4/15/11 PM update

Today has been much better than last night! I've been taking arnica to try to control swelling, which hopefully will help. I've been pretty active too - up to 82 on the CPM machine, ahead of schedule. I'm getting around without crutches here and there, and walking (very slowly and carefully!) feels so good. I've also done lots of ankle pumps and heel slides - bending is tough but extension is more important from what my doctor has said. Bending is also hard because of all the dressings on my knee from the surgery....so it was time to change them and take a peek! I was very nervous at what it would look like, but so far it's looking pretty good! Please ignore my whiteness - it's a miracle I didn't blind the surgeon.

Missing: My Kneecap

There's a one inch incision where the shiny clear tape is, and that's where he cut to get to my hamstring. This is mystifying to me, since my hamstring is in the back, but that's the way they do it. On the other side of my thigh, there's another 1 inch incision - I think that's where they went into my femur? Who knows. I should probably ask about these things. Then there are 2 tiny holes on top of my knee cap where they did more stuff, including the meniscus repair. I'm so grateful my PCL was okay but they did find a meniscus tear that he fixed. He also cleaned up some other fun cartilage stuff that wasn't supposed to be there. The bruising is not bad at all but I hear the good colors come later - maybe the arnica will keep that from happening. The swelling is what makes it hurt so I will be happy to see that go. But for now it's definitely super puffed.

My mother-in-law stayed with me again today, and she washed my hair! It was wonderful...I took a little bath with my leg propped out of the tub later on. So fresh and so clean - nice change. And I think I am getting another visitor tonight so it's good I won't be stinky. My hubby has been so great too - he gets up at 4am to get my pain pills and change my ice, and then works all day! I am a lucky lady.