I’m going on seven weeks since my partial knee replacement. I’m still laying in bed taking it easy and elevating while icing. I hate ice. Why can’t heat reduce swelling?
I went to my six week checkup on Monday not knowing what to expect. It’s never good when your doctor starts out by saying, “I expected you to be so much farther along. You’re at least two weeks behind.” He thought I’d be healed up and ready to ski and play tennis.
GAH! What the hell happened?
“Your knee is really angry. You need to calm it down.”
I looked at my pissed off knee and thought, What did I ever do to you? I’ve always loved my knobby knees. Oh yeah. I guess amputating bone and messed up cartilage then replacing it with a metal plate and plastic could put me on your shit list. Sorry!
He suggested draining my swollen knee and suspected an infection could be brewing deep inside the joint.
“I think my problem with swelling started with the two-a-day blood thinner stomach shots.” Oh yes. They were a joy. I suspect that my sliced and diced muscle never healed. “I think it’s still bleeding,” I added and pointed to a bruise which had taken up residence since surgery.
My doctor disagreed and prepped my knee. After what seemed like 50 bee stings with a pencil-sized needle, he pulled 20 cc’s of blood out of my knee joint. Ha! Told yah so, I thought.
Because my pissed off knee hadn’t been stuck enough, he jabbed me one more time and flooded it with a liter of steroids. He told me the anti-inflammatory would kick in after five days and fast-track my recovery. I expect a huge breakthrough over the weekend. *looks heavenward*
The lab results came back negative. Woohoo! But the injection site and above has become super sore over the last few days. I called the doctor and he said, “That’s normal. Take it easy.” Are you kidding me? That’s all I’ve been doing!
Recovery has left me with too much time on my hands.
- I began recording a vlog. It could take weeks or a film crew.
- I created a new time suck, #susiesfriends, on Twitter and asked everyone to tag a friend. Yep. Just like on the playground in grade school. Join me and save my sanity!
- I’ve been sucked into the social media vortex. I check blog stats, Tumblr, email, Twitter, Facebook, blog stats, Stumbleupon, read new posts, blog stats, Twitter, blog stats, refresh blog stats, and then refresh stats again. Is this the slowest week for blogging ever or what?
- I’ve attempted to teach Roxy new tricks like, “Fetch me lunch. Fill my ice machine. Push my cell phone so I can reach it. Bring a water bottle with you the next time you come upstairs.” She hasn’t shown much interest, but is really good at cuddling while I ice. I’m so freakin’ sick of ice.
- I talk to people on the phone. I’ve already burned out my family, so I have long conversations with SIri.
- I’ve written a couple blog posts, rewritten a screenplay and seven chapters of my first book. I’m not bragging, just bored.
I can’t wait until I’m so exhausted from running around all day, I fall into my bed sans ice machine and wonder when life will slow down so I can take it easy.
What do you like to do when you have a lot of time on your hands? Have you ever pissed off a body part?
You may have missed my post about SIRI. Did you know she’s REAL? Check it out by clicking HERE!
Yup. Been there done that, the entire summer of 2013. Had to elevate and ice my broken foot every day. And things were worse after my foot surgery (to repair torn tendon) because the surgeon cut right through whatever channel allowed lymph to move. My foot and lower leg were swollen for months. She also cut a nerve that was in agony for several months. Now that it’s not in agony, the sensation on the top of my foot is just messed up. Here’s to healing!
Just do whatever you need to do to maintain sanity. And I highly recommend finding a Reiki practitioner to perform Reiki on you (can be in person or over distance- works the same- quantum physics explains why, if you need an explanation). It can dramatically speed up healing, for reals.
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Cool! I think I know a Reki blogger who lives pretty close by. Thanks for the advice!
That sounds so miserable and painful. I am so glad to hear it’s behind you. I have some numb spots on my body. Sometimes years later, they wake up. I’m not holding my breath!
I am finally past the totally bored stage. The steroids kicked in today, so I’ve been up and around (as per PT instructions) all day!
Thanks so much!
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I feel your pain. I have a pissed off arm. I can’t do much, I’m on pain killers and nobody can tell me what’s wrong. The doc wants to give me a cortisone shot too which for now I’ve turned down. Sigh. Hang in there!
