This is for the record (so easily I forget!) and, in case you're curious, for your entertainment. HA!
I'm at 13 weeks post-surgery today. Let's just call it 3 months, since my knee replacement was on January 8th and today is April 9th.
Physiotherapist, Eline, says I can now do anything I want to do! WHOHOOWOOHOO. That includes driving (check)....and sports. But I'm ahead of myself....
I wake up every morning with my new knee "defaulting" to a less than 100% extension. More like 85-90%. So, before I get out of bed, I do 4 exercises that more or less fix the problem. The most important is what I call "the other" planking exercise. It's like having to retrain the brain.
Astrid made the 6 planks which I depress 10x each.
By the time I'm done, my leg is back to 100% extension. WHOHOO.
At some point in the morning, after breakfast and time at the laptop, I ride my exercise bike.
This bike is at the Parafit practice I attend in nearby Arkel and is still hard for me to ride.
However, mine at home is perfect for 10 minutes every day at 20 kmp/12.5 mph. WOOHOO.
(Eline is the one in the video who goes to get her apple.)
I also do squats and lunges. Don't forget those.
And climbing up and down stairs.
And walking here-n-there.
Back at Parafit (for 3 months at twice a week but now at only once), Eline keeps me hopping.
The one in the middle works on extension and flexion, repeatedly...ad nauseam.
At 3 months, my flexion is supposed to be at the maximum of 130-degrees.
But as you can see, it's not. I'm lucky if I get to 115-120. That's the part I'm still working on!
Up to this point, everything is just bite-the-bullet stuff. I know I have to do it.
And no one else can do it for me.
BUT!
When Eline realized how sportive I've been my entire life, she figured something out.
Ginnie LOVES LOVES LOVES to play ball. WOOHOO.
So, first, I do a weaving in-and-out exercise for stability and brain-to-muscle coordination.
And THEN I play ball.
Without having to think about what or why I'm doing it, I really have a ball.
Astrid says Eline really gets a kick out of it...since I'm 2 months shy of turning 70. HA!
But isn't that what it's all about...even when it's rehab...to have a blast,
no matter how old/young you are!
Speaking of Astrid, special thanks to her for being my Partner in Crime,
taking me to PT every week and being my Fan Club.
Thanks to her for all these telling-it-like-it-is proofs that I am still alive and well.
WOOHOO.
Love it all!! So happy to hear and SEE that you're on the mend big time! WooHoo!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting, Robin, because I have to go back to look to see when I first did certain exercises, so it was really important to me to write this all down...and, yes, to do the show part, too. :) Thanks for being so happy with and for me.
DeleteThis is impressive. It's quite a group of exercises, and you are spending a good deal of time on all this. I love the knee extension ones in bed before getting up, ingenious! As for those pins and soccer ball, I'm not sure I could do that!
ReplyDeleteIt's been quite the journey, Ruth, but totally worth it. I really want to get back to as full use of the leg as possible, as you'd guess. So far so good. Eline keeps reminding me of how little time has gone by since my surgery. It seems like forever, however. Sometimes I just need to be patient! And YOU? You'd do the same if you had to!
Delete4 months ago you could hardly walk and now they might want you for the National Soccer Team :)..... You put so much time and effort in these exercises and it pays off.... over and over again. Once a week to PT will be doable for the next year. And I think in the end you will be happy that 'we' did it. See it as an investment and in the years to come we both profit from it.
ReplyDeleteYou are my trooper IHVJ
There is no question whatsoever that I am in a different, much better place than pre-surgery, MLMA. I'm so thankful for the continuing progress, with you as my fan club at my side. Could I have done it without you? Maybe, but certainly not as well. THANK YOU for every minute of Woo-Hooing me on!
DeleteYou look so good Ginnie. You look like in your 40s.
ReplyDeleteNo pain at all now? Here's to achieving 100% !
HAHA! So sweet of you, Maria. Flattery will get you everywhere, they say. Actually, don't they also say 70 is the new 50?!
DeleteI'm not pain-free but it's manageable, which is the good news. My worst pain is in bed at night, believe it or not. But it's much better than it was in the beginning. One day it'll be even better than now, so I'm always expectant of what can be. :)
You go Ginnie! You are my inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHow very sweet and kind of you, Donna. Well, I guess we can all inspire each other! Thank you.
DeleteWhat progress and determination. Well done Ginnie!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. It's so much better than the alternative. :)
DeleteGinnie, you've made great effort to get fit again, I can only admire your determination. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better and the surgery helped you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Petra. The surgery really did help me and I definitely AM feeling better! That's all good news.
DeleteYou are a strong lady! Keeping with all your exercises and getting better and better. You are making faster progress than anticipated I am sure. Your work will be rewarded of course and you’ll start jumping around like a bunny. I am happy for you. But I can see now that I would not be able to have an operation for my bad knees as I could never leave my husband so often for rehab – now that he has his disease. Your knee news is great to hear.
ReplyDeleteMy immediate instinct, Vagabonde, is to ask you to PLEASE do what you need to do for yourself and figure out how it can be done as it regards your husband. One idea I have is day care or him. That's something you should probably look into anyway, if you're not able to have him in a special home. I don't want it to be a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for you. Surely both needs can be taken care of?
DeleteIn the meantime, thanks for your good encouragement of me.
Wow! You're still blogging, Ginnie! Way to go! Glad you are recovering so well. :)
ReplyDeleteHA! Ten years-plus, Sandra! I guess that's pretty good nowadays, after so many stopped blogging in favor of FB. For me, it's been important to keep a record of all our trips. We see so many things...which I can't possibly remember without this show-n-tell.
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by! Good to see you again. :)