Not Yet Ready

This the results after my cuz took all my money on the golf course.

The day he left, I had physical therapy.  One look at my knee and the therapist ask me what happened.  (The knee was a bit more swollen than normal.)  I told her I may have abused my knee a little because my cuz and his wife were in town and we entertained them.

From our more than one conversation over the last month telling her how frustrated I've been, asking her when I would be able to get out more and play golf, the first thing she asked was, "Did you play golf?".  Of course, I was brave and took the high road responding, "I can not answer that question on the grounds it may incriminate me".

So after a limited set of exercises, she used a solid cup of ice and applied it directly on my knee for five minutes.  I think she enjoyed this, since it caused me some discomfort.  She then wrapped my knee in a cold pact and zapped me with electronic pulses.  After which she tapped my knee to help reduce the swelling and told me I was not yet ready for prime time.

So what is the moral of this story?  ... "It's not worth losing your rent and beer money, and incur the wrath of your physical therapist. One or the other would be acceptable, but not both."

Momorial Day Weekend

This weekend was a little busy.  Jack VanArsdall stopped by Saturday.  I worked with him at GTE/Verizon and have known him for 30 plus years.  He retired and moved to Hot Springs Village outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas.  He and his wife have been here before and we've visited them in Hot Springs Village.  Unfortunately his wife passed last August so he is still adjusting to the change.  He is on a month long road trip visiting friends and family.  His son lives in Ocala, about 30 minutes from The Villages.  He is thinking of renting or purchasing something close to his son, so I hope to see more of him in the future.

Les and Linda were also here.  They were visiting their daughter in Naples and stopped by for a few days.  We had a great visit and enjoyed their company.  Les and I are very good strategists.  We played a game against the girls that required enormous skill and strategy.  It probably was not fair for both of us to be on the same team, but no one said it had to be fair.  The short story is we are the Champions.  You can asked the ladies for details.  We are too humble to say much more.

  However, my economic power took a hit.  Les took advantage of a one legged guy and took my rent and beer money in a high stakes golf game.  Since they left, I've spent most of my time under the bridge selling apples.  I'm hoping to save enough money to make a trip to Ohio for Golf Week so I can recoup my losses and begin to live in a style I would like to become accustom too.

I hope your Memorial Weekend was as great as ours and that you remembered those that gave their all for our freedom.

Looking Too Good

The bandages have been removed, but I noticed my scar looks too good.  I may have to cut it again with a dull blade so people can see it.  If no one sees it and don't ask me about it, how will I be able to nonchalantly tell them a story about how great an athlete I am.  (I haven't come up with a good story, but I'll think of one when I get a beer or two in me.  If you have a good story, let me know.  If it's good enough, I'm not against plagiarism.)

I still have to use the brace, but with a cane I can easily get around.  The problem is that the brace is still set on 0% so I am limited in bending my knee.  In therapy I can bend it over 90%, but the doc wants it on 0% when I put weight on it.  I'm hoping my next appointment with the doc in mid June will allow me more flexibility.  July golf week is coming fast and if I'm to win all that Ohio money, I need all the flexibility I can get.

Week 4 Doctor Follow-Up

I had a follow-up with the surgeon today.  The good news is I can decide when I can walk with or without a walker, crutches, or cane.  The bad news is that I will still have the brace on at least until my next appointment, which is in six weeks.  He further informed me it will be a long process and I still can not drive.

Now for some details.  The Physical Therapist (PT) moved my brace to 10% and expected to open it up an additional 10% each week.  Wrong!  The doc set it back to 0% and told me it should stay there anytime I walk, at least until I see him in six weeks.  The PT also had me bending my knee as much as I could.  I could get to 85%, but it was painful.  The doc told me not to push it.  At this stage anything in the 75% to 80% will be OK.  He wants to give the sewing and mending more time to heal before we push it.  The PT folks also nuke (electric pulses) my knee to get the muscles to work, but one is still not work very well.

I can put weight on my leg as long as I wear the brace.  However, I'm not ready to walk without an aide.  Currently using the walker I can feel my knee give out.  The brace holds the knee straight so it doesn't collapse and I don't fall on the ground.  I'm hoping maybe a week or three I will have enough strength in my knee to get rid of the walker and use a cane.  I do exercises two or three times a day and I'm pretty much tired of doing nothing.

So it's back to working my leg muscles and knee, walking with the brace, and hoping for the best.