Well, It has been just over two years since I have played soccer, despite those few times I tried before knowing my ACl was garbage! It has been a very very long two years. the first year was pretty much me figuring out what the eff was wrong with my silly knee, after I was told it was just a meniscal tear and I could play sports again in a few months- well that was just wrong- thanks along Christine-my physio therapist!!!!! The next year was pretty much me trying to get in touch with a surgeon for a surgery date.
It has now been almost FIVE MONTH since my surgery- things are looking A-Ok!- for the most part. December was rough because as everyone knows, the busess in Ottawa were on Strike!- which left it very hard for my to get to physio! Not to say that I don't have things that I can do at home, but going there is very beneficial- they have machines that I don't have- and just new things to do everytime, so I thought two months missing out was going to bring me down- as did my Physio therapist, Mike. However, Ye of little faith!!!! I went back to physio this past tuesday and...Success my knee is doing great. My knee extention is surpsing. I love that I can look back to 4 months ago, and remember when I couldn't lift my heel off the ground, or even flex my leg!... I am reformed! :)
I am allowed to get back onto the treadmill- rather than the bike- so I am excited for that... but I am supposed to "ease" into it- no thanks! haha, just kidding, but really, it's going to be hard to just do a little bit here and there, but that's just how its going to be.
I have a "knee test" on thursday at physio-next week! not sure what that will entail, but hopefully I do well. AND THEN after that I am only to see my physio guy again before I see my Surgeon in March, and then maybe a few more times after that!...following which is, Soccer time!!!!!!
a word to Moes Goons this year- be prepared, Moe will be back!!!!!!!!!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Long and The Short of it....
Hey Folks, here's the latest 4-1-1 on the Road to soccer...
Good News- I have re-kindled my love for the gym! I got the A-OK to go back to the gym! So I have been a few times, and its quite nerve racking! yikes! ... I am allowed to do most things, except for leg extensions and the treadmill/elliptical! My knee is pretty weak. To have a precise measurement my left quad is 3 cms smaller than my right! That is a significant of muscle mass lost! (No, I did not measure my own leg, my Dr. did! ... and yes those 3 cms are muscle, not fat! ha!)
Walking around makes me nervous. I am constantly watching every person's next move, to avoid that awkward:
"two-step" you-stepped-my-way-and then-we-step-the-other-way-at-the-same-time-deal. Because that side to side movement freaks me out... I do not need my knee to roll over.
My leg also enjoys giving out on me from time-to-time. Like if I miss a bump in my path and I miss-calculate the amount of weight or force on my knee, it just decides it doesn't want to hold me up...hooray! :( I tripped today actually and did one of those..."it's okay, I'm just running" kinda things so no one would notice!... I doubt it was successful.
I have been to the bar a few times without my lovely one of a kind, state-of the-art, knee splint!... I didnt think much about it, because I was hammered...probably not the best idea in the world, but how am I to wear a dress and look pretty with that hideous accessory?
Physio is going well, although I am running out of funds, and fast!... haha.
My leg extension is better than ever. For those who want to test this themselves:
Sit on the floor with your legs out straight and flex your quad. If you're a girl, more than likely your leg extension is naturally better. While flexing you will notice that your ankle and your calf come nicely off the floor, while your knee stays flat on the floor surface.... now imagine flexing your calf as hard as you can and not having any of that happen, well, that WAS me, but not anymore, suckers!
I can successfully keep my knee flat on the floor, which is the hardest part. However, I lack in the amount of "air" i get with my calf and ankle... but one step at a time, son.
My Dr. has told me that I am on track to play soccer at the 6 month mark- which means March 23rd. My next apt. is March 16th with the Dr. so we'll see how that goes. first i must purchase this extravagant $1300.00, knee brace... don't bother taking a second glance, you're correct, it's not a typo, i meant THIRTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS... it's okay, I'm just gonna go outside to my balcony and grab it off my money tree.
how many days now?... lets see, 28 days left in Dec + 31 in January + 28 in Feb. + 23 in March to bring me to my 6 month mark = 110 days!!
sweet.
