Saturday, February 9, 2019

Halfway

Halfway done with the crutches, and healing well.   I am able to do leg lifts, core work, and some upper body.  I've got 85% range of movement in flexion.  I should be off crutches in 20 days and transition to a meniscus offload brace.

One issue that has been annoying in my leg extension has been the Baker's cyst behind my knee.  It is a natural consequence of knee surgery / injury, an over flow area that catches extra knee fluid.  It literally changes hour to hour.   Thankfully, today I haven't yet felt it and my knee has unimpeded extension.   In just a few weeks I'll be able to do no resistance bicycle and new PT exercises designed to strengthen.  Still icing every evening or when I feel the cyst, but today it feels better than it has in a while.

I have scheduled my followup with Dr. LaPrade for March 11.  I arrive early the day before with Roya so we'll have an opportunity to do some sight seeing.  I'll be off crutches by then.

I should be ok to bike ride and do some light hiking by wildflower season this spring.   It's going to take a while to restrengthen the leg after all this inactivity.

Looking forward to watching the 2019 Millrose Games on NBC today and seeing the results of my GPTC team that won M40 and M50 4x400m last yr.  Looks like SWS are back so they'll be the favorites.  Been missing track so I generally don't do too much watching it and let my Runnerspace membership lapse.

One year ago, I got the regional Athlete of the Year Award for my performance in Korea (World Championship 200m, Silver 400m).  Chuck presented me with the award at Millrose 2018:







Will be interesting to see how my USA teammates do in Poland.  The M55 400m is really stacked.  I put in my travel insurance claim so I hope to get my money back for the plane ticket I bought.

Support 2019 M55 400m World Leader and US National Champion David Pitts to go to Poland!  Here's his GoFundMe page:

https://www.gofundme.com/let039s-help-david-pitts-go-for-the-gold?


One year ago at the Millrose Games - my brother, father and nephew and his son:



Weight remains good, about 149 lbs.   I'm happy to say I've kept my diet under control.   Not competing this season and disabled from being able to grocery shop, I could easily feel entitled to relax my diet... but I have yet to eat any drive through fast food, no crap like pizza or ice cream... about the worst things I've eaten were a few Panera pastries.   Actually, I haven't had ice cream in my refrigerator but just one or 2 times in the past 5 yrs.  ( I think that might be the converse for some).

UPDATE:  Sunday, I feel like my knee has turned the corner.  No more cyst or swelling, it's feeling virtually normal and I haven't used pain medication in a week.  Best it's felt since the surgery.

1 comment:

  1. Glad to hear your recovery is going so well! And, thank you for posting my gofundme link :). I’m thinking I took on too much this year, financially. However, I’m set to go, and entered in the 400 and 200. Looking forward to seeing you out there next year!

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