Tomorrow will be one week post-surgery and, so far, everything is going great!!! 😃
It’s true and I’m not even joking!!!!!!! Allow me to explain. 😁
Here are some insights I would like to share with you! And I don’t want to call myself a PRO, per se, howeverrrrr…😉….I have a couple prior experiences that most certainly assist my comparison between “then and now” so I’m about to make some valid pointers!!! 😃
#1) The adductor nerve block for the WIN!!!
Back in 2013 with my left ACL Reconstruction and 2015 with my right ACL Reconstruction, the nerve block of choice was the femoral nerve block. In case you have never heard of or needed a nerve block before, it is an injection that numbs the femoral nerve down the leg and helps tremendously with pain management after surgery. And it absolutely did turn off all the pain to my knee once my surgeries were complete!! YET it also shut down my entire leg, from hip to toes as well!!! And while my leg muscles were shut down and I was also not moving around so much initially post-surgery, atrophy had an easier time settling in and reactivating the quadriceps (which is necessary for moving the leg, walking, and supporting the knee) took longer and was harder to obtain.
Wanna hear a “funny” story??? I remember feeling so groggy after my second ACL Reconstruction, that I got out of the car post-surgery with my crutches and attempted to head towards my apartment. ‘ATTEMPTED’ being the most important word in that sentence. In my mind, I had lifted my leg into the air, in front of my body, because that was how I was going to “crutch” my way to my doorstep. Instead, my toes remained dragging on the floor, since I couldn’t feel my entire right leg, and I almost tripped and face-planted over my numb leg!!! 😳NO BUENO!!!!😳 Thankfully, I did not fall down, the brace I was wearing saved me from hurting my new knee, and after that scary moment I definitely had help getting from the car to the apartment!!! YIKES!!!
Okay, not the “funniest” story that I could have told you….but it IS an example of how great AND how deadly that femoral nerve block could be!!! It was almost like that femoral nerve block worked TOO well and it also set up some major challenges early on in rehab, when it came to regaining function of my leg muscles.
Well, THIS TIME, with my Revision ACL Reconstruction on my left knee, I was given an adductor nerve block, instead. Which means that the nerve block injection created numbness from the inner thigh, to my knee, and then down my inner calf. This was the BEST of both worlds!!!! Not only did I not have pain because of the nerve block, but it didn’t shut down my quads and leave the rest of my leg fully numb!! I could feel my toes AND I could immediately activate my quads and lift my leg on the same day as my surgery- – to use my crutches or to get on and off the couch. What a huge difference!!! Plus, because I could feel my quads so soon, I never lost my ability to contract my quads and I also was able to maintain a lot of the quad strength that I built before surgery!
With the adductor nerve block, the level of atrophy is decreased by far and I was able to begin my recovery process in the strongest way possible!! See?!?!?? ADDUCTOR NERVE BLOCK FOR THE WIN, right???!!!!
2) The new & improved Range of Motion Brace is the way to go!!
For both of my previous ACL rehabs, I was given a gigantic immobilizer to wear straight after surgery, meant to keep my leg completely straight to protect my new ACL. And it was a brace that proved to be very useful! Not only by protecting my new knee that fateful day when I almost face-planted a couple of hours after my surgery, (WHOA!!), but also with restricting my motion so that I could stand and sleep without worry that I would move too much, too quickly.
As you can imagine, this immobilizer enveloped my leg from upper thigh to lower calf. And it was quite heavy, bulky, and had 6 Velcro straps – – three below the knee and three above the knee. Because it was one piece of fabric with a metal spine and these 6 straps, whenever I had to get up, that brace would constantly slide down my leg, no matter how tight I had it, so I would be adjusting and readjusting the straps ALL DAY LONG. It looked like this:
Now, with times continually changing and more technological advancements taking place, I was told to get fitted for a Range of Motion Brace before my Revision ACL surgery. My current fancy knee brace looks like this:
Yes, it still hugs my leg from upper thigh to lower calf; However, it is much lighter, way less bulky, and the brace is fitted to my leg perfectly by these four straps. Whenever I have needed to get up, the brace stays put and I never have needed to readjust it!
It’s more comfortable because it is padded, it breathes so much better, AND it has the ability to change from a locked-out brace to a moveable brace in two clicks!!
I am definitely a big fan of this Range of Motion brace and how it has so many features wrapped up in one brace!! Bye-bye immobilizer!!!!
3) My progress has been smooth and steady for this whole week!
Because of my adductor nerve block and this Range of Motion Brace, my ACL recovery began in the most positive of ways.
Ever since I returned home from my procedure, I have been elevating my leg on my incline styrofoam pillow, (thank you, Sue and Ron!!!!), icing my leg with my Polar Ice Care unit…..
and doing my exercises – – because I could feel my leg and move my ankle and foot!!!
On my 4th day post-surgery, I was able to unveil my knee and remove all of the bandages except for the steril strips protecting my incisions. Those will fall off naturally, whenever they’re ready. This is what my knee looked like a few days ago:
4 days post-ACL Reconstruction, 3/21/21
Just a quick, mildly-gory pic, in case you were curious! 😉 I had minimal swelling, full extension in my knee, and, if you look close, you can see a little definition in my quad muscle which is huge!! Plus, I have been very lucky on the “pain” front because I have only experienced soreness and various aches behind my knee and from the incisions on my knee…but no real PAIN of which to speak!! I have been very lucky.
On day 5 and day 7 (which is today), I went to physical therapy. I KNOW!!!! Wasting no time at all and getting me moving, it is awesome!! I’m still in the “activation of my muscles” stage which means doing simple exercises for the goal of making the muscles move and activate but not working on strength-building just yet. I am able to weight-bear on my left leg, with the help of my brace and my crutches, so I can concentrate more on walking with a better gait. And next week I can start some work on the stationary bike and continuing the journey of regaining my full range of motion in my knee!!!! (And it is really exciting to talk about walking and riding the stationary bike so early in this process!!!! 🚶♀️ 🚴🏾‼️)
Because I have minimal swelling, because I have decent quad strength, because I have full extension of my knee – – some people have to fight for knee extension after surgery because their knee and muscles surrounding the knee get so incredibly tight – – and because my knee flexion, or my ability to bend my knee, is already to 90°, my physical therapist told me that I am “ahead of the game” so I should keep doing what I’m doing!!!!
And I promise that I am behaving myself and doing exactly what I’m told without overdoing it!!!! I just happen to be ahead in my rehab because I prepared myself properly and fully (for almost a year!!!!) before my surgery AND because of all of the positive changes that I have told you about during this ACL rehab so far!!
And therefore, ALL IS WELL!!! 2 physical therapy sessions down, perhaps 98 or so more to go…..and I am off to a great start!!
Besides, I have such beautiful reminders of the loving people in my life….
Thank you, Mattie-Mattieee and Jules 💐 and Ames✨!!!
….along with some fantastic words of inspiration, gorgeous flowers, books, cards, and lovely text messages……
Thank you, Cindy 🌺🌼 and my Amers✨💖!!
…..plus the love and care of my amazing Mom, Stepdad, and, of course, sweet Nobie….
On surgery day, 3/18/21, my Mom and Nobie had to get up at 5:30am and wait in the car until my surgery was finished and I could leave at 11am. They were exhausted from the ordeal, too!!! 😴
….and all of the support and encouragement that I have received from YOU and the people in my life!!! 🥰♥️💖
How could I NOT be doing great and set up for success so early in the game???!!!???!!☺️
💝 I am filled with gratitude beyond measure. Thank you, a million times over. ❣️💕✨💖❣️💞✨❣️💖✨❣️✨💞