Good News- I have re-kindled my love for the gym! I got the A-OK to go back to the gym! So I have been a few times, and its quite nerve racking! yikes! ... I am allowed to do most things, except for leg extensions and the treadmill/elliptical! My knee is pretty weak. To have a precise measurement my left quad is 3 cms smaller than my right! That is a significant of muscle mass lost! (No, I did not measure my own leg, my Dr. did! ... and yes those 3 cms are muscle, not fat! ha!)
Walking around makes me nervous. I am constantly watching every person's next move, to avoid that awkward:
"two-step" you-stepped-my-way-and then-we-step-the-other-way-at-the-same-time-deal. Because that side to side movement freaks me out... I do not need my knee to roll over.
My leg also enjoys giving out on me from time-to-time. Like if I miss a bump in my path and I miss-calculate the amount of weight or force on my knee, it just decides it doesn't want to hold me up...hooray! :( I tripped today actually and did one of those..."it's okay, I'm just running" kinda things so no one would notice!... I doubt it was successful.
I have been to the bar a few times without my lovely one of a kind, state-of the-art, knee splint!... I didnt think much about it, because I was hammered...probably not the best idea in the world, but how am I to wear a dress and look pretty with that hideous accessory?
Physio is going well, although I am running out of funds, and fast!... haha.
My leg extension is better than ever. For those who want to test this themselves:
Sit on the floor with your legs out straight and flex your quad. If you're a girl, more than likely your leg extension is naturally better. While flexing you will notice that your ankle and your calf come nicely off the floor, while your knee stays flat on the floor surface.... now imagine flexing your calf as hard as you can and not having any of that happen, well, that WAS me, but not anymore, suckers!
I can successfully keep my knee flat on the floor, which is the hardest part. However, I lack in the amount of "air" i get with my calf and ankle... but one step at a time, son.
My Dr. has told me that I am on track to play soccer at the 6 month mark- which means March 23rd. My next apt. is March 16th with the Dr. so we'll see how that goes. first i must purchase this extravagant $1300.00, knee brace... don't bother taking a second glance, you're correct, it's not a typo, i meant THIRTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS... it's okay, I'm just gonna go outside to my balcony and grab it off my money tree.
how many days now?... lets see, 28 days left in Dec + 31 in January + 28 in Feb. + 23 in March to bring me to my 6 month mark = 110 days!!
sweet.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Soccer?
The only thing that has kept me paying $50.00 twice a week for physio is the idea of soccer...
under 200 days away.
under 200 days away.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Up to Date...
To all those following my progress, here is a new post to update all of you... I know I haven't written in a while, So I will do my best to remember. I have begun a more indepth part of my rehabilitation. Physio has provided me with many exercises that both strengthen and stretch my knee. For those who may even want to strengthen their own knee, or are worried about the muscles around them, these exercises are also very helpful in preventing ACL injuries. Ever day I am responsible for the following: Icing my leg.
Ice.Ice.Ice.Ice!!!!!!!! My knee is pretty swollen still, which prevent healing. Matt has decided to call it "Knighs"..... knee and thigh.... Thanks Matt! (haha)
Stretch: Let my heel hang on something higher, to stretch the back of my leg out. Gradually add weight to my knee to push my knee down.
Leg raises: Done with an appropriate amount of weight around the ankle. I am at two pounds on my ankle. Raise the leg while lying on your back, hold for 5 seconds in the air and bring it back down. The most important part of this is to remember to clench and flex your quad muscles.
Quad Tightening: tighten my quad, hold it for 20 seconds, let go, and repeat. repeat.repeat.repeat! Step ups: Stepping up onto the step with the weak leg and slow step back down, shifting the weight to my strong leg as I step down.
Calf raises: self explanitory.
Leg bends. This is what I have had most trouble with. Its excruciating when my leg hasn't bent in weeks and I am supposed to push through the pain. I find this very difficult.
I did have a successful week at physio though!!!!... I CAN PEDDLE ALL THE WAY AROUND ON THE BIKE!!!!!!!!!...WOOOHOOO... Which may not sound like much- but it was definately rewarding.... Biking is one step closer to running, which is one step closer to playing soccer again. It's almost been a month and I can walk- without a splint, indoors, ride a bike, have gained more of my muscle back, and can bend my leg MUCH farther!... Things are looking up!
Soccer, approximately 200 days away.
