Safety Dance (or update on my leg)

I can now do a partial happy dance.

Saw my orthopedic today. Got some more X-rays. The attendant declares, " you sure got some pretty hardware in there. Makes a cool pattern" my reply, "some people claim to see Jesus." true story. Actually I think it looks like an angry muppet.

The bone has healed. The worry now lays with the cartilage. Which I found out something new about that today. They couldn't save all of my cartilage. I had thought that they just laid it back down because it had peeled off the tibia where the bone broke at the knee. Nope, cartilage was in pieces, they reattached the largest piece. I also found out that the original surgeon really did want to see me again, even though his nurse claimed otherwise. He talked to my ortho doc (surgeon is also overlord of most the ortho docs in town) She told him what happened with the nurse, he should be calling me soon she said. I would want to see me too, not just because I am awesome, but because I was close to losing my leg and he masterfully put it back together like an artist. She said she was keeping him up to date on my progress.

As I said, the bone has healed nicely. You can no longer see where it was broken. (Those of you that are new, click on the tag, wreck, to see the entire story) Now the concern lays with the cartridge and ligaments. As I am only getting x-rays, they have to look at the placement of my anchors, and the motion of my foot to determine how the ligaments are doing. So far so good. Again I was reminded that I will have arthritis in that knee by the time I am forty. But that was bound to happen anyway from the years of abuse they have received, from ballet, to hockey, to track. Not overly concerned, been prepared for that.

Doc had me take my brace off and show her how far I can bend. I can bend it to 60 degrees before the tension causes me to get nauseous. She was happy with the progress. I am lucky that I have no major nerve damage. Doc is seeing three of us with similar injuries, mine is progressing better than the others. As in only superficial nerve damage, and not trying to walk on it before the ok. The nerve damage in my knee (a dead numb spot the size of a soft ball) caused by the incision is permanent. Doc apologized, and explained that they couldn't prevent it from happening as they had to open me up in an area that is a messy bundle of nerves. I have already decided on the tattoo I want there to enhance the cool looking Frankenstein's monster scar. My capillaries have repaired themselves. I am a wooly beast now! Doc said she wanted me fuzzy, because hair means blood flow.

She had Husband adjust my brace to. . . Wait for it. . . Wide open. I can now bend my knee as far as I want to. It isn't very comfy, I will admit. Even with free range, 60 degrees is all I can do today. Give me time.

The next thing to do was stand and put as much weight as I could, until it hurt. Yes, you read that correctly, weight. Hahahaha! I can dance if I want to, leave the world behind. . . 40% of my weight can now be placed on that leg. 50% next week, and in four weeks she wants me to be putting full weight on it. 4 flippin weeks people!!

Now this doesn't mean I will be walking on my own. I will have to continue to use my crutches and the brace for the foreseeable future. It's been 3 months since I have used my right leg. My brain thinks that the ligaments are dead. I have to retrain my brain and my leg. Stability is a major issue. As soon as I got the ok, I was pressing down on the floor everywhere I went, the pharmacy, the farm store, the grocery store, all the while smiling like a fool.

At the pharmacy, an older gentleman asked if he could put a clothes pin on my ear. It works on horses! He declared. The pressure and sharpness on your pressure point in the ear causes pain in your leg to cease for the moment. I laughed, while a older woman lectured him. And on the way out of the store, another older lady offered to give me a piggy back ride!

I haven't been able to see my physical therapist for a month due to exhausting our insurance and not having enough money. I could go on a diatribe at this point, because ex boss knew this, but I won't. My physical therapist has been working with me on the phone however, no charge, to make sure I had the correct exercises. He got me a used T.E.N.S. unit to help with pain. It doesn't work for me, but does wonders for Husband's back injuries. I called the therapist when I got home, and told him the news. He will be putting me on a more aggressive therapy regiment. All on paper and by phone, though Husband says I might be able to see him as a Christmas gift. Yeah!! My P.T. said that it wouldn't be a problem with me not actually seeing him. He is merely my drill Sargent. He insures that people are doing what they should. But as I am hardheaded, and as long as I keep contact with him so he can know what I am ready for, and the fact Husband paid his way through college by being the football team sports medicine therapist, it's all good.

Can I be happy for a bit, without a rug yank. Please? Oh no, no I can't something new just slammed us. And we have to deal with that. Sigh. But for now, for this moment I am stoked that I can start learning to walk again, before I get to Kentucky.

Below are my newest x-rays. Enjoy!