Crutch Mount

Mark did a great job setting the bike up so I could mount my crutches so I could get back on my bike.

Supplies: PVC Pipe, (2) Hose Clamps, Safety Wire, Duct Tape, (3) Bungee Cords

Cut the pipe to the desire size and used hose clamps to attach it to the sub-frame on the R6. Then he safety wired the hose clamps to prevent them from unscrewing and covered the clamps and wire with duct tape to prevent it from digging into my leg. For added safety a bungee cord was also attached around the pvc pipe and sub-frame at the bottom but is not necessary. Once the crutches are slid into the pipe two bungees were used at the top to secure them. You can easily use just one bungee but we liked having the second one for added safety.

PMS

I no longer have Parked Motorcycle Syndrome!! I rode in to work today! I may not be able to walk but I sure as hell can RIDE!!! As soon as I fired up the engine I started giggling like a little school girl. I giggled all the way to the office and I cannot wipe this silly grin off my face.

Recovery Update #3

The physical therapists today were very surprised by me. I am three weeks out from surgery and can bend my knee to 120 degrees unassisted. They say that it is very unusual to have this much bend so soon.

They opened up my brace some more which is nice. I am now allowed 100 degrees of flexion which is up from 70 degrees. I am still allowed only 10 degrees of extension. I have some additional exercises to do that will strengthen a different muscle. Once I get that one a bit stronger they will allow me full extension at 0 degrees. At that point I may not even have to sleep in the brace anymore. My goal is to do as much of my PT exercises as possible to rapidly build the muscles so I can sleep without the brace by next week.

My leg is still atrophying and is all chicken leg looking. I am hoping to try and do extra PT to prevent some of that. The atrophy can slow me down in getting off the crutches. If I can get my butt to aqua aerobics the therapist said that would be great.

Recovery Update #2

I saw the doc today. My sutures were removed but I am not submersible yet.

• I can shower without wrapping in saran wrap and duct tape starting today.
• I can swim starting on Saturday but not often and for 15 minutes max. It will be another week before I can swim without restrictions. He only relented on the short swim because it is a freaking heat wave and I have a pool.
• I was chastised because I am putting too much weight on the leg and using it too much.
• I was chastised for not sitting more and bopping about less.
• It will be another 2 to 3 weeks before I can ditch the crutches
• It will be 3 days before I ride again if I have my way. It cost more to drive the truck to work for one day than it does to ride the bike to work all week!
  

Back to the salt mines!

Tomorrow I go back to work. I am kind of excited. Last time I went back to work far too soon. This time I have behaved myself and stayed home and very inactive. It sucks but I think it was a good idea. I would probably stay home another week but I have maxed out the number of consecutive sick days you can take before going on short term disability.

My new schedule is Sunday - Wednesday, 12:00 - 23:00 so I will only work Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Thursday I get my sutures out and see the chiropractor.

Very Pretty

I received a very pretty bouquet of flowers today from work with a little get well soon note. Thursday I received a get well card from my Gram's. Over the last week I have also gotten a couple of nice e-cards.

Thanks for all!

Recovery update

I have been able to sleep through the night for two nights now and I am apparently making up for lost sleep. I went from a 3 hour max to 10 and 11 hours in a stretch.

I now have the CPM machine maxed at 115 degrees comfortably. The down side is that with that kind of bending going on I am stuck laying almost flat and cannot do anything but watch TV for the 4 to 6 hours I spend in it a day. On my own power I can get the knee to bend to 100 degrees.

I am able to get my heel on the peg of my bike but cannot keep it there yet. It will be a few more days before I can ride. Mark is off at OSH now buying the supplies to mount my crutches to my bike. The honest truth is I cannot afford to drive the truck for very long with these fuel prices. It is over 100 bucks to fill the tank and it will take more than one tank a week to get to work.

I started physical therapy and now have more rehab homework than school homework! My sutures are going to be removed on Thursday, July 10. This is exciting because it means I will be fully submersible again. No more saran wrap and duct tape shower prep needed. It also means I can shave that small section of my leg that I have been keeping under plastic in the shower. Thankfully between ace bandage and brace nobody see's the fuzzy section.

I go back to work on Tuesday, July 8. I never thought I would be so happy to go to work! Don't believe anyone who tells you getting some rest is relaxing!

Yesterday was Mark & I's third wedding anniversary. Thanks to the four people who remembered. Somehow I thought getting married on the fourth of July would make things a bit more memorable.

That's about it for now.

Please stop

I know y'all mean well. Really I do. I am done giving the polite answer though. If you don't want the truth, don't ask the stupid question. I WILL tell you EXACTLY how I am feeling in great detail.

Seriously people, just how the heck do you think I freaking feel?

Recovery from ACL reconstruction sucks... a lot. I feel like crap all day, all night, all the time. I am miserable. My leg does not really even hurt. Everything else does from being on my damn butt and back all the time. Even though the CPM machine causes no pain it sure as hell ain't a damn party being strapped into it 4 to 6 hours a day.

I did accomplish one big thing today. I got my stinky butt in the shower!

This is how I spend 4 to 6 hours a day now

http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp06001.htm

CONTINUOUS PASSIVE MOTION

Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) is a postoperative treatment method that is designed to aid recovery after joint surgery. In most patients after extensive joint surgery, attempts at joint motion cause pain and as a result, the patientfails to move the joint. This allows the tissue around the joint to become stiff and for scar tissue to form resulting in a joint which has limited range of motion and often may take months of physical therapy to recovery that motion.

Passive range of motion means that the joint is moved without the patient's muscles being used. Continuous Passive Motion devices are machines that have been developed for patients to use after surgery.

Applied postoperatively, this device may be used on an inpatient or an outpatient basis. By using a motorized device to very gradually move the joint, it is possible to significantly accelerate recovery time by decreasing soft tissue stiffness,increasing range of motion, promoting healing of joint surfaces and soft tissue, and preventing the development of motion-limiting adhesions (scar tissue). Interestingly, this is accomplished without patient effort (passively) as the machine moves ajoint through a defined (prescribed) range of motion for an extended period of time. Even more surprisingly, studies have shown that patients using CPM devices require less pain medication then patients who have had the same type of surgery and are notusing this device (CLINICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY - CPM).

CPM may be prescribed by orthopaedic surgeons following total knee replacement, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ARTHROSCOPIC ACL RECONSTRUCTION), tendon repair, joint manipulation under anesthesia, arthroscopicdebridement of adhesions, open reduction and internal fixation (stabilization) of intra-articular fractures, rotator cuff repair, articular cartilage microfracture, articular cartilage transplantation (CHONDROCYTE (CARTICEL)GRAFTING) and MENISCAL REPAIR. There are CPM devices for the knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.

The physician prescribes how the CPM unit should be used by the patient (speed, duration of usage, amount of motion, rate of increase of motion, etc.).

THIS MATERIAL DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE. IT IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT A PHYSICIAN FOR SPECIFIC TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

http://www.arthroscopy.com

Copyright (c)1999 by The Center for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Surgery Fun

Knee surgery is at noon on Wednesday, June 25. I will be sure to post Thursday how it went.