putting pants on

I used to put my right leg into my pants first… Since I had the accident at the end of January, I didn’t have enough flexibility in my left knee to put my right leg in first.  It took a long time to get used to putting my pants on with the left leg first.  I never thought about that until I couldn’t do it.  I always had to make a conscious effort to put my left leg in first, and I did it wrong many many times.  Well… this morning I accidentally put my right leg in first, and wha-da-ya-know, I was able to put my left leg in second.  I realized I was doing it about half way through and got super excited when I finished because now I don’t have to make a conscious effort to put my pants on

bye bye crutches

i guess i’m long overdue for a post. i didn’t post the nasty photo of my knee from earlier.  if you want to see it, i can get it to you.

had the follow up appt, where they took some x-rays to check the bone tunnes, and all looked good.  i was told i could get around on one crutch for the day, but if i was in a safe area i could go without it, and to continue using the brace whenever i’m on my feet

on monday at pt, they checked my gait and thought i’m good to go without the crutch.  so now i’m officially off crutches… i can walk… slowly, but i can walk.

i’m able to flex my knee more and more each day. stretching it really helps

my custom knee brace came in wednesday, and now i get to wear that instead of the bulky post-op brace. it’s nice because i can fit it under my jeans so i don’t have this huge looking thing on my leg.

follow up with the dr tuesday

some photos

here are some photos that i meant to post earlier.  none are really gross.  there’s one with my knee shaved and marked and an IV in my hand.  another has me in the post-op room.  and another with my leg in a crazy brace.  Click more to see them

surgery done

So the surgery went well on Tuesday.  It’s Thursday now, and I’m finally able to stay conscious enough to write a quick blog post.

I showed up and after signing a ton of paperwork, getting measured for a brace, and giving them some money, they took me back into the pre-op room, where I got changed into a hospital gown and just chilled for a while.  Then they brought me back to the OR.  They put a mask on me and I was out real quick.

I work up in the post-op area and remember being pretty with it, taking notes for post-op instructions and all…. Then they wheeled me out to the car and away I went.  I vaguely remember getting to the couch.

That day I took some pain meds. Then I woke up in the  middle of the night and it was time to take more pain meds.  So I took 1.  The instructions say to take 1 to 2 tablets, but I figured I wasn’t feeling too much pain so maybe 1 would just do it.  Boy was I wrong.  The next morning I felt some serious pain.  It was worse than when I tore my ACL in the first place.  I was in a whole world of hurt.  Luckily I was able to take some more pain meds and they knocked me out again.

Skip to today, and I think I’m doing pretty well.  I’m much more with it as the pain meds aren’t making me super woozy.  I was finally able to watch not just one but 2 movies.

My first PT appointment is tomorrow, where they’ll change my bandages, and then I will be able to take a shower.  Then my post-op appointment with my doctor is on Tuesday.

Just a couple more days

So the surgery date is set for Tuesday, the parents are arriving on Monday, PT is scheduled for Friday, and the post-op is scheduled for Tuesday.  I will pick up my perscription for pain and nausia meds tomorrow and then I’m set.  I’ll be getting a call from the surgery center on Monday for last minute instructions, but I’m ready to go.