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That is such a bummer. Have they done a Ct scan? Our bodies can be so mysterious. I hope you find a solution that works. The steroid shot my doc gave me, left me really sore for a few days, but man, did it kick in today! I had so much energy and very little pain.
Thanks Gibber!
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I’ve had blood tests and x ray. I wish he’d do a scan. I suspect although it hasn’t shown up in the tests yet minus some osteo in my back and hip, that I have RA. I have a number of joints that are really sore, my one arm just happens to be the most painful. I’m so glad to hear that the cortisone kicked in for you today!! Don’t do too much though. Did the shot itself hurt?
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I could handle the other shots he gave me, but the steroid hit me like a fiery bee sting. All absolutely worth it.
I hope you don’t have RA. My mother has it and the only way to fight it to stay active and move! Blood flow is everything. 🙂
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Youch! I’m really glad it helped you though.
I hope I don’t either but I have a strong gut feeling. It runs in my family both RA and auto immune disease which is what RA is. Is your mom on a lot meds/shots for it?
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She takes Advil! No shots, but she’s really active at 87. She makes her own bread, 7 loaves at a time, cooks and bakes. She also cleans and takes care of my dad who’s 89 TODAY!!!!
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Wow. Good for her!
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She’s a trooper! Had two knee replacements, skin cancer (none since), and had eye surgery Friday. She’s still motoring!
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It sure sounds like it. I hope her eye surgery went well.
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So far, so good. She’ll know by tomorrow…. Thanks!
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Good to hear. 🙂
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Awww, nothing worse than a bad knee. And they take a long time to heal. (I won’t mention physio!) And of course you are impatient, Grasshopper!!! 😉 We go years with nothing wrong, with our body doing exactly what we want and when we want and then… BAM… it’s one thing after the other. And it is not fun.
Take it easy, reeeelax, and let Roxy give you smoochies and hugs.
❤
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It’s so amazingly great to see you CC! Wow! Thanks for stopping by.
I was really upset with the realization of where I could be with recovery. Especially since I drove up to the mountains yesterday and we’re getting dumped on! But the steroid shot he gave me Monday, kicked in big time today. I feel so much better. I feel that fast-tracking gear, finally!
Now I have to rebuild the muscle in my leg. I’m am pretty psyched to “pump it up!!”
How are you doing?
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Easy way to refrain from checking blog stats so often: have fewer than 75 hits a day like I do. Then you’re too depressed to check.
10-4 on the ice! I always want heat when something hurts. Ice is for drinks.
Hope you’re not driving Danny mad needing help with everything.
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Danny learned to cook last month, David! That steroid shot did the trick and I’m feeling so much better. My life has taken a turn towards normal, big time!
Thanks David!
Oh, and the PT said yesterday, slow down on the ice now that you’re almost at 7 weeks. Yes!!!
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Oh, I know all about orthopods pulling fluid out of knees. Last year I had 40 cc’s removed from one of mine and a whole lotta steroids pumped in!
.. waiting to heal for someone as active as you is HELL ON WHEELS!!!
… sounds like you’re doing all the right things. I guess all that’s left is to just breathe – Which is about the suckiest advice you wanna hear, right? 😀 … but from someone whose been there (more times than I’d like) that’s what it all comes down to.
Big hugs.
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Wow! You’ve been through the proverbial wringer too.
I turned a big corner today and the steroids kicked in. Just in time to save my sanity. I finally had a somewhat normal day, thank God!!! Now that the swelling is finally down, I can focus on waking up that comatose muscle. “WAKE UP!!!”
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I’m really good at aggravating my right shoulder and sometimes the arch of my left foot. Who knows why but when it happens I’m down so I really know how you feel. I hope you start healing faster!
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Thanks Emily! The doctor was right. The steroids kicked in and have started to fast track me. YAY!
We sure develop our weaknesses, that’s for sure. Having aches and pains is no fun at all.
I’m hoping after this, my left knee will be the stronger one. Can’t wait to hit the slopes! Can you believe this storm?
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Ugh, hoping you start feeling better. I’ve talked to you about my knee surgeries before but on the 2nd one I had to be on one of those machines that reaaallllyy slowwwwlllllyy bends your knee back and forth. FOR 8-12 HOURS A DAY!! I wish I had a blog back then. I’d probably have 50,000 followers now! Keep up the work, you’ll get through it. You are healthy and resilient! And always remember ICE is your friend.:-)
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Wow! Thanks so much! I am feeling better. Steroids kicked in today. It was a long week of pissed off knee syndrome!