Ice.Ice.Ice.Ice!!!!!!!! My knee is pretty swollen still, which prevent healing. Matt has decided to call it "Knighs"..... knee and thigh.... Thanks Matt! (haha)
Stretch: Let my heel hang on something higher, to stretch the back of my leg out. Gradually add weight to my knee to push my knee down.
Leg raises: Done with an appropriate amount of weight around the ankle. I am at two pounds on my ankle. Raise the leg while lying on your back, hold for 5 seconds in the air and bring it back down. The most important part of this is to remember to clench and flex your quad muscles.
Quad Tightening: tighten my quad, hold it for 20 seconds, let go, and repeat. repeat.repeat.repeat! Step ups: Stepping up onto the step with the weak leg and slow step back down, shifting the weight to my strong leg as I step down.
Calf raises: self explanitory.
Leg bends. This is what I have had most trouble with. Its excruciating when my leg hasn't bent in weeks and I am supposed to push through the pain. I find this very difficult.
I did have a successful week at physio though!!!!... I CAN PEDDLE ALL THE WAY AROUND ON THE BIKE!!!!!!!!!...WOOOHOOO... Which may not sound like much- but it was definately rewarding.... Biking is one step closer to running, which is one step closer to playing soccer again. It's almost been a month and I can walk- without a splint, indoors, ride a bike, have gained more of my muscle back, and can bend my leg MUCH farther!... Things are looking up!
Soccer, approximately 200 days away.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Crutchless!
Friday evening Ashley came over and kept me company, as I was still finding it very hard to get around on my crutches....So I continued to do my physio in hopes that something good is going to come from it!
You don't know how good it feels to walk- until that gift is taken away from you!
approx. 212 days until I return to the pitch....
So, Saturday morning I woke up- my leg was feeling pretty strong, although I was still hesistant to put all my weight on it. I showered which took a million years, but I am getting better at it. It sucks because I still can't get my wounds wet, until they have fully healed. I crutched around the rest of saturday morning.
I spent the morning not understanding the movie I was watching on T.V, and then I just said to myself..."well, lets just see what happens if I walk"... my knee was giving me trouble the day before, but I just became a bit impatient. So, i tighten my brace all the way and stood up and....SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am officially crutch free. (Success, as a result of constant physio exercises...)
I spent the morning not understanding the movie I was watching on T.V, and then I just said to myself..."well, lets just see what happens if I walk"... my knee was giving me trouble the day before, but I just became a bit impatient. So, i tighten my brace all the way and stood up and....SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am officially crutch free. (Success, as a result of constant physio exercises...)
It pretty much felt like Christmas to me.
You don't know how good it feels to walk- until that gift is taken away from you!
approx. 212 days until I return to the pitch....
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Day numero uno at Physio!
So, this afternoon was my first day at physio.
Physio is magical, but its also hard work. They ice you, stretch you out, and made me able to bend me knee more that I thought I could... the bend in my knee doubled by the time I had left.
I am starting to walk via crutches, its slow, but feels MUCH better. Its slower than just using crutches normally. But its a relief and makes me feel better!... i love it. So i have to keep practicing. I also was given strectches to do, twice daily, so I have to stay very focussed on that!...My Physio therapist says if I am dilligent I should be able to ditch the crutches in a matter of days... and definately by the next physio appointment. BUT, I should use them as a defence mechanism when I am out and on the bus, to avoid people bumping into me.
Walking feels very weird. And after seeing my doctor on monday , i felt very abandoned by my health care professionals. No one was near me when i put my foot on the floor again. It was a weird sensation in my toes and up my leg- like I was learning to walk again- only on just one leg. My leg felt very weak, I was nervous and unsteady. Good thing my doctor didn't stick around to help me. He also tried to take my splint away- when I still need it, even for walking for the next few weeks... my doctors suck.
Physio is magical, but its also hard work. They ice you, stretch you out, and made me able to bend me knee more that I thought I could... the bend in my knee doubled by the time I had left.
I am starting to walk via crutches, its slow, but feels MUCH better. Its slower than just using crutches normally. But its a relief and makes me feel better!... i love it. So i have to keep practicing. I also was given strectches to do, twice daily, so I have to stay very focussed on that!...My Physio therapist says if I am dilligent I should be able to ditch the crutches in a matter of days... and definately by the next physio appointment. BUT, I should use them as a defence mechanism when I am out and on the bus, to avoid people bumping into me.
