Stitch Removal of 2008.

Was really not as gross as I thought it'd be. The big Blotch Of Doom (see photos) below my knee cap was the biggest incision, aparently, and that one is closed by (clear!) dissolveable thread. The black ones took a little snip'n'pull and gone they were. I thought I'd be able to feel them tugging and ripping but sort of just felt...uh...let's see here...you know when you're flossing and instead of pulling the floss back up, you sort of slide it through the front? Does that make sense? That's how it felt. But the thread was short, so by the time is started to gross me out a little it was over.

I also learned that thanks to my freakishly short legs I was wearing the immobilizer too low. It's literally suppose to like, nearly be all up in my crotch (sorry. but it is.) and my knee should be in the "middle" of the brace. Ah. Yes. That feels much better. Thanks for that tip a week later, doc. (to be fair, I really haven't walked around too much, so it almost hasn't mattered.)

I could lift my leg and touch his hand with it fully straight, which a lot of people can't do apparently...and they were all impressed that I "peg legged" in sans crutches. The X-Ray Tech said that a lot of people just don't do anything after surgery and get all mopey and lazy and it hinders their recovery. They said it was good that I was "stubborn and feisty".

It's hard to hear the amount of time that I need to wear the immobilizer for, but it's only actually a few weeks. That sounds like a long time to me. But I guess it's really not. Doc said I'll "start to feel really really good in 4 weeks or less but need to still be really careful". I know. I KNOW. i know.

They said I probably wouldn't be driving for 4-6 weeks (since it's my right leg. as Winnie the Pooh would say, "OH BOTHER".). I'm estimating 2 week. I think it's reasonable, considering I can already almost bend my leg enough to do it. Their main concern is that it's a "strong and reflexive" bend and that I'm no longer on any pain medication. Considering I've only taken 1 and a half vicodin today (GO ME!!), I think the latter will be less of the problem. Not going to lie, being up and about for a really long time this morning started to irritate my leg...but it wasn't a like...shooting pain. So that was an improvement. Yeah, and, Ok. Bending it sucks. Not even like, inside the joint...but along the side... But that's what Physical Therapy is for. Which starts tomorrow.

James and a friend of his came over again last night and brought Mango and this Mixed Berry/Lemon sorbet. Oh man it was so good. James wins the award for "Most Supportive Person, Non-Family" Catagory. We figured out that we've known each other for 10 years. Weird. Doesn't feel like that long.

Yesterday (I think it was yesterday) I got all upset about that I couldn't "do anything for myself". Just like, suddenly really like, hot under the collar frustrated that I couldn't change the temp on my Boyfriend Ice Machine or make dinner for myself. I'm sure I'll feel like that again from time to time, especially once I actually start feeling better to the point of semi-being able to do stuff. Slow and steady wins the race with this one...I know.

But what they don't know...is this turtle can run on her hands. (And spent a month building her quad strength before they went in and messed with it.)

As usual this week, trying to stay optimistic. Not always easy, but the other option is being a Mopey McMoperson. And that only makes me more miserable.

Oh and P.S., the Doc explained the pictures to me. There was a tiny cartillage tear that they just cleaned up and didn't really need to fix. But the whole idea that the ACL was "partially" torn? Yeah. Um, my ACL was gone. Nothin'. Nada. A few lonely strands of what looked like Barbie Hair floatin' around. Scary shit, right?

I'm glad I got it fixed. (Remind me of this tomorrow after I'm crying about how hard and frustrating physical therapy is.)

If I actually do have to wear this immobilizer for a full 4 weeks, I'll be taking it off exactly 1 month from today. What an awesome birthday present that'll be.