Monday Minute: Another 13.1 in the books!

Yesterday, I completed my fourth half marathon. This time I walked as I don't run anymore. Crossing the finish line was surreal. Two years ago, I stood on the finish line watching my friend Barb walk/run and thinking about how I would never experience that again. I signed up to walk with Barb and my sister this year. Training didn't go so well since it was hard finding the time to walk with Carter and when I wasn't working. I decided to still do it and I'm so proud of myself for not giving up and grateful that my knees survived. Crossing that finish line with tears in my eyes because I had done it! I had come from thinking I would never do it again to doing it. If I do it again, I'll definitely train harder! Happy walking!!

10 Things They Don't Tell You About Knee Surgery

Obviously I have neglected my blog in the last month. At this point, I'm lucky if I manage to get myself fed, clothed and out the door to whatever adventure awaits - mostly just work. I've made progress though and to date I am down to one crutch and the brace. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be no crutches and I have been cleared to go swimming! So next Monday I make my return to LA Fitness.

Today marks two months since my surgery. It's hard to believe that it has been that long, especially since I had so much more done during my procedure than expected. I have learned so much these last few weeks about surgery and recovery. The few pamphlets they give you at the hospital don't even begin to cover what a patient goes through. I could write a book!

Here's just 10 things they don't tell you or conveniently forget to tell you about having knee surgery (apparently from what I've heard, help is provided with most of these during knee replacement though):

1. If you are one of the last surgeries of the day, you can believe those hospital employees want to go home just as much as you do at the end of your shift. It doesn't matter how much pain you are in or how incredibly nauseous you are from the surgery, you are getting kicked out of the hospital. I was so sick to my stomach but the only solution was - "Here honey take this [ugly green barf bag]. You'll be fine." Yeah, especially when the hospital is on a circle that we have to spin around to get out!

Lesson: Suck it up and bring ginger ale!

2. It doesn't matter what they are operating on - you have to take all of your clothes off even if your knee is two feet away from your underwear.

Lesson: Suck it up again and try not to think about it!

3. Pot holes and knee surgery are not a match. You think you are pain free until you ride as a passenger in Pittsburgh during pot hole season. Not even just pot holes but riding in the car in general hurts.

Lesson: Go for car rides as infrequently as possible and be proactive and lift your leg up if the terrain looks bumpy ahead.

4. For approximately a month, you barely function due to the exhaustion. The brace makes sleeping incredibly uncomfortable. I had trouble sleeping laying down in a bed, so I spent two to three weeks in the love seat. I would literally fall asleep on the floor in the middle of the day working on my exercises.
Lesson: Perfect the art of napping because sleeping at night is not an option.

5. Showering is terrifying! You aren't allowed to shower until a few days after surgery and then you have to saran wrap the suture. Getting in the shower, standing in there and getting out those first few weeks was treacherous.
Lesson: Use the crutches or get an old pair. I figured this out too late.

6. Your life revolves around physical therapy. I have daily exercises and then I spend at least three hours a week with my physical therapist. The first few weeks I spent a few hours a day in a stretching machine.
Lesson: It really is the only way you will get better!

7. The first few days I couldn't be left alone and if I was I didn't like to move without someone in the house. I had to make sure I went the bathroom and had a drink, medicine and ice before visitors would leave.
Lesson: Make sure your crutches are close by when people leave as well. Dennis was notorious for moving my crutches and then forgetting to put them close when he went to work. Thank God for my long arms and flexibility!

8. Your arms will become incredibly strong! Not just from the crutches but from getting up and down off the floor for exercises and stretching. Sometimes my arms were more sore than my knee.
Lesson: Pad those crutches as much as possible! Do not wear sleeveless tops/dresses - you will chafe under your arms.

9. All I wanted was a glass of wine but with all of that medication I didn't get a glass until more than a month after my surgery. When I did, I could only have a glass if someone was here to pour and carry it for me. It was much easier with one crutch!
Lesson: Be creative. I used a water bottle and then my coworker got me a wine glass sippy cup.

10. Pants are not your friend during recovery. Shorts and dresses work better. Dennis had to dress me for the first week or so and we had to cut the leg off most of my yoga pants. Regular dress pants were out of the question and I only started wearing those a few weeks ago. Comfy cotton was the best!
Lesson: Show off all of those dresses you never wear!

And that is just my two cents of recovery! Believe me its hard work and a lot of figuring things out on your own.

On the Road to Recovery

Many of you probably already know that two weeks ago I had knee surgery on my left knee. The knee that gave out during a run last summer and that has never fully recovered even after months of shots, physical therapy and draining. In the last few weeks, I haven't been very active on Facebook or my blog, so this is what happened during my surgery and afterwards.

I was scheduled to have a Fulkerson Osteotomy. In this procedure, they remove loose bones and cartilage, fix damaged cartilage and release the lateral tissue to allow the patella to go back into place. With this procedure, I would have been back at work after a few days, having physical therapy and most likely walking with my brace by now.

However, my surgery didn't go as planned. The surgeon has to fracture my bone and insert screws to stablize the patella. I woke up from my surgery feeling like I had a really bad shin splint. The first few days were exhausting. I went back to work the Tuesday after my Thursday surgery but I have at least six more weeks of physical therapy, using the crutches and wearing the brace.

The pain comes and go but I'm learning to manage it with a CPM machine that helps bend my knee, a TENS unit that stimulates my muscles, lots of ice and pain killers. Getting around is the hardest part - I have trouble sitting without my leg propped even though I can now unlock my brace. I'm learning to sit better at my desk and on the couch with my legs down.

I can bend my knee 97 degrees at physical therapy with help from my therapist. Thirteen more degrees and I can ride the bike. It's really hard sometimes and its even harder getting around on the crutches, getting in and out of the car, taking a shower and worst of all - sleeping. I haven't slept a full night since before the surgery.

My recovery would not be this positive or easy without all of the support and encouragement I have received the last two weeks. Dennis is my lifesaver - he has to help me with everything! My parents, in-laws and sister have brought me dinners, sat with me and given me rides. My friends have sent care packages, cards and visited. And my coworkers are amazing - helping me around the office and giving me rides.

The road to recovery is a long one but I'm determined to get on that bike, get back in the pool and loose the crutches in six weeks.