It is week 24 since my operation to replace my left knee. I have just started to get into and out of the car without moving the seat all the time.
OK I admit when I am in a parking lot and not in the handicap spot people sometimes park close to me and I have to move the seat back to get that extra space since I cannot push the door open as far as I need to.
Stairs another biggie when you have a knee operation. I have one friend who continues a year after her operation to take steps one step at a time. I am walking up and down steps normally, except whg a lot of stuff in my arms.
I do one step at a time when I am carrying things because it still feels safer when going down. Up is no problem. Last week we came down to my daughter’s house in Washington DC to dog sit.
The house she rents has two bathrooms. One in the basement and one on the second floor. When I first got here and realized that I had an all-shit moment. I have been going up and down a flight of stairs since week 12.
These were limited to a set of five steps to get into my house. Now I had 14 steps I had to take four sometimes five or more times per day up and down. I have been pushing myself to walk up and down them normally, abet I must hold on to both handrails.
The 10 days doing this was good for several reasons. First, I could not take PT when down at her house, so I felt this was a great way to do PT. Second, by the 10th day I was walking up and down most of the time without effort while still holding on to both handrails.
I am also walking a 75 lb dog which is also challenging since my mobility is still not perfect and there are no sidewalks, so the path is not always perfectly smooth.
Beside the normal home exercises every day, I am pushing my knee to bend by putting it on the first step, pushing it to bend past where it hurts and holding it for 5 seconds before releasing it and doing it again for 10 to 20 times.
I am frustrated feeling it will never get back to normal, but I intend to keep pushing it. The good thing is it does not bother me at night. The bad thing is it takes me walking up and down the hall every morning to get it feeling operational.
At PT when I got back they measured the angle and I was at 105 degrees. Fifteen more to go to get to the magic 120 degree bend. Next entry will be at 36 weeks.
My current celebration is I no longer have to sit on the bed to put on my pants. I can get my pants on standing up, as long as I hold on to a bed post.
If you have struggled with this question and others then go to Patterson2Y2R,com/blog should be a place you should visit to share your stories and challenges.
I have an ear that would love to hear your stories. Let’s taste the real meaning of life. I am still working on my course with a goal of launching a starter course by June 30th, and I will keep you abreast as to how the process goes.
If you want to participate in this process and join my first class please send me an email to bobchuckpatterson@yahoo.com
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