Well, since it's 10 weeks today since surgery, I figure I owe everybody an update.
So, over-doing could be the result of you getting on the machine? Have you seen the huge dump truck things that they're using at the Shell site?
I apologize
@KarriB and
@jarabas, I'd intended to reply. I must've gotten sidetracked.
Yeah, some of those trucks are so big that once you get up off the ground you pretty much just climb a set of stairs to get to the cab. As for me getting in and out, see below.
Progress report.
I'm feeling pretty good. I've been considering that there's a point in recovery when one feels about the same as they felt before the surgery--the post op problems have diminished to the point where they're equal to the problems that motivated the surgery in the first place. I'm thinking I'm pretty close to that benchmark right now. Maybe not quite there, but pretty close.
PT told me that the insurance had approved them up until March 4th, and that I didn't need another prescription, so I've continued with that. Most of what they want is simply laborious now, as opposed to being any kind of challenge. The exception to that would be lunges, which they added the week before last, and sit/stands. (I did a quick search for that term, and it doesn't jump right out at me. Maybe there's another term for them? It's where you get up from a sitting position to standing, without using your arms to assist.) Those I can accomplish, but with difficulty, and some discomfort. They're only asking for ten each, and a few times I've told them I couldn't do that many. They are, however, getting easier every time, so I'm getting the feeling of progress.
One problem that's surfaced is my left foot. I think I mentioned above that my left knee used to be the better of the two, but it's the one that's being slower to recover. My sister, the occupational therapist, and the folks at PT have both said that the pain in my left foot might be due to the fact that my knees are now both straight, and my foot is having trouble getting accommodated to that, since I was probably compensating somewhat, pre-op. The past few sessions at PT they've had me walking on the treadmill, but standing with my right foot on the side, using only my left to walk. It seems to be helping somewhat. I have no doubt that part of the reason the left knee hasn't recovered as well is that I'm favoring that leg because of the foot discomfort. This wasn't an issue at the time of my last visit with the doctor, but it is now. I'm seeing him again in the morning, so I'm going to see what he has to say.
The good news is that I went back to work today. Well, not to actually *work*, but to see how things are going to be when I do. I got into and out of all the machines with little problem. I spent some time walking around on some pretty rough surfaces, and while I didn't feel nearly as steady as I'd like to, it gave me confidence that it'll be manageable. When I went to get out of the truck after the 45 minute drive home, I was awfully stiff, but honestly, it wasn't much worse than I'd have felt after the same drive 11 weeks ago. I'm thinking later this week and next week of putting in a few half days, just to phase myself back into the daily grind. We'll see how that goes.
Also, PT measured my ROM today. 120 on the right, and 110 on the left. Going the other way, both were just a few degrees shy of straight, so I'm feeling pretty good about that too.
United States
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