I can’t believe you endured that. I hope you were on the good painkillers. 🙂 That sounds miserable! I had a home PT who whaled on my leg, pretzeling it! There were days I couldn’t bend it past 90 degrees without shooting pain. Knees are the worst.
My outpatient PT finally said the magic words on Friday. “You can cut back on the ice.” I about fell on the floor. 🙂
I love your comment about followers. I had been thinking that I was becoming kind of beige in the interest of trying to appeal to everyone. I decided it was time to take a chance and be me, so I used words like “shit list” and “pissed off.” This was a more popular post and I almost didn’t blog it. What do you think?
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Thank you. It is high time someone exposed knees for the spiteful grumpbuckets that they are. (Hope you’re hopping again soon.)
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Thanks so much Karen! Someone had to call them on their shenanigans!
I’m up in the mountains and it is dumping. It’s killing me not to ski, but my steroids kicked in today! Yes.
While driving my family to ski, I noticed the busses were full, stranding a lot of people at bus stops. I was antsy, so I drove around picking up random people and dropping them at the mountain. It was the most fun I’ve had in weeks!!!!
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When I don’t have gobs of down time, I fantasize about how I’d spend it if I did. When I do score some free hours/days, I tend to squander them on foolishness and accomplish nothing. It actually sounds like you’re being productive, give yourself a (gentle) pat on the back.
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I LOVE foolishness! It’s my favorite and I’ve been in short supply. The steroids kicked in today and it’s the most somewhat normal day I’ve had. I didn’t even accomplish much. Yay!
Thanks 1point! I can see the ski slopes at the end of the tunnel. 🙂
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Man, you’ve been through it! The knees, ugh. My knees are equally cranky, although I have been lucky insofar as I haven’t had to go under the knife with ’em, not yet anyways. Hmm, with down time I do much the same thing I do with the other time…write and drink. Of course, the latter does tend to piss off my liver. So there’s that….
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After hearing from a friend who was going through breast cancer that alcohol causes breast cancer, I stopped last July. I haven’t missed it and feel a lot healthier. I wasn’t a big drinker at all, but I now I notice there is a ton of pressure to drink in our society. I had to do something different! I lived a really healthy life before all hell broke loose.
I took a really good turn today when the steroids finally kicked in. Yay! I had a fairly normal day, if you call driving stranded skiers and snowboarders to the mountain, normal… There’s a big snowstorm here!
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You keep on kicking it, Colorado.
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That’s my plan! Onward, Upward, and Forward!
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Two years ago, I had a bunion removed on my left foot, the bunion a result of my refusing to buy bike shoes that fit. The person who sold me my first road bike gave me the shoes that he had (yes, with cleats) and they were a half size too small. So I had surgery, took pictures of my foot propped on a pillow for two months, had many deep conversations with my dog. First day the doctor said I could go without the walking boot, I was on a bicycle. Yip freaking eeeeeeeee!
Your knee kneeds medical marijuana. I want to read blogs you write while your knee is using medical marijuana, so I and others can mock you.
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Sorry to hear about your setback. I messed up one of my feet with a bad pair of Nike’s. It was so preventable. Oh well!
I just found out yesterday, I could be biking outside. Unfortunately, I live on a hill. I would have no trouble pedaling downhill and around, but there’s no freakin’ way I could pedal back up again.
Hahaha! Great idea. I can just imagine how creative my knee and I could be. I’m sure I get mocked anyway! 🙂
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New suggestion — TOW ROPE!!! Then medical marijuana. We need MORE opportunities to mock you!
As you are well aware of, being an active person means injuries are just plain going to happen. The bunion was a minor setback. As soon as the doctor gave the green light it was road bike, mountain bike, and tons of summer softball. I learned how to be injured years ago. Ice is occasionally necessary as are pain relievers. Life will always be good and I am always going to ride/play/think. I have to!
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I literally feel your knee pain, Susie…
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I’m sorry to hear that, Hook and you’re on your feet so much of the day. Don’t forget to ice, ice, baby! (I hate icing) 🙂
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Body parts are a bitch when they take their revenge. I have a list.
