Physical Therapy - Day 3 - Thursday

I think things are going well and the therapist seems pleased. Walking requires some thought to get that left leg straightened out, but it's coming along. I don't expect to undo 56 years of funky walking right away!

Today we stretched out the hamstrings and then got on this thing called Nu Step http://www.nustep.com/. I try to concentrate on keeping my left hip down on the seat, the knee coming back straight, and not rolling my ankle. I did 5 minutes each at 3 different seat locations, continually moving forward. It was a little ouchy at the end.

Then I laid down on the table and bent each leg up 10, then lifted the leg straight for 10 and repeated it for 2 sets on each leg. So far so good. Then he added a strap to my leg and had me bend it as far as I could then pull the strap and hold for 15 seconds. Not too bad, right? Yeah, until you continue to pull the strap 2 more times and hold for 15 seconds each. I did 3 on each leg and I have to tell you I left 3 wet marks all over the sheet where my forehead and wrists just sweat ....um...wait, lightly perspired...yeah, that's better. Holy moly.

Then I sat up on the table and he stretched them. This was nothing like my previous physical terrorist where I would end up crying, but it did stretch until it hurt. I was able to help stretch it back further, and Jeff was pleased.

I finished up on this funky recumbent bike, or at least one very similar. It's different than the recumbents I've used at the gym before. It sits more upright but your legs are stretched out. As no good deed goes unpunished, and I did so good yesterday, I started with my seat position one more notch forward. Good so far. Another one of these deals where you go 5 minutes and then move the seat forward again. So, at the end I was as far forward as I've been so far. He liked it so well that for the last minute we moved it up yet one more notch. Yikes. Yeah, that hurt, but I was glad I could do it. I practiced actually pulling my toes up as I made the revolution up, and that really made the knee stretch. Again, Jeff was happy with my progress


Tonight we iced since it was a pretty strenuous workout. I'm scheduled for 8:30 in the morning tomorrow. Just another day in paradise!

Physical Therapy - Day 2 - Wednesday

I continue to be impressed by Jeff Conforti. Despite the surgeon telling me he bent my knees to 120 degrees during the manipulation, they are getting roughly 95 degrees flexion when cold right now. We have discontinued me pedaling my spin bike at home until I get 100 degrees flexion in the left leg. This is because while I have managed to spin, I have sacrificed form to compensate for the fact that I don't have the flexion to really spin correctly. By lifting my left hip, bending my left knee inward, and dipping my ankle down I was able to make the revolution. But I was not making the revolution by correctly bending my leg and not compensating. I hope what I just wrote makes sense when you read it.

Anyway, today we tried to start out on the elliptical but it was evident within the first 2 minutes that it wasn't working due to the lack of flexion. Again, I had to compensate too much form to do it correctly. We nixed that and began doing some stretching exercises, again trying to stretch the hamstring. While I was face down doing one of the exercises, I sensed someone coming to my side. She said, "Donna Gault, I know that's not your last name now. How are you?" It is a small world. Who knew little Shannon Benner would grow up to be such a beautiful physical therapist?!! But I digress. We then went to some equipment and ended up on that funky bike. The good news is that we were able to move the seat forward one more notch at the end. Jeff thinks that we reached 95 degrees flexion today and I'm happy with that. I've got to take every little bit of progress I can as I feel I am all but starting all over.

Physical Therapy

I mentioned before that I was going to try a new physical therapist. I met with Conforti today and I have nothing but good to say so far. He has his PhD. and what a different appointment this was. This wasn't like my other PT sessions where I wamred it all up and the therapist bent the hell out of me. He spent a lot of time checking out the biomechanics of my legs and explaining how things work. I've known for a long time that my legs are funky and that things don't necessarily work the way they should. He just confirmed it and while technically the new knee and all the muscles and everyhing line up, the way they really work doesn't. When he twisted my thigh out and my calf in, amazingly everything bent without pain. I don't completely extend my left leg when I walk. Undoing 56 years of walking a certain way is going to take a lot of concentration.

We talked about how I walk and how I sit and I will be trying to make adjustments. I don't know what kind of bike he had me on today. It wasn't a spin bike and it wasn't a recumbent. Regardless, we worked on form and making my hamstrings stronger. I know that when I'm on the bike my right leg does the work and I compensate on the left because it doesn't want to bend correctly.

I had first appointment on Tuesday, October 12 and will go every day this week and Monday and Tuesday next week. We'll see how I'm doing and more importantly what insurance will pay for. Crazy world where the right thing is determined by an insurance company and not the condition of the patient or the recommendations of the professionals. This will only get worse under Obamacare and was one good reason for doing this now.

