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!

Physical Therapy Breakthough!

Pain is okay today. Still took an oxy and rubbed pain reliever cream (like icy hot) on my knee today because I could feel some sharp pain seeping in. But as I type I am sitting without a brace with both legs dangling over the edge of the couch. Right ankle crossed over left, applying slight pressure to push my left leg back. Knee feels tight, but tolerable.

Kind of made a break through in PT Tuesday! I was laying face up on the exam table (per usual - sometimes we do face down, and that is no fun). Face cloth in mouth to bite down on and muffle my screams. I know, kind of a pathetic sight. Squeezing the bajesus out of the stress ball in my right hand. Right foot pushing down furiously into the table top. Glutes flexed... talking myself into relaxation. April by my left side ready to get me bending. I had come into the appointment, smiling and laughing, the usual Erin. Then, Jekyll meets Hyde.

That said - On Tuesday October 25th during out patient PT with our beloved April Smith, it was easier to get to 98 degrees than ever before (still painful). Maybe it was all that talking to my knee in the wee hours of the morning. At 108 degrees of flexion my hip actually relaxed with less effort each time. We did this repeatedly with the same success about 3 times. We held it at 108 degrees for about a minute each time. It still hurt, but I could mentally and physically feel a shift. It made me (all three of us) so happy. We all realized this change was happening. All the while, Alon hovered over me holding me down and pushing my shoulders down into the table so I wouldn't skootch back. It actually worked as awful as it sounds. And I loved having Alon there, with his good energy and intentions and strength supporting my progress. 

April noticed that the muscles in my leg were contracting less (or something like that). She said we have worked through most of the muscular pain. The muscular contractions and pain were previously stopping us from progressing (she could feel it as could I). She said she felt like I have started to move into an actual physical stop, the scar tissue. This is good. This is okay. She says it should be easier and less painful to work through the scar tissue. Should I believe her? I do.

I can really see and feel progress, like my left leg hangs more easily around 90 degrees and I can push just a hair beyond that without so much pain as before.

YAY! Love to you all!