Day 23: November 4th, 2012. Still brutally swollen and the joint aches constantly. Laying on my back, that newly attached tendon is not yet able to hold up the weight of my leg if I try and lift. But I have been able to overcome the fear of firing the quad muscle to apply a controlled and gentle pull on the knee to keep that quad muscle moving. I have lost over 1.23" of circumference on my quad due to atrophe. Depressing.
Started Physical Therapy on Halloween day, 2012. I am to unlock my brace only when I am not in a position to bear weight on it. We started with a goal of bending my knee to 60 degrees - non weight bearing. The first time he bent my knee to 60 degrees, it felt like a tourniquet strangling my entire knee joint. This picture above was taken today, November 11th, 2012. This is day 38 from injury, and last night I was able to lie on my back and my knee was able to support my leg enough that I could lift it off the floor 1" for a second and then drop it. I'll consider that Progress!
My Darth Vader Leg Brace. As much as I hate it, I love it. But I hate it. But I love it. It's a mixed relationship that we have together. I even have to sleep with it locked at 0 degrees - all night. I am able to unlock it now only when I am off my feet. I have to shave the hair off my leg so that the foam padding doesn't pull it constantly. But tonight, I was at 70 degrees. That's excellent.
Here's a lovely pose of Rylee for you. She is drawing princesses from her book titled: "How to Draw Princesses" or something close to that. She is a budding artist and has the fortitude for practice, the demand for perfection, and the patience for the details.
This was my ride for Halloween. I wish this was a costume. But again, Maya saved the day by helping me to understand how much fun it is to ride in a wheelchair. "How can anybody not love this dad?" It was fun to have the girls push me around, dumping me out of my chair on every bump and curb.
Rylee, age 7. The bat. Swooping down the sidewalk to get to the next door for more candy.
Lauren, age 9. The other bat, also swooping down the sidewalk to gather more candy. Hey wait a minute, where's dad? Man, he's slow.
ahhhh Maya. My sunshine. Age 1. Just plain fun. Latest words today: "Cookie" and "Mama"
The wide open church parking lot right behind our house. We frequent this spot with our bikes, skates, rollerblades, and now. . . a wheelchair. Every day I hobble down the stairs into the garage and I see my K2 Roller Blades, a skateboard, my soccer balls, biking helmet and padded fingerless gloves, my red pump and my Mountain Bike, waiting to carve up some dirt. And my carbon fiber road bike, (NO - you still can't ride it) and last but not least. . . my um. . wheelchair. It's a rental.
