Ron McClellan's
ACL Surgery
Week 4
This was not a good week for my home PT exercises. I worked late several evenings, had meetings at church, and generally was up and on my feet from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. PT went well with Mike, although we did not do any measuring. After Monday’s session, Mike wrote a ‘note’ to the Doctor, then put it in an envelope, sealed it and signed his name over the seal. I begged him to tell me what he said, so he showed me: “Patient has a tendency to over due activity, because recover is going so well.” I agreed with him. I exchange the 2 ˝ pound ankle wait for a 5 pounder! I am getting better every week!!!
By Friday of the Labor Day weekend, my knee felt tired, and it was more swollen then it had been. I had cut back on icing and on the anti-inflammatory meds so that probably explains the extra swelling. I went to my appointment to see Dr Slagle Friday, 29 days Post-op.
At the Doctor’s office, this guy wearing shorts comes in and says: “Hey, are you the other ACL guy.” It is my competition, the guy who had surgery right after mine. His name is Greg, and we have a great time laughing and sharing pain stories. My wife thinks we are nuts. We were hysterical sharing our catheter stories (he had his on the first one). He went home the day of surgery on his second surgery. He said recovery of number two went faster, he thinks because the PT from the first had strengthened his second knee. I can see how that would happen. All of the biking and the stepper at PT have made my left even stronger then before. Plus, it has had to work extra over the past 4 weeks. The Doctor comes in, and can not get a word in edge-wise while we continue our stories. Greg goes to PT three times a week, but does not do his home PT. Dr. Slagle rolls his eyes and says he does not want to hear this.
Greg leaves, and we talk about having lunch. I give him my card, and the ACL web address. I hope he checks it out.
Dr. Slagle clears me for running (jogging on flat surfaces). He gives me a prescription for 4 more weeks of PT (I am glad about that).
We decide that since our house has not sold yet, and that I really am ok at 4 weeks, we can schedule my left knee surgery. We pick October 7, 1999, 4 weeks and 6 days from then (9 weeks after surgery number one).