I am now 5 weeks post op. Had my second outpatient pt session today with a different therapist. Seems like I am going to alternate between two different therapists each week. Today's therapist was focused on my extension. We didn't work on bending much. She asked me how well I tolerated pain. I told her my normal response to pain was to throw up (true). She immediately got a lot less aggressive with the knee she was working on. Lol! Still got good stretching and I could feel a real difference when I stood and in my gait.
One of my problems is I've walked around for years with just about every muscle in my lower body clenched. Even my toes in my shoes were clenched. I think with my bad knees and my weight, I was afraid of falling. I was working with a personal trainer a couple of years ago who pointed this out to me. She gave me a couple of techniques to use to unclenched myself. I use them now to help untense myself and had to this morning at PT. I think it's a normal response to be tense when you psychologically think someone is going to hurt you. I like the therapist I had today better than Monday's pt. I'll give her one more try and maybe schedule with just the second therapist.
I had a strange redness on my knees this morning, more red than usual but not a rash. I used Golds medicated lotion next to my incisions to massage the scar tissue yesterday. It has aloe and vitamin E. I'm wondering if I may have had a reaction to the lotion. I will not use again. The redness seems to have gone away some. There's always some redness right around the kneecaps. And my knees get red when I go for walks so I wonder if the activities to get up, get dressed, get to pt caused the redness to flare up. I'm watching closely. No signs of fever. Have appt with OS tomorrow so we will see what he says.
I was able to unload the dishwasher, do some light cleaning in the kitchen and mopped the floor where the dog left muddy pawprints after her morning run in the garden. Was able to go up the stairs carrying my cane (not using it) and alternating lead feet. Coming down is still a slower process due to the bending. Overall, a good day.
@tiredwife - hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Had a message from my daughter letting me know she was safe in the basement of her dormitory while under tornado watch.
@ljrfrm - I do believe there is a Starbucks right around the corner from our pt place. I've been wanting a pumpkin spice latte, now I might have a chance to get one. Good idea!
Canada
