ACL Recovery

This week marks 10 weeks post op.

That seems like a long time to me.

 But the doctors say that full recovery will take about 7 months...so when I think about it that way...I'm not even half way yet.  Yeah...kinda daunting.

BUT, lets not think about it that way...and lets focus on my progress!

 I took this picture about 7 weeks post op.

Still swollen.  

I should take another picture sometime because it's actually looking like a normal knee now.

 I do my therapy exercises everyday...sometimes it's just working on my flex/extension, sometimes I do ALL of the exercises...but I try to get something in everyday.

Currently, my flex is between 150 and 154 degrees, depending on who measures me.

 Last week I ventured outdoors on my bike.  I wore my tennis shoes and I didn't leave my neighborhood.  We live on the bench in the valley so there's a little climb to my house...I've been pretty apprehensive about tackling it given I'm not supposed to get out of the saddle yet.  So, I did a little loop three times around my hood, and it felt great!

 Most days I ride indoors.  

Ryan set up a trainer in the living room...kinda weird when people come over to see a bike in the living room, but since I ride it just about everyday, no sense putting it away.

Yesterday I hit a little milestone!

I finally clipped in AND I ventured away from my hood!

I rode the up the canyon a bit with Ryan (and Piper on the back of the tandem).  It felt amazing!  And I got up the little hill back to my house without a problem, I could do it just fine seated.

It's easy to get down and out and dwell on how far I have to go in my recovery still.  But, days like these give me that push I need to keep plugging away.

Recovery will come...I just need to be patient with my body...it's healing as fast as it can.

Oh, and Happy May Day!!