Another Hobby Blog

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Knee Injury Update: Progress Report Good! :)

I saw my surgeon this morning, and he dutifully clipped the ends off of my dissolving sutures. Harrumpf! I could have done that!

He showed me pictures of the inside of my knee, which are surprisingly not as gross as I would have expected. I expected at least a little blood, but they pump the knee so full of saline that it acts as a kind of pressure-tourniquet that keeps the capillaries from leaking. Kind-of like how tied pressure creates a resist for dyeing.

He's very pleased with my healing progress: he says my range of motion is ahead of schedule and looking good. :) I got cleared to start walking around a bit (as my knee permits/tolerates), but am required to wear my brace for all weight-bearing actions. What happens is that the quadriceps shut down somewhat in response to the injury (an automatic system reaction), and because of that reaction, they are rather weakened, and even worse, unpredictable. I might do nothing wrong at all, but have that knee buckle because of the quadricep's current condition. And the brace will give extra support for catching that weight and will keep the knee in alignment. It'll take several more weeks before I am allowed to bear weight without the brace.

But I do get to sleep without the brace! yay!! And I do get to shed the compression bandage that made me itch so much! And I get to shower again! (without taping my leg up in plastic and trying to keep it outside the water zone...)

I start physical therapy again on Thursday for my leg, and I am cleared to get back to the gym for upper-body fitness training again at will. :)

I finished sock #1 from Indie's ball of yarn, and am 1.5 inches into it's mate. :)
I switched from size 10 needles to size 13 needles for the garter-stitch shawl I am making from the Noro, and am much happier with the resultant drape.
Pictures soon. Much too sleepy tonight.

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