The Last PT

Despite many misgivings about getting out in the world today, I did go to physical therapy this morning.  I had today, next Monday, and next Friday remaining, so when I talked to the office person  on the phone this morning, I told her to let my physical therapist know that this would be my last session.  I wanted her to take all the measurements she needed in order to make the final report to my surgeon.  As much as it is often uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful, I will miss my PT sessions and wish I could have gone to the last two, but it just didn't seem prudent.  Today, therefore, was not only my last PT session but probably my last venture out into the world for quite sometime. Happily, PT ended on a victorious note.

Guess what?  My final measurements were 120 and 0--perfection!  I am so thrilled that I was able to end on that high note!  To be totally honest, I hadn't exercised that much the past three days but I had done one thing which doesn't seem like much but which was apparently efficacious:  the tried and true knee bends going up and down the stairs.  It's sort of hard to describe but here's what you do:  Stand on ground level, then lift your surgical leg up two steps.  Then lean forward so that your knee is really bent.  Hold that 5 or 10 seconds, relax, repeat.  This picture shows her only lifting her leg up one step, but my therapist told me to lift my leg up two steps for a better stretch.

So, while I didn't do my full round of exercises, the only thing I really needed to work on was my flexibility, and these knee lunges/bends certainly stretch your muscles around your kneecap.  It worked, and here I am, with 120 flexibility, my ultimate goal.  Go, me!

My final appointment with my surgeon is scheduled for next Wednesday, about nine days from now.  I can't imagine that I will want to get out of the house at that point, especially not to go to the hospital where he's located, but I will defer that decision until later in the week.  All he'll do is to x-ray my leg one more time to make sure everything's in place, but I'm pretty sure it is.  My therapist manipulates my knee each session to make sure it all still feels right, so I'm not worried about it at all.  My scar is healing well, and my PT goal has been achieved.  It would seem to me that this final appointment could wait a month or two until all the Covid-19 worries may have settled down a bit.  But we shall see...

So, dear reader, this may be it for a few days.  I'll let you know about whether or not I go to my follow-up appointment, and if I get bored being here at home, I may review another couple of products, but for the next couple of days for sure, I won't be writing.  It's been a journey, and it's almost (but not quite) over.  See you around the blog!