4 Week Update

February 14...that means today is Valentine's Day!  So before I forget, Happy V-DAY everyone.

Yesterday was also an important milestone in our house.  Yesterday marked four weeks post-surgery.  In many ways this week is a good time to commemorate the passing of time.  There has been a lot of change over the past few weeks but I still face a long road ahead.

Looking back over the first couple of weeks, I am glad those days are behind me.  On a scale of 1 to 10 being 1 as "no worries" and 10 being "life sucks," the first week after surgery was undoubtedly an 8.  Today I would say I linger around a 3 or a 4.  After spending the first 10 days exclusively in bed, living in the CPM machine, and not showering...life is now pretty good!  I am still living in my locked Bledsoe brace, but getting around the house is getting much easier and less painful.  I have even ventured out of the house to get to church and to get some ice cream.  I no longer have to beg Melissa to do everything and that is a nice place to be.  I now shower every other day, but I am still 100% dependent on Melissa to help me get clean.

My knee is still swollen, but most of the bruising has gone away.  My scar is healing very nicely too.  Last night I made some more progress in that I am now allowed to take off the brace when sleeping.  It felt a little weird but it was very nice to let the leg air out for a lengthy period of time.  I also have begun doing patellar manipulation.  Basically, what that means is that I relax the leg and have to manually move my knee cap around, mainly side to side right now.  This is to help eliminate scar tissue damage and to keep ROM at a comfortable and stable level.  I must say that it isn't the most fun thing I do in my day.  It is also hard to find the knee cap because the knee is still swollen and the knee cap is not noticeable without feeling around for it.

Furthermore, my hair is back after shaving it before surgery and the beard is also coming in very nicely.  I have also lost a total of 20 lbs...much of that being muscle.  I really look different then pre-surgery Lee having lost weight and muscle definition, using a walker, and growing a beard.

Four weeks are now done and hopefully the hardest part is now behind me.