Post-Op Appointment

I went to Cleveland today for my post-op appointment, I'm 3 weeks post-op now.

I had to have some rather unpleasant x-rays before my appointment so that they could see how my bones (from the osteotomies- cutting bone) were healing. Usually x-rays are a painless easy thing to have done, well not this one. For two of my x-rays I had to bend my knee at about 30 degrees, which shouldn't have been a problem since that's about where I am right now, but the x-ray tech was, for lack of a better word dumb and oblivious to the fact that I had just had surgery and bending my knee aggressively was not pleasant. I was laying on my side and needed to bend me knee, laying on my side. I didn't have enough strength to bend it myself in that position, so she had to do it. Well instead of doing it nice and slowly, she just basically jams my knee as hard as she can to try to bend it. Of course, then I get completely still because it's extremely uncomfortable. After several attempts to push my knee farther than comfortable, as I'm about ready to jump off the table, she brings in my surgeons PA (physician's assistant) who just simply gently and slowly bends my knee, no problem. Imagine that!

My actual appointment went much better. I got my sutures out, my incision looks pretty good. There is one spot in the middle of the incision that isn't healed quite as well as it needs to be. It's not completely open, but it's not completely closed, so I just have to keep a steri strip over it to secure it, no big deal. I'm allowed to take a bath now, which I'm looking forward to. It's one of those little things that makes you feel like you're really getting back into things, sponge baths and washing my hair in the sink just isn't the same.

I'm allowed to bear weight with my brace on and in the locked position (it's a full leg hinge brace). With the brace on and locked, there isn't any way I can do any damage. In 3 more weeks I'll be able to get out of the brace completely and walk without it. I have no more flexion, range of motion restrictions.

My recovery is right where it should be for 3 weeks post-op. I'm going to start short distance (around the house) walking with my crutches, but I'll still use the wheelchair for longer distances and at school. It doesn't hurt to put weight through my leg, but it's difficult to pick my leg up to follow through as I take a step because I'm still weak.

Things are going very well and I'm looking forward to being vertical.