No side planks today

I had Robert for PT today. I like him - mostly because I said I didn't want to do side planks and he said okay. Matt would have immediately decided that was my next exercise! I'm back to Matt on Monday, so I know I have to work on my home exercises this weekend!

Despite no side planks, my knee is a bit sore today, between PT and spending a lot of time standing in the kitchen baking for the last two days I'm not really surprised. Probably time for some ice.

Back to PT

I had PT yesterday with Sejal. I was feeling under the weather, so I was not as good as I hoped to be. I was feeling a bit light headed and unfocused. She did introduce two new tortures to my repertoire - one-legged bridges (which were not as bad as the second torture - I mean exercise) and side planks. I felt I should be able to distribute the weight across my full forearm like I can with front plank, but instead all the pressure seemed to rest on my elbows making me very wobbly.

All the exercises you wish you didn't know existed. Just keep repeating "this is good for me, this is good for me!"

Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in

Got a phone call today from my PT center telling me I was approved for four more sessions. I was sure I was done with PT - I have been walking in snow and ice doing most of my exercises at home and meeting with possible personal trainers. But, I am not going to turn it down so Monday afternoon it is back to therapy for me. I will have to stop at my doctor's on the way in and get a new prescription.

Just when I had started getting a little lazy and letting myself sleep until 7:30. I may get to the point where I can kick my own butt yet.

In the meantime, I know that despite my walks I have been spending too much time tied to the computer working on show submissions and book and grant proposals. Speaking of which, back to the grindstone.

128 Degrees means Graduation

So, I think I graduated from PT today. Before doing any exercises I was able to bend my knee to 128 degrees. That means my left knee now bends further then my right knee and my insurance is almost definitely going to consider me done.

Now I just have to find the right personal trainer to keep me moving forward. I forgot to ask Dr. Williams if I could Tango yet.

A+

I got an A+ from Dr. Williams today. I may feel like I am not moving at a fast enough pace, but he is very happy with my progress. He would like me to continue with PT to get my knee to 130 to 140 degrees, but I suspect not even a strongly worded letter from him and Matt will be enough to convince my insurance to open their purse strings!

Dr. Williams gave Matt high marks for pushing me. He was impressed by my leg presses, balance board catch and yoga ball bridges. And I don't have to see him again for three months.

The only set back came when Dr. W. said we may want to revisit doing my right knee this summer when the screws come out of the left knee. Once fully healed my left knee will have no activity restrictions on it, but my right knee will still have the fragility limitations. Yes, I definitely want two good knees, but can I and my bank account handle another year like this? (If anyone knows the Powerball numbers for tomorrow that would be helpful!)

I also pitched my new book idea - knee scars the coffee table book. Dr. Williams will write the forward and help identify good scars, if I can get a publisher. Any suggestions?

For now I am off to bake cookies for Matt and the rest of the PT gang. I hope tomorrow isn't my graduation, but I'm realistic.

PT Gremlins

There may be a ghost in the machine at my PT center. I have had three appointments where the time they originally gave me on my appointment print-out and the time the computer has when I arrive have been different. Friday was one of those days, so I confirmed the times for todays appointment. Sometime between when I confirmed my appointment at the session and later that day when I got the automated phone message reminding me of my appointment and this morning my appointment disappeared from their computer. So, I showed up this morning and couldn't see Matt (my appointment time had also been filled by someone else).

They were able to fit me in with Carlos. We kept to the activities Matt has had me doing, except Carlos also worked on manipulating my knee. That hurt - he actually stopped saying he didn't want to irritate me too much before my appointment with Dr. Williams tomorrow. Yikes, think what he could have done. I am bending well, just still sore to the touch.

We'll see what he says tomorrow.