Moving On Up

    I like to think that I am a source of entertainment for the PTA's and physical therapists @OptimusPhysicalTherapy. For the past several weeks I have been slaving away at my mind numbing exercises I must do in order to wreak havoc on Odessa once more. Tuesday was a normal session until I heard the magical words, "You have a few new exercises". I became like a kid at Disneyland joyfully clapping my hands and smiling like I had been drinking mimosas. New exercises mean that I am indeed progressing! I was happier than the Vikings conquering Normandy.

     I was not allowed to perform running drills, balancing exercises, heavy lifting, high knees, or squats. But I was allowed to sway side to side while standing on a foam pad and throw a ball at a trampoline. Let the jealousy ensue. They also let me sit on a rolling stool and roll around the room using only my calf muscles to allow me forward momentum. The finale was using a heavy resistance band and doing walk-aways on the left and right sides. This involved me holding the rope and walking my feet out several feet, keeping control of my balance and not allowing the rope to tip me over. What can I say? Physical therapy can be very exciting and challenging.
    
    So far PT this week has been fun and different which makes me a happier person. I still have aspirations of bigger leg muscles with more definition. I am not there yet but I am closer than I was yesterday.

Only cool people perform calf raises with weights.

This band exercise helps to strengthen my ACL. (Right leg)

(Left Leg) Pretty scars.

Flowers and Good news

   Every once in a while your man will experience what I lovingly refer to as "testosterone poisoning". He might say or do something so dumb that the only recourse is flowers and chocolate.My darling love of my life experienced testosterone poisoning and when he recovered, went out and got me flowers and chocolate ice cream. Well done babe, well done.

   This morning brought much needed good news! The Adonis like hulk known as Steven Mannix worked on my knee and proclaimed that my ACL is firmly attached and stabilized. Hell Yeah and Amen ladies and gentlemen! Mannix also explained that pain was pretty normal at this still early stage of the game, I have about 13 more months to go before I am finished healing. My quad muscle is starting to really form which is quite exciting and ROM is perfect. We also talked about why Roberta (ACL #1) failed because that is a major cause of concern for me with this new ACL. An ACL becomes loose or fails when the body rejects the tissue, in this state the ACL can tear quite easily. Picture a wet noodle, that was ACL #1. It is a little odd to think my body rejected its own tissue but weirder things have happened.

   Hertha, the new ACL is like my baby, I imbibe fish oil, protein, and tons of water, she is iced twice a day, stretched every day, and I wear my brace wherever I go. I am Determined that this ACL will be with me forever. We are off to a great start and things are looking up :).

Physical Therapy

    
     Today was PT day and my knee was still swollen and painful but I put on my +Nike shorts, drank my smoothie and headed out the door. Heel slides and calf stretches helped me get into the zone and eased the soreness. The rest of the workout went well and my knee held up nicely. My favorite part of PT is getting my leg stretched and icing.  Bobbie who is one of three physical therapists at @Mannix PT is a holy terror with a West Texas drawl that is damn good at his job. This hulk like guy has completely inspired me with how he came to be a physical therapist. Bobbie had wanted to go to medical school but first came love, kids, marriage, and two cars. He put his dreams on hold in order to put food on the table by becoming a police officer. After his divorce and both kids growing up he decided to go back to school and become a physical therapist. I was blown away that he decided to stick it out and get through school. At the office he appears to have always been a physical therapist because he is so comfortable within the confines of his job. He is so great at his job that I never would have guessed that he had worked anywhere else.

     I am so thankful for the staff at @Mannix PT who help me to progress in my recovery and allow me to have a bad day once in a while.

The Swelling That Ate Odessa TX

     Usually I love going to physical therapy because it makes me feel semi-normal and gets me out of the house. Plus the people at @Kevin Mannix Physical Therapy rock! However, my darling knee has decided to be a diva and swell up twice its normal size. It really has become the swelling that ate Odessa. Major swelling does not make bending easy and most of my exercises involve bending to enhance ROM. The rest of my weekend will be spent icing, elevating, and reading everything I can get my hands on. I'm pretty sure the laundry won't get done and the dishes will grow a new species of mold. Oh well. My knee obviously doesn't care and wants all of my attention for herself. That is pretty damn selfish. But she is something like a newborn and needs to be handled with care.

Steven wrapping my knee to move the swelling farther up my hip.

   The goal for this weekend is to control the swelling. It's better to ice than have a needle jammed into my knee to extract fluid. Hopefully by Monday everything will once again be right with the world and my ACL. For fun I decided to name my ACL Hertha which is Norwegian for powerful. I find it odd that a cadaver ligament is renting space inside my knee. Giving it a name makes me feel like I have more of a connection to my newly acquired friend. Welcome to your new home Hertha!

Teriyaki Salmon for dinner :)

Physical Therapy This Week

   

  I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! This week at good ol' physical therapy I was allowed to progress in my workout. Oh joy. I am so excited. At least the entire PT crew were wearing Christmas PJ's which lent the atmosphere a festive glow. Unfortunately the first few weeks of physical therapy can be a little boring and monotonous. However, anything and everything you do in recovery is important from the food and supplements you take in to the exercises you perform. Here is the breakdown:

• Heel slides done with a belt (timed for 3 min)
• Straight leg heel stretch done with belt (timed for 3 min)
• Heel stretch done with knee bent (timed for 3 min)
• Straight leg raises with 1lb. weight (30 reps) both legs
• Calf raises (30 reps)
• Standing hamstring curl (30 reps)
• Bike slowly (10 min)

      The above mentioned exercises are done 3 times a week with ice and E-stem being applied for 15 minutes after the workout. As the weeks go by I will keep an updated log with pictures of what i am doing in the gym.

Bacon is whats for breakfast.

Just a huge ice pack to go along with some E-Stem.

Go Cadaver Transplants or Go Home

     Today is a magical day, the kind where you see unicorns and life doesn't suck so much. The CPM unit that I have been sharing my bed with for two weeks has gone back to live with Paradigm Physical Therapy. The DVT cuffs have been boxed up and hauled off to UPS as well. Even physical therapy went well for the most part. I decided that today would be a great time to PT without pain meds. Deep yoga breathing came in handy as my therapist stretched my tight hamstrings and massaged my calf. Ice became my best friend and eased the soreness that was brought on by my workout.

     This second transplant has been so different than my first mainly because this time a cadaver ligament was used. The first go around my own tissue was used and I did not have a CPM unit or DVT cuffs once I went home post-op. I am able to do so much more second week post-op with a cadaver ligament than my own tissue. Everyone should have the choice between using cadaver or your own tissue. Please consider cadaver, the science backs it up as do the many thousands of happy patients. Below are two websites that are worth reading if you are in need of an ACL reconstruction.

• http://www.orthoassociates.com/SP11B35/
• http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/apr12/cover1.asp 

     As a patient it is vital that you are informed of all your choices concerning surgery and physical therapy. Make a list of questions and concerns before you see the doctor to make the most of your appointment. Do not be afraid to seek a second opinion if you are ever uncomfortable with your treatment plan. When I began calling around for a surgeon I paid close attention to how I was treated by the front desk. Remember, everyone in the office will be involved in your recovery so it is important that you are treated with respect and compassion. For example, the front desk staff @Mannix Physical Therapy blew me away with how nice they were on the phone. The entire team is wonderful and everyone loves their job.
     Take your time when looking for a surgeon and physical therapy team and be picky. This is your body which has to last for quite some time. You as a patient are important and deserve respect and compassion.