Week 9

Yesterday was week 9. I visited my surgeon/doctor on Monday and yesterday was my 15th physical therapy visit.

My doctor was quite pleased with my progress and laid out a general schedule for me in terms of being able to run and start doing pivot sports again. At the three-month mark I can start really running again and by five months I have to get fitted for a knee brace to do pivoting. That's a relief that I can do all this.

My biggest worry at this point is that my benefits aren't going to cover me that far in. I'm still trying to get answers from my Union and from HR regarding what I'm going to have to do about that. I really can't afford $1,000-a-month payments under the COBRA stipulation - if it comes to that, I might as well quit school and go find a day job that offers me benefits. According to my Union records, it seems that my benefits are paid through until November, but I have no idea what that means for me in terms of how I will pay for coverage. I'm anxious and scared of what is to come and I have no way of controlling the future. I'm forcing myself to go back to my night job as early as next week if I can fit it. Major :-(

In other news, this was my regimen yesterday:

- heat (without stim!!!): 10 min
- massage
- elliptical: 10 min with resistance
- squats: 3 x 15
- front step downs: 3 x 15 at 8"
- lateral step downs: 3 x 15 at 8"
- front step ups: 3 x 15 x 8"
- leg extensions: 3 x 15 x 1st weight setting
- leg press: 3 x 15 x 7th weight setting
- leg press with left leg: 3 x 15 x 4th weight setting
- balancing exercise (one foot balancing while catching a ball): 2 x 30 seconds
- straight leg lifts: 3 x 15 x 4lb
- hamstring curls: 3 x 15 x 2lb
- stretching
- Game Ready icing (without stim!!!): 10 min

I've graduated from the stationary bike and the electric stimulation! It's so great to actually be able to do my exercises and know that my leg is much stronger.

I have a 3-month follow-up with my doctor in a few weeks, and I have to get another referral for more physical therapy. Oy, I hate health insurance stipulations, especially being a part of an HMO (despite how cheap they are).

More physical therapy.

Today was a really long day - five hours of quantitative analysis is enough to fry ANYONE's brain.

I went to physical therapy after class for 1.5 hours. I'm basically on autopilot now - just trying to get everything stronger before I move onto the pivoting exercises . . . eventually.

Regimen for today:

Knee warmup with stim: 10 min
Stationary bike: 10 min on strengthening
Leg extensions: 3 x 15 x 1st weight plate
- I extended with both legs, and went back down with only my left leg.
Frontal step downs at 6": 3 x 10
Lateral step downs at 8": 3 x 15
Step ups at 8": 3 x 15
Leg press: 3 x 15 x 6th weight plate
Unassisted squats: 3 x 15
Straight leg lifts: 3 x 15 x 3lb
Hamstring curls: 3 x 15 x 2lb
Mini lunges: 3 x 10
Stretching
Ice with stim: 10 min

After the session (before icing), my therapist checked my strength levels and measured by degrees of flexion and extension. At this point, I'm missing about 1 degree of extension, and my flexion is at 124 degrees. Hamstring curls are the toughest out of all my exercises, particularly because I still have swelling in my knee that prevents me from bending up far enough. Walking is no longer a problem; I hope we can progress to running soon.

Driving my car (manual transmission) is still kind of tough as well, since the vibrations from my engine irritate my knee, and my clutch is relatively heavy. That I'll have to get used to with time as well.

I hope I can eventually get back to my night job - I need to repay my union dues and earn some hours to cover my health insurance for the next quarter.