Wahoo!

And today, the staples came out!!

I had a dream recently (did I mention it?) that when I went in for the appointment, they just helped me out with the stim machine but never even looked at my leg. Waking up, I immediately realized how goofy a nightmare that was.

Especially since, first thing, my leg was unwrapped and the staples were yanked. Har.

Anyway, the athletic trainer asked how I was doing... and I said I wasn't in as much pain as I'd expected; that my surgeon had said the first month sucked for everyone. He said, with all the other people he'd seen (and he hoped I wasn't offended by referring to it as a sort of common surgery), it was the third month that was the worst, when people want to be walking again but are still on crutches.

That was kind of a shocker to both DH and myself. I was wondering if I'd be off crutches closer to 8 weeks, but apparently not! DH had 6 weeks as the critical time in his head. I guess it's nothing but a reality check.

So I was unwrapped and another woman came over with the staple remover cut. I asked to not watch, so they let my lie down, and DH went to get water (since last time I was woozy). The athletic trainer and the woman doing the work laughed at us... but then admitted I did good, in terms of not freaking out at having them pulled. It STUNG. And occasionally, made me twitch, but it was for a good cause.

The incision immediately flattened out, much to my excitement, and as the woman was applying the steri-strips to it, the young cute PA (YCPA) came over and started my appointment with me. Nothing much, really. No comments on the little bump at the end of the incision, so it mustn't have been of concern. She made sure I had no calf pain, said I was allowed to unlock my brace, told me I could do a bit more (but that I should lock the brace when I'm going anywhere), and said that I should come back in 3-4 weeks to see the surgeon.

The athletic trainer gave us some new exercises (and I do mean us - I can't do leg lifts, which is kind of pathetic, so DH has to actually lift my leg until I can... but I'm already getting a little better), helped clear up how to use the evil stim machine, and then sent us on our way.

Of course, as I was crutching out, my phone rang. I sighed and said "everyone's just going to have to listen to it," to which a different athletic trainer said "Your own personal exit music." Bwhahaha.

We were unable to make an appointment, on the spot, for the surgeon (as he is booked until January), so we're waiting for a callback. That, however, is when I will be released for work. The boss was hoping for 4 weeks - looks like at least 5. Well, oh well.

Otherwise, the day went fine. I am only able to get my leg up to 70 degrees (it was at 0, so I guess that's SOMETHING), but not entirely comfortably. So I left the brace looked at 70, so that it has no reason to stop before it should. 120 degrees is apparently full range of motion, so I have a ways to go. Tomorrow, I want to master 70 and maybe unlock it to 80. We shall see.

And from here, I get to focus a lot of my time and effort on my PT. It's good for me, dammit, and why I am off work! To recover, dammit!!