Manipulation Under Anesthesia

I was scheduled for this procedure at the Surgical Center in Allentown at 6:15 AM on Monday, October 11. I love it when holdiays like Columbus day come at such a convenient time. We arrived home from Disney, went to GAWT in the Finger Lakes, then home again home just in time for this procedure. The surgeon assures me that this will break down the adhesions (scar tissue) and will give me 120 degrees flexion. I hope he's right.

I think the procedure itself took less than 5 minutes to perform. It took longer to do the IV and knock me out! I do know that he shot the anesthesia stuff into the IV, I kissed Brent good bye, and I don't remember going out the doors from the holding area. That's some powerful shit!

It was a long trip home. I had the ice bags from the surgical center, and Brent brought others so we switched them out on the way home. All day it was 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. I know I cried for about 2 hours straight because my right leg hurt from the ankle to my hip. About an hour into it I took 2 darvocet which knocked me out and took care of the pain. I wasn't in any pain really for the rest of the night. I took one pill before bed just to insure a good night and really, I had the best night's sleep in a week.

All I can say is that I really hope this does the trick.

GAWT VIII

There is just nothing to a year, and with the Lost Summer, it seems like time is rolling along very quickly. It's gonna be Christmas before I blink. 2010 marks the eighth year for our family's Great American Wine Tour (GAWT). It is the best time to touch base with my cousins and keep those connections alive. This year we're doing Cayuga lake...you know...the one made famous in Cornell's song.

Here Bent, Rick, Dad and Mom contemplate their selections.
Memory and Marta were talking and comparing wines until I went to snap a pic and then I couldn't get them to face forward. Grrrr.
The guy doing the pouring was kind of funny until he slopped the wine all over my hand. Maureen, Paul, and Memory were intent on their next selection.

Only mine brither remembered to wear his GAWT shirt. Two years ago we had them made for everyone at Daily Screen Printing (a little plug).

We all gathered at the Cobblestone in Geneva for dinner. My cousins Jaqui, Paula and her husband Bill, and my Aunt Carolyn were unable to join us on the tour this year, but they did come for dinner.

Jaqui, or should I address her now as Dr. Brooks?, just finished her PhD. in physical therapy. Was this good timing or what? She made me feel much better about the upcoming manipulation procedure. She assured me that this was not the result of anything I did or did not do. She finds that the adhesions occur more with young patients who don't get the flexion due to scarring but regain their strength quickly. Unlike older people who regain flexion but take much longer to regain strength. She made me feel better about what was to come, telling me I would be very sore, but nothing like coming out of the surgery with the knee replacements. I pray she's right.

Disney's Wine and Food Festival

I attended this several years ago with Renee when we went to do the Everest Challenge. We had a total blast. We started on the Mexico side of the World Showcase and ate/drank our way to the American Pavillion. Thank goodness we wanted to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy play because we were definitely feeling the effects of drinking our way 'round the world.

Brent and I began out day attending one of the Lafitte tastings. It was very interesting...and the price was right! Most of the wine/food pairing meals were out of our price range but we thoroughly enjoyed this lecture/tasting.

We began with beer. Strange, I know. 15 Beers 15 Years had samplers of 3 beers, so we were able to try 6 different ones. I'm not much of a beer drinker and honestly, I only liked one of them. Which meant Brent, my poor beleaguered husband, had to drink the other 5. Poor guy.

This year they have passports which include all the different kiosks and their offerings. You can then get your passport stamped at each stop. Disney makes it very easy for you to spend vast quantities of money without really realizing it with their gift card deal. Just load the card up with $$ charged to your credit card then you can swipe their handy-dandy gift card through the reader making your food/wine transactions much quicker. Add that to the allure of having each kiosk stamp your passport with their unique stamp, and it's the recipe for a very expensive afternoon.

Everyone is so very happy to serve you the food and beverages of their country.

I had no idea that there was a drawbridge and that they brought the Illuminations globe out into the lagoon early in the afternoon.

Hey, ya gotta take a little break from the food and wine or you'll never get around the world!

Wednesday in the Magic Kingdom

Brent and Loren went to the Space Center giving Deb and I a free day to indulge ourselves in the Magic Kingdom. Deb is a huge Tigger fan so she was quite thrilled to find Tigger and Pooh hanging out. And that Tigger was in quite a playful mood. He took Deb's ears and put them on Pooh's nose! Silly tiger.

We couldn't pass over a little shoot 'em up at Buzz Lightyear.

We had dinner at the Wave and out plan was to go back to the Magic Kingdom for the electric parade and Wishes. But honestly, we were just too tired so we opted to head back to our hotel for some champagne and a little hot tub time instead. Yup. Disney has something for eveyone!