I am currently writing this blog at 3:15 am. I am very tired but I have had several people ask for an update and I've just been too busy to actually sit down and do so. I finally had a moment tonight to blog. However, because it is so late and I am so tired I do not feel like proof reading this. I apologize if it is horrible written. Not only am I tired but i am a HORRIBLE writer. Mix the two together and you get this post. SORRY, you have been warned! :-)
WOW someone forgot about their blog! I applaud people who have blogs and post stuff every week! Ok ok where to even start, I'm that far behind!
Well I saw my doctor for my six week check up (obviously at this point). He gave me the go to come off crutches and walk on the leg as much as I want. However, no running/jumping until I see him again. Which is some time in september. I wish I was better at keeping up with this blog cuz I can't remember exactly how long it took me to completely ditch the crutches; but I know it was sooner than my first surgery. I want to say my last surgery it took me about two weeks to ditch the crutches and use just a cane/no cane depending on my day. This time I'd say it took about a week to a week and a half for me to completely ditch the crutches. So not MUCH faster. I feel like I used my cane a little bit more this time verses my first surgery. But I also did not baby the leg as much as I previously had; I was really working out trying to get the quad firing again. I was also ditching the brace as much as I could. That really helped to build up muscle faster.
On June 12th I was forced to go back to work from my employer. I was hoping to have at least one more week to try and build up muscle, but when work says they wont hold your job position after the 12th, you go back on the 12th. Last year I did not go back to work till June 28th. So I was a good 2.5 weeks a head of last year. And to be honest I did just fine. Yeah it was sore and I ended up having to wear my brace ( I'm on my feet for twelve hours ). It did ok the first four hours of my shift but after that it just kept snapping back (knee being completely straight while stepping down on it) while I walked which caused it to be achy/sore/exhausted. My job was accommodating and let me come back to work for only two days a week for the first two weeks. If they did not let me do this I would of had to start my first week back at work doing four twelve hour days in a row. I could of MAYBE done three, but I would of for sure been calling in that fourth day. My knee was soooo tired by the end of the second day. I also iced it about five times throughout the night, both knees. One night I got lazy and only iced it once, or twice; and boy did I feel the difference that night.
My right knee has been very swollen every time I go to PT lately too. Also warm to the touch; but not as warm as the left knee. I was doing great, every day my knee was getting stronger; but last week I had a step back... or two. On my days off of work I do not wear my knee brace, unless if I know I will be on it all day long. This last week I noticed my knee snapping back and buckling more. It's way more achy and exhausted half way through the day than normal. I brought it up to PT and she thinks its because I am wearing the brace at work. The brace is preventing the knee from snapping back, but it also prevents the quad from having to work as hard, Because of this my quad muscle has basically "fallen asleep" again. And once it falls asleep its hard to wake it back up. So at PT that week she suggested I wear the brace on and off at work. Maybe two hours on, and two hours off. Also at PT we used the muscle stimulator. This machine uses electrical stimulation to make my muscle contact. Oh I also forgot to mentioned going up and down stairs hurts extremely bad. Its a very sharp pain in my knee. During PT while I was on this muscle stimulator machine she had me do exercises. One of the exercises was just stepping up on a block and stepping down. With the stimulator stimulating my muscles my pain was significantly lower. Still painful but tolerable.
My PT may order me this machine to use at home for a couple weeks. We are going to talk about it again at our next appointment. I also cut down my PT to once a week, now that I am back at work. I also do not use the pool anymore, just land. I stopped using the pool June 12th. At PT we are mainly working on mobilization/bending/ using the ultrasound machine (which helps with pain) and addressing any concerns I am having. My PT lady is great at stretching me and I always feel more mobile after my appointment.
My first surgery I had a lot of issues with bending, I am not having those issues as much anymore. My PT lady wants me to be slightly higher in bending degrees BUT every week I add a few more degrees so she's happy as long as i progress. I think the farthest I've bent so far is 132.
I joined a gym and found that using the bike has really helped keep that joint mobile/move the fluid out of it. I would highly suggest riding a stationary bike, if you have that available to you after surgery.
I think thats about it on updates. Not on anymore pain meds. and rarely have to take even ibuprofen . There has been a day or two were I took a small dose of percocet right before bed because it was so achy from work. But I think I have only done that twice, and I can usually tough out the pain until bed time.
