It's 4:30am and I'm pretty proud of myself. I just lifted my leg by myself and didn't whimper!
Last night, I was finally allowed to take a shower, a full 48 hours after surgery. Trust me, I was not happy after I heard the news that I had to wait even that long. I was also given directions that my dressings would have to come off, so as to heal and not infect my incisions. I was more than excited about this -- partly because I was curious as to what my knee looked like -- but mostly because I really wanted to be clean.
What I didn't realize is the amount of stabilization that the dressings gave me. Not only did I have two ace bandages helping support my knee but there was a semi-hard (because of dried up fluid - gross) 6x6 piece of gauze/cast that helped the top of my knee stay motionless.
Needless to say, all my showing off to my mom while the dressings were on -- me doing leg lifts onto the bed without breaking a sweat, hobbling around the house, not needing her in the middle of the night to get me ice -- to prove that I could go home and take care of myself -- went down the tubes after I fell into at fit of pure frustration of not being able to lift/move my leg at one point late, last night (there were actual tears involved).
Besides the usual lifts in and out of bed, I guess the added trauma of standing in the shower was too much for my knee in one day. There is nothing more frustrating to me that not being able to do what I know I can do; I was literally willing my knee/leg to move, only to feel shooting pain. The only good thing I learned from that (now that my mom is convinced that I cannot go back to my condo) is that it gave me a glimpse of what PT is going to be like.
So, the honeymoon of the surgery is over. I'm currently sitting here with an ice pack on my knee, trying to assess if I really need that percocet, and really proud that I learned how to use my good leg to lift the other into bed.
PT starts on Monday and I know I have a long way to go. But I'm ready for the pain, because I refuse to taking this all sitting down (literally).
8 years ago
OMG we so are on the same track. I totally understand your pain and frustration and it sucks. Buuuuut, I have been doing the physical therapy this weekand it is AMAZING what a difference it makes so quickly. Pain is well worth it. Hold on to some percocet for the PT.
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