track as follows: 6 months 90% of healed=fast. 9 months, 90% healed, medium. 12 months, 90% healed=slow. According to him, my flexion (that he only eyeballed) is around 100, but now, the number is basically irrelevant because I've moved beyond the *Gold Standard* of 90 degrees and it should just keep improving fairly easily from here for many months to come. My extension, is zero; flat as a pancake, and that delighted him no end. He was literally jumping for joy; hah! Once again, he stressed that extension is generally of much more concern to them than flexion, because it's much more difficult to achieve and slower to respond to exercise.
He said my swelling was perfectly *normal* for this point in time, in fact, to be expected, and some of it might even linger beyond 6 months, but will probably fade completely by 9 months. He thought my energy/stamina was high and I agree, it is almost *normal,* just not quite, but he said any lingering lack of energy should disappear by roughly 6 months.
He asked what I could and could not do and I gave him the list. He said FUNCTION RULES and I am VERY functional, much more so than the average bear at just over 3 months! This is really what made him label me as *fast track*. He wants me to continue with PT for strengthening and for increasing my flexion. Fine. I am not a candidate for MUA; yay! He pronounced my quad and knee to be fairly soft and flexible and those are good indications that adhesions aren't an issue. He gave me a little kneecap manipulation and felt it was moving well and clicking nicely, lol.
According to him, my incision and knee look great, but obviously, his idea of great and mine differ slightly. Like totally. Clearly, I am not as thrilled with it's lumpy, pointy look, but he did stress it will nevah look like my natural knee. But... but it *should* look less lumpy and pointy in roughly 6-9 months. Might take a year.
My X-Rays look great and I am to return for another check-up in 3 months. I think he just wants to see if his Fast-Track predictions come true, lol.
Now, is he a Bonesmartie type doc or what? Yes!!!
United States
tub is my only real obsession at present! I want a good hot soak with some bubbles and wine! I so wish it were a different style tubbie, but alas, it is not. When we move, my next place is going to have a much better tub set-up!
