Physical Therapy - Week 2

I didn't know what to expect with my second physical therapy appointment with Alex. What I did know was that I wanted her to evaluate my "walk." I woke up on Thursday morning feeling very tired. The last three days had been tough, but so far, I hadn't felt really run down. Thursday morning was different. I drove to work since I had my PT appointment at 5:30 PM and would need my car. By the time I crutched into the office I was already beat. The last few mornings I had been lucky. A few coworkers offered to help me get my breakfast in the cafe, "The Gapeteria" as we sometimes call it. On Thursday morning, I somehow missed all the windows of people heading to the first floor for food. Tom and Ken were already working away at their desks and when Nick walked in, he already had his coffee already in hand. Sigh. As I may have mentioned, I have a really hard time asking for help, so even though I was already tired, I crutched on down to the cafe by myself. I ended up getting some cereal and milk and putting it into a brown bag (like the kind I used to carry my lunch in high school). The bag was simple to hold while using my crutches. I only wished I could carry some coffee! Oh well... I let it go and moved on with the morning without caffeine.

Just before I made my way out the door at the end of the day a few coworkers asked to see my walk, since I told them I was going to PT. I walked away from them and they called out, "Nope! You won't pass." Alex had told me I had to be walking without a limp to be able to ditch the crutches. Off I went, thinking it was a lost cause.

I arrived at CPMC - Davies, checked in and changed into my athletic gear for my PT session. Alex walked over to the waiting room to retrieve me and watched me as I crutched my way into the PT room. The first thing she said was, "It's time to get you off those crutches." Woo hoo! Really? All was not lost. Alex said I needed to start putting more "load" on my knee and I should be walking. She then taught me how to walk. Huh? Yes. My walking now takes concentration. Heel first, roll from heel to toe, then switch feet. No walking flat footed, since that causes to much load on the knee. Next, Alex ran me through some exercises including the good 'ol shuttle for my quads. A short time later I iced my knee with the Taco Bell ice I love that I can only get after PT and off I went to my car... carrying my crutches. Yeah for progress!