Surgeon's Update

I had my last official post-op appointment with Dr. Fulkerson on Friday, January 27th. She said my next appointment would be in six months! The short of it is that I cannot stop working as hard as I have been in rehab, that I should not leave physical therapy too early or else I risk compromising my progress, and that I am still expected to make a 100% come back (within two years of the date of the injury: August 26, 2011).

I need to push harder on my own knee to force the bending to happen. Doc suggested I do this by attempting to sit back on my heels while seated. This is not fun and does cause pain due to stiffness (scar tissue). I can see it's going to take quite a bit of time, concentration, and effort on my part. 

Dr. Fulkerson "tested" my ACL (using her hands and some maneuvering of my knee) and determined that it too feels stable. The attachment point where the ACL is affixed to the bone broke off during the accident. It apparently reattached and regrew in a very satisfactory way! We do not foresee a surgery for ACL repair. Thank goodness!

Come August 2012 we expect that I will be physically ready (far enough along in rehab) to have the hardware removed. Good bye steel plate and screws. If it were to remain in for longer, that would technically not impede my recovery. It would still be very nice not to have that bulging plate on my shin!

5 Month Update

Physical Therapy:

• Roughly 3 more months of PT - next week I will be winding down from 2 x per week (for the next 2 weeks) to 1 x per week (weeks 3-6) to once every other week (weeks 7-12).
• Range of motion is 131 degrees on my own
• Hamstring strength is very good
• Quad strength is getting better, still needs work

Body's Condition:

• Hips and knees seem better aligned (evident during squats)
• Gait is improving, limp is almost unnoticeable at times 
• SI joint displacement leading to joint pain and sciatic nerve pain down right leg / off and on for last couple of weeks - becoming less frequent.
• Very tight psoas and hip flexors
• Increasing ab strengthening exercises to hopefully minimize the low back and hip pains  
• Weekly myofascial release (focusing left knee region) and massage therapy (Thai/full body)
• No pain relievers (Tylenol/Ibuprofen) for knee related pain in about 2 weeks!

Personal Update: 

For all intents and purposes, I have permanently reduced my work week hours to 32. After trying to hit 40 per week after the new year it proved to be too much. My overall health and rehabilitation were suffering. After reaching the decision on Monday and getting it formalized and approved on Tuesday, today I felt like a renewed person. I am very much looking forward to the reduced hours - after a lot of battling with myself, disappointment, and purposeful realigning of my goals to be more realistic, more achievable, and less devastating. 

The inquiry I find myself in more and more goes something like:

"What decisions can I make in each moment, every day, and over my lifetime to deeply feel as much health and happiness as possible?". 

The intention I wrote out this morning on the community "2012 intentions board" in my kitchen was:

I will do everything in my power to bring more personal awareness to and to achieve my optimal physical, mental, emotional, relationship, and spiritual health.

This is where I am at now. I am really starting to open up to some new awareness, to shed some old beliefs and perceptions, and to tap into the richness this experience has brought me. It feels really good and wholesome, very freeing. 

Surgeon's update to come ... next follow up appointment is this Friday, 1/27/12!