6 Month Update

Wow...six months down and out!  I can't believe that it has already been six months from the time my leg got filleted.  I had a follow up appointment this week with my original orthopedic - remember my surgeon dropped me because of insurance challenges.  Any how...not a whole lot of new information from the doctor.

Actually the entire appointment consisted of dialoguing about the knee and how it feels.  There was no physical examination.  He reminded me that we really won't know how things are really working and progressing until we hit the year mark.  For that reason, all doctor appointments have been pushed to January.

Here are some things to note about where I am at and things I am looking forward to:

• No outdoor biking yet.  Actually, I was told I really need to hold off the biking until November and even then it needs to be something I ease into.  NO RACING.  So until then...it is more time on the trainer with no resistance.
• The knee still has some swelling in it.  I asked the doc if I should head to PT to help with the swelling or strengthening the muscles around the joint and he quickly said not yet.  The knee and my patches are still vulnerable and it is better to play this one safe than to try to push through and make something happen.
• The lack of exercise is about to kill me.  I realized that this is the longest I have been out of commission since I started playing sports at 5.  It is for sure an adjustment period.  At least with my ACL surgery I could do some small things and was able to get on a bike regularly by 6 months.
• We are still living in our temporary space until our house gets finished.  This space is great but it does have stairs.  And incase you were wondering...stairs are not my friend.  I still have to take them slowly using my good leg to get me up and down.  It can be painful if I move too fast or happen to step wrongly as I go up or down.  I try to limit my trips and often need to rely on my son or wife to help me get something if I forget to grab something.
• The unloader brace is actually wearing out somewhat.  I sometimes wonder if I should have pushed for a custom brace.   Maybe it would have lasted a little longer.  I still have another 4 months of wearing the brace.  At that length of time I hope there is something left.

Still a long road ahead.  Everyday that goes by is one more day closer to normal living.  This weekend we are going water skiing as a family and I know it will be very hard to hang out in the boat as everyone else gets to be pulled around the lake.  Part of the healing process I guess.