Post surgery exercise Video

I am attempting to figure out how to create and post videos here on the blog. This first one...should it work, is days 3 and 4 post surgery. These were exercises that the surgery center and her PT's advised her to do. It is important to get movement back in her leg and knee. Her goals by the time she went back to see the doctor were to get her leg straight and also to get her knee at a 90 degree angle. Keeping in mind she didn't see her doctor for a week and a half after surgery.

oh, look I did it!!! Yay me! I will be working on more videos of her PT sessions. At least the first few. I'm not sure how many Kevin recorded. She used the sock on one foot so it made it easier for her to slide her foot.

Below is a scanned photo of the actual surgery if anyone is interested and not squeamish. I tried to include the notations...I'm hoping this is okay to do...if not someone let me know so I can take it off.

The Journey Continues....

Well, we have all three done terrible at keeping this blog updated. It seems I'm the one who really loves blogging so I will keep this going to the best of my ability. I'll try to backtrack and get caught up on the recovery so that if anyone happens upon this blog you will have an idea of how things have gone. I am also going to attempt to upload some videos of her PT appointments. I'm about 2 1/2 months behind in posting...yikes. That was NOT the plan! We just got so busy with healing and getting things going, that it just slipped my mind. I'll try to remember!


NOVEMBER: Lots of compassion and patience are needed. The pain killers will definitely affect their emotions as well as taking away the pain. I noticed that the pain meds (generic vicadin) caused Kaitlynn's emotions to pretty much flat line, but then at times she would be overly emotional. She had a hard time focusing and just couldn't quite articulate or think through what she needed or how she was feeling. I really felt for her. Let's see...she went back to her college classes 11 days after surgery. We scheduled it so she was only missing 2 classes and she was able to make them up. Obviously having surgery wasn't in the plans when we signed up for college classes. We had to drive her to classes 3 days a week until she could drive again. For the first several weeks she had her crutches so we would park and help her up to class. They gave her a temporary handicap permit since trying to find parking could prove for a long walk. She saw the doctor the week after thanksgiving and he was pleased with how things were looking. She saw the PT the following week. Most ACL patients will see their doctor shortly after surgery and will start PT right away but because of the holidays we weren't able to do that. However we did have her working on some things that they suggested she do and that the doctors office said to do. There was to be no full weight bearing for a few weeks. She did very well with her PT though we had to remind her to do her exercises. I believe within 2-3 weeks she was walking without crutches at home and only used them in places where it wasn't as "safe". We were staying at Kevin's parents for the first week because they don't have stairs and we do. Once we came home, she slept downstairs for another week on a recliner until she felt like making the trek up our stairs. The ice machine has been great. I highly recommend it. We do some outings but nothing too long since she gets tired with the crutches and can't quite walk completely on it.

After we took the bandages off. The T was the initial of the Dr. also, our last initial.

I read this article title to Kaitlynn a few days after surgery. I said we needed to try that trick.

DECEMBER: We keep using the essential oils and she stops using the pain meds after the first week of surgery. We keep using the ice machine a few times a day. She seems to be healing very well. One thing we have noticed is the right side of her knee hasn't quite gained feeling back (as of Feb. 5). She tell someone is touching it but it doesn't feel the same. Apparently this can be normal when using the Patella tendon. She continues to go to therapy 3 times a week, but towards the end they cut it down to only one day to try and reserve the number of visits she gets. Also because she is doing well with being motivated to do her exercises at home. She is having trouble getting her quad to activate though so we borrow a device (I believe it's called a TENS machine) that she hooks up to her leg to stimulate the nerves so that she can then activate the muscle in order to lift her leg. We continue with the supplements and oils which I think have helped alot. Also making sure she is eating foods that are high in nutrients to keep her inactive (more so than usual) body healthy. She is now without crutches completely and doing very well. She starts driving by Christmas. She is also making great strides with the PT and doctor feels like she is doing well and probably will even be able to golf come end of February. The other thing that had to be worked out a lot was the scar tissue. That was uncomfortable but necessary. The PT worked on that each visit and she worked on it at home as well.

JANUARY: Continuing to do well. We laugh though at how much smaller her right quad has become compared to her left. She has begun to go to the gym to use the treadmill, bike and do her other exercises. She is only seeing PT once a week because she is doing so well on her own. They have her increasing her walking distance and speed. The doctor and PT are pleased with her recovery. Her gait is almost back to normal, but not quite 100%.

Okay, I think I'm caught up...I will try to stay up to date as well. As always, please feel free to ask questions. Below are some pictures that were taken shortly after surgery, once we removed the bandages. I am working on putting together a few videos from her PT sessions.

 Christmas morning...this is the TENS machine she used to help stimulate her nerves.

We discovered these crazy bruises a few weeks about a week after surgery. She thought it was stains from the surgery. Nope, bruises.