30 minutes to go 3 blocks

I had this grand plan last night to prove I was on the mend and could still be independent. I was going to get up this morning and take the bus to Target to pick up a few things I wanted, then take another bus to the drug store to drop off my new prescription and then take a third bus to physical therapy. This morning looking at the pouring rain I decided not to go to Target, but figured I could easily walk the three blocks (two slightly up hill) to the pharmacy. I took me half an hour to get from my house to the pharmacy! The bus was also not a huge success. Not being able to bend my knee means there is only one seat on the bus I can take without having my foot in the middle of the aisle, and the 60 - 70 year old lady was not willing to give up her seat. So I stood, trying to hold on to crutches and the bus and then had serious issues getting down from the bus.

I got to the PT office and discovered they hadn't received my referral. That was cleared up and I met with the therapist to evaluate what I was able to do and what Dr. Williams wanted me to be able to do. I have some ability to bend my knee, though not very far and I am almost able to bear full weight on my left leg standing without my crutches. What I couldn't do, and find it utterly frustrating, is lift my left leg straight up while lying down. When standing I can kick or lift my leg with no problems, but lying down it felt like a dead weight and my brain just couldn't send the message to my leg to lift. When the therapist lifted my left leg I could only go about 80 degrees before feeling some pain. I know I've been saying my leg feels like a dead weight, but this is ridiculous. I can get the thigh muscle to tighten and move my knee cap, but there is some barrier to lifting my leg!

That seems like fairly good proof that I need physical therapy. And yet I could not schedule another appointment until next Thursday because my insurance needs at least five business days to approve the PT evaluation and even then they will only approve two or three sessions at a time. (It's far from ideal but go Baucus Bill!)

Ran into friends who drove me back to the pharmacy and then home. My knee is twinging from being poked and prodded and I am ready for a nap. On the plus side I was able to stop in the bookstore and get not one, but two new sudoku books.