Surgery on August 12th 2011. ACL Reconstruction using allograft.
Day of surgery: After waking up from anesthesia all I wanted to do was bend and move my leg...go figure. I spent the rest of the afternoon lying on the couch watching TV desperately wanting to use the CPM machine. I used crutches to get around since every step it felt like my patellar tendon wanted to rip apart.
Day 2 & 3: Like clockwork on day 2 I started using the CPM machine, felt amazing, and continued to use crutches. Was prescribed Vicodin at 1 to 2 pills every 6 hours, yeah right, I was taking 1 every 3 hours.
Day 4: Almost like magic, very little pain. I pretty much stopped using the crutches and was taking the pain meds simply for comfort.
Day 6: First post-op. Doctor took a simple look and performed the Lachman Test to confirm a good repair, all is good with "remarkable range-of-motion". Got to take a look at the pictures from the procedure. A complete ACL tear was confirmed, meniscus looked perfect, and most of the cartilage looked good except for one area of articular cartilage toward the backside of the medial femoral condyle [femur]. The damage noticed is highly abnormal for a 27 year-old knee, Thanks doc for calling my knee old. The Prognosis: Not so good. Expect more cartilage wear. Once gone the bone will hit bone and since bone has more nerve endings than cartilage....voila PAIN! i.e. arthritis. Solution (sort-of): Minimize high impact sports (yeah right) and jumping and, though not proven, take Glucosamine religiously.
Day 7: First day of Physical Therapy. So far going twice a week.
Day 11: Was able to make a full rotation on a stationary bike at the gym. SUCCESS!
Day 12: Have reached the full range of the CPM machine, 120 degrees. Though not given the official go-ahead, I have stopped using the post-op brace outside of the house, so far no issues [knocking on wood].
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Gardening Woes
After buying a house last August, the first thing I immediately started planning was a garden. I thought I had learned how to garden after all those years helping my mawmaw weed, water, and harvest; it looks easier than it truly is.
I researched and planned all Winter and was gung-ho about getting started immediately. [Yeah right, you own a house now] So, I got a fairly late start but was able to build a raised bed garden and plant veggies by late May/early June. Things were going well, no to minimum weeding, all I had to do was add water. Then hits the hottest summer ever and extreme drought conditions. Let's just say that the only thing to grow [and survive the squirrels] was the jalapeno peppers, and I swear we've eaten less jalapenos this year than any other year, go figure.
So after unsuccessfully growing anything in the summer garden, I've ripped everything out and planted a fall crop. I say it's a fall crop though I still have some summer veggies in the mix since we're currently at 24 straight days of 100degF weather with no immediate end in sight. Hopefully this crop will actually be productive and provide me with some hope that I'm not completely incompetent.
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