Doing "The BEND"!

The Olympics are fun to watch and also inspiring for keeping us motivated. The "sport" that I am learning is, "The Bend"!! Yes, I am learning to BEND my left KNEE!

At the hospital Rehabilitation department my Physical Therapist helps me with my BENDING exercises but having me on the BioDex machine. My ankle and thigh strapped in and then the machine bends my knee to what I can tolerate. I then use a machine where I extend my legs in and out, a Press machine. I don't know the name of it. After than I use the NeStep (spelling?) machine which also helps me bend my knee and strengthen muscles in my quad.

I go up the stairs. I can do that.  But then I go down stairs. I can do a 4 inch stair but most stairs are 7 inches so I am not yet able to go down stairs. I do not know though that I will be able to do 7 inch stairs since I have had problems with stairs since breaking my left ankle almost twenty years ago!

I go to the mat and work at bending my knee. Then my PT bends it for me until I cry out, "STOP". She does so immediately. Then she measures my knee's bend.

Last week I was able to bend my knee 75 degrees and my PT bend my knee 83 degrees. Yesterday I was able to bend my knee 78 degrees and my PT bent my knee 82-83 degrees, essentially the same. I cry "STOP" too soon. I just don't tolerate pain very well, even though I take strong pain pill just before I go to the Rehab department.  My goal for bending that the Doctor would like to see is 100 degrees but he said that I might not be able to get past a 90 degree bend. I've been working on this for over 7 weeks now.

There are certain exercises that I do at my home between Rehab visits. It is hard to keep motivated in doing these and I really depend on my trips to Rehab. These will end in September.

My Rehab will continue to be three times next week but then two times a week for the next three weeks and then only once a week for the remaining three weeks that the insurance will pay. That is even with the 18 extra Physical Therapy sessions that Insurance has awarded me.  My time with the help of my PT is passing quickly but my progress is going slower than she and I would hope for. Two factors are that my knee continues to be quite swollen and also that I continue with pain (although it is lessening).

I would appreciate prayers that my knee would not swell, that my pain would end and that I would be able to bend my knee 90-100 degrees. Thanks.

Today's Positives:
1. Last night Omaha had 5 minutes of hard rain and this morning it is much cooler here. I have the door open to get some fresh air.
2. I'm still enjoying watching the Olympics.
3. This afternoon I will go downstairs to particpate in group exercises. A physical therapist from some rehab department in town comes to our apartment each Thursday to lead exercises for anyone interested.

Have a great day!!

PT Progress + Surprise Visitors!

Wednesday at Physical Therapy I made Progress. Before that I had bent my knee 70 degrees but Wednesday I bent it 75 degrees. Before that the Physical Therapist had bent my knee 75 degrees but Wednesday she bent it 83 degrees!

Just after I had lunch today I got a call from my brother Bill and he and my sister-in-law Shari were in town for Shari's 35th High School reunion. They live in Colorado. I had seen Bill awhile back but I had not seen Shari since last Summer at a family reunion. They came over and we chatted for about an hour. Here are two photos, one of Shari and Bill and the other is of Bill and me.





Today's Positives:
1. I had a good morning session at Physical Therapy. Even got to show the PT that I could walk without the cane. Of course I was walking right next to the paralleled bar, just in case. She gave me suggestions to make my walk more natural. I'll still be using my cane but it felt good knowing that I could walk without it!
2. I had an unexpected visit with my brother Bill and sister-in-law Shari.
3. It's FRIDAY!!