Walking feels very weird. And after seeing my doctor on monday , i felt very abandoned by my health care professionals. No one was near me when i put my foot on the floor again. It was a weird sensation in my toes and up my leg- like I was learning to walk again- only on just one leg. My leg felt very weak, I was nervous and unsteady. Good thing my doctor didn't stick around to help me. He also tried to take my splint away- when I still need it, even for walking for the next few weeks... my doctors suck.
However, now, I am learning exercises to shift my weight from foot to foot, gradually bend my knee through my exercises. It feels nice and much better than yesterday... every day is better than the one before... I just gotta take these baby steps, do my exercises and stay focussed on the bigger picture.
Soccer... months away- but has never been closer!!
Soccer... months away- but has never been closer!!
It has to be worse, before it gets better....
So, Yesterday was probably the hardest day so far.
I went back to work for a half day on Monday, because I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon. Matt was great, drove me to work, picked me up from work, drove me to the hospital and drove me home, even made sure I ate some!... Matt is great.
Yesterday however, was very hard. I had to bus to work, which makes you think twice about all the rude people in the world... People who look at you struggling to get on the bus, and shove past you- almost knocking you over, just to get on before you. People who watch you struggle to pick something off the groud, trying to hold onto your crutches, and just watch- don't help you pick up your bus tickets- or whatever you may have dropped. This actually happened yesterday. My leg was across the two seats I was sitting on- because no one would get up and give my the priority seating- fine. So because of my splint. I can't my leg, so I can't sit forward in the seats, so i sat across to, with my leg across the seats, because thats the only way I could sit and fit in. I had my beg in my lap aswell. This lady, actually came to my seat and starred at me for about 5 seconds and said... "well, is this seat taken?".... I had to take a deep breath before I replied to her- because I wanted to slap her across the face. I just said..."sorry, there is nothing I can do, because I am not standing....".... I guess people are that stupid.
Its pretty hard getting around my apartment, getting juice and eating is the hardest, because unless I want to stand and eat on at my counter, it can't be done. And the worst feeling came yesterday. My sock was wet because it was raining when I came home. So my foot was wet and freezing, except, there was nothing I can do, because I can't bed my knee to get to my foot... until Val came home- but really...its hard to not to be able to do the simple things- esp. things like put on socks.
At work my knee is sore and I can't stop doing work- I also can't rely on percocets during the day, or else I will fall asleep at my job!
Yesterday however, was very hard. I had to bus to work, which makes you think twice about all the rude people in the world... People who look at you struggling to get on the bus, and shove past you- almost knocking you over, just to get on before you. People who watch you struggle to pick something off the groud, trying to hold onto your crutches, and just watch- don't help you pick up your bus tickets- or whatever you may have dropped. This actually happened yesterday. My leg was across the two seats I was sitting on- because no one would get up and give my the priority seating- fine. So because of my splint. I can't my leg, so I can't sit forward in the seats, so i sat across to, with my leg across the seats, because thats the only way I could sit and fit in. I had my beg in my lap aswell. This lady, actually came to my seat and starred at me for about 5 seconds and said... "well, is this seat taken?".... I had to take a deep breath before I replied to her- because I wanted to slap her across the face. I just said..."sorry, there is nothing I can do, because I am not standing....".... I guess people are that stupid.
Its pretty hard getting around my apartment, getting juice and eating is the hardest, because unless I want to stand and eat on at my counter, it can't be done. And the worst feeling came yesterday. My sock was wet because it was raining when I came home. So my foot was wet and freezing, except, there was nothing I can do, because I can't bed my knee to get to my foot... until Val came home- but really...its hard to not to be able to do the simple things- esp. things like put on socks.
At work my knee is sore and I can't stop doing work- I also can't rely on percocets during the day, or else I will fall asleep at my job!
Despite all the shittyness of this situation... Playing soccer again will be heaven, and that is what is getting me through it all...
Its worse now... but each day is one day closer to the end.
Its worse now... but each day is one day closer to the end.
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