In my case (and I suspect to some degree yours) I have found that chemo tends to mess with your immune system leaving you more susceptible to swelling, infection and just slower healing. They should do some kind of pre-operative thing for people who have had chemo so they don’t have to deal with the angry body parts.
I’m glad the steroids are doing their thing. You are a trooper, Susie, and soon you will be running circle around all of us again.
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I’m sorry that you can relate to my pissed off body part. I was Stage 1 and didn’t have chemo, thank God. I bet it was a real bitch of a treatment for you.
I pissed my body part off long ago and it has always been a pain. I knew my number was coming up two years ago and then cancer happened. This was the earliest I considered going into the doctor. I knew I’d need surgery, again….
Luckily, my oncologist said there’s no correlation between surgery and cancer in terms of recurrence. I never thought to ask him about it before going under the knife until I was going in for surgery! Sheesh!
Thanks so much!
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Yikes! Sorry about your knee, Susie. I pissed off my lower back, in December, when I tried to “help” my husband carry in two out of three Sparklett’s water jugs. Although I don’t have to take regular pain meds (prescription Naproxen) anymore, I still feel achy if I stand too long.
As far as time-sucks, Facebook and blog-stat-checking (http://kimwriter.wordpress.com/) top the list. I, too, am in the middle of revising/editing a NaNoWriMo draft and am hoping to finish it in time to pitch the idea to an agent at DFWCon in July.
Hoping you and your knee kiss and make up soon. 🙂
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Oh, and did I mention the time-suck of binge-watching THE GOLDEN GIRLS, LAW AND ORDER: SVU, and the INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY channel? (Of course, I consider SVU and the ID channel “research” for my mystery/suspense book ideas. (Meanwhile, Jeff sleeps with one eye open. I just tell him, “Don’t worry, honey. I just kill off the perps in my book.”)
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So you can relate to my stat vortex. Ha!
Great idea!!! I’ve been trying to keep the TV off during the day. The first two weeks were another story!
Sounds like you are being very productive considering your back pain. Fantastic! You have plenty of time.
I am a little off my goals, but am back to regular writing. YAY!
Thanks so much, Kim!
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I have pissed off my hands on the computer, especially my left and have to dig into it with a wooden spoon.
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PS. Cute puppy. ❤
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OUCH!!! For your hand and the spoon. Roxy poses for all of her shots… 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m sorry that recovery is slower than you want there, Wild Rider. It is such a bummer to be holed up at home when all you want to do is get out of the house. But at least you’re enjoying Gilmore Girls! I love that show too and am at the tail end of my annual marathon with the last (and worst) season. Hang in there, Susie and you’ll be back on that Wild Ride before you know it!
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Thanks Jessica! It helps that I can drive and be out and about for a little while each day after being flat in bed last week. The steroids kicked in, but I have a ways to go. It just needs time!
I’ve watched Gilmore girls sporadically. They are like old friends!
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OUCHIE – wishing you the best in this phase of the recovery process 😦 Pissing off body parts is never a pleasant experience. I remember a few years ago having to work with a physical therapist and she asked me what was wrong. I told her it would be a shorter list to tell her what was working right instead – ha! Being active and athletic comes with its fair share of wear and tear on the body parts.
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Active lifestyles will do that. I love your PT story! I have thought how lucky I am that nothing else is acting up. Small victories! I’ll be back in a few weeks, stronger than ever. Grrrrr!
Thanks Renee!
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Bless your heart! The ice is bad enough. The ice inside, on your body, with ice outside, too, is just insult to injury, and it gets doggone cold at night. I’m guessing you’ve already watched all of the TV you can stomach? I’d say make a list of all of the dusty stuff around you that you’re going to clean when you can, but your house is immaculate, so that won’t work for you. Perhaps sing every song you know to your knee as a way of persuading it that you are a friend and not a foe? Works with animals. Sorry I don’t have more for you. Let me know if I can help you out in any way.
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You are so sweet and you have it so much worse with your total knee!!! I’m anxious to be over this misery and will try anything. I’ll hum a few bars and see it helps. Hahaha!
I enjoyed catching up. 🙂 Thanks Piper! Keep me posted if YOU need anything!
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Thanks, Susie! So good to talk with you. 🙂
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It’s making you super productive Susie. You’ll accrue a month off at least to doall sorts of crazy fun outdoor stuff and by then it will be warm enough to get outside. You sure aren’t missing anything here -15 without windchill again. Chin up!
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That’s a great way to look at it, Catherine! Work hard, play later!!!!
Thanks for that. 🙂
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Sorry to hear you’re laid up again, Susie! No fun. I watched the entire series of Breaking Bad when I was home for my mastectomy, the first 4 seasons of Downton Abbey when I had the reconstructive surgery, and the entire series of Sex and the City on the last one. Let me know if you want to borrow the Breaking Bad DVD’s! Happy to share. Wishing you a speedier recovery, Susie.
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Thanks so much Suzanne! I will! I have Neflix, so I’m set for a lot of series. You gave me an idea. I’ve seen the last two seasons of Downton. I should watch season one! 🙂
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Oh man, that is a long recovery! Only the Wild Rider can get SO MUCH accomplished while in bed recovering. I hear you, sistah. For me, recoveries from surgeries always take longer than the doctor says it will. Anything done to feet/knees takes for ever and leaves you completely dependent on others like, Roxy.
The aspirations and injections hurt like hell but you will feel better soon with the steroid. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with steroids but boy do they help. Thank God you have The Bachelor to watch. 🙂
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Hey Maria! Great to see you!
It is taking a lot longer than I thought. The steroid kicked in and I had a lot more energy over the weekend. Had a great adventure too! Ha! I’ll post on Friday. It’s the muscles that still tweak out. If that pain would go away, I’d be golden. A few more weeks. A few more weeks……………good thing I can count on Roxy! The coyotes are out in full force so she’s housebound, safe and sound.
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Iy, yi, yi Susie, have you been through the mill girl! Does it ever end? And it’s not just the surgery. It’s the hours of rehab which in itself is so very painful. My hubby is still dealing with pain. I don’t know if, at this point, if the pain will ever go away. The hard part is that as we get older, we heal differently. It’s a much different process. And if we’re forced to bed rest? It takes so much work to regain the muscle we once had. As if we didn’t work our ass off to keep that muscle tone to begin with. This getting older thing sucks! Then wait until the barometric pressure changes and you get a storm. Oh yes my dear friend. You’ll feel it right at the weakest point in your body. Welcome to the club Susie. Good news…there is strength in numbers. Let the fighting begin. Don’t let it get the best of you. Stay active, stay Susie strong! ((Hugs)) 😊
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Thanks Karen! I’m hanging in there. I had swelling in that joint for months and months before surgery, so I suspect my muscle had atrophied long ago. Looking back, I’m so relieved I didn’t hurt myself playing tennis this fall!!
I’m sorry to hear that about your husband. Recovery can be slow and hard for active people like us. I want to be sure it heals properly, so even though I’m chomping the bit, I’ll do everything I’m told along with listening to my body.
Susie Strong is right! Thanks for the reminder. That was quite the rally call during my breast cancer battle and look at me now all bionic and cancer-free!
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Get better as soon as your knee will let you, Susie. I can appreciate your boredom with the “down” time. Had enough of that myself. ..now the ice is another story. I’ve never really liked anything cold…, unless it came in a bottle or a glass. Big Hug, and be well !!!
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Thanks Paul! I hit the exercise bike for 30 minutes today so I iced afterward. AGAIN! The steroid kicked in and the knee is fine. It will be 8 weeks on Monday and I gotta believe it will take another month to really heal the quad and I.T. band muscle that was “released.” There seems to be a delicate balance between building it up and resting so it can heal. It will be interesting to hear what he says next Wednesday!
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Keep us posted (pun intended!) 😉
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Holy crap draining a knee is the suckiest of sucky dilemmas. Sorry that you’re still down and out, your knee probably wants to divorce you it’s so angry. But on the bright side you did get some writing done. And…And you can probably binge watch House of Cards when it comes out this week, plus everything else you’ve wanted to watch … ever.
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I am trying to keep the TV off during the day, but am so psyched for House of Cards! Becoming more active is recommended by PT, but with all these snowstorms I’ve been hitting the exercise bike and calling it good. The knee seems a lot less angry. All along, the muscle release where he cut the IT band and quad has been the most sore. As soon as that stops tweaking out and screaming at me when I pull it into certain positions, I’ll be GOLDEN!
Thanks so much Guat! I’ll be running circles around everyone in another month…
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