Back to Reality [7+ Months Post-Op]

Between the whirlwind weekends and evenings, and the shorter days which make me want to crawl into bed at 7pm, I'm sorry that I've been away from the blog so long... So here I am, reporting for blogging duty!

The fun news is that life is mostly back to normal, and now that I've a few more indoor soccer games under my belt (and yes, since you asked, I scored a goal last night! hehe) I see I am still timid, but getting a little better with each game in respect to my knee. Unrelated to my knee, I could definitely use some more skills when the ball is at my feet!

Ultimate frisbee is still going strong on most weekends, and that plus soccer is pretty much the sum of my activity. Although one exception was my halloween costume, which ironically is based on a SNL character whose signature move is lunging. I was more than proud to show off my 'Superstar' moves to anyone who asked! But halloween aside, I willingly admit that I have not been focusing on my knee like I should, and I hope to change that -- after Thanksgiving!

Day-to-day activities (including stairs) feel good, and even lunging or squatting while on the BOSU don't seem to induce any pain in my knee. The one movement I can think of which does bring on a twinge of pain is when I am standing on only my surgical leg and I do a one-legged hop. If the knee doesn't bend much, there is little to no pain. However, if I try to bend more to get lower to the ground and then push off and try to repeat this motion a few more times, there is definitely an uncomfortable feeling. I wonder if this is directly related to my patellar tendon (which is what was used to reconstruct my ACL)? I would guess yes.

Lastly, the 'popping' in the kneecap when going from straightened to slightly bent has been happening less and less with time. Typically when it DOES happen, it is just the once and I can't recreate the popping again right away. I think more muscle work on my quad would help eliminate this noise/feeling-- we shall see!

I'd like to say: I consider anyone who's been through, going through, or will be going through this whole ACL mess is a SUPERSTAR! :)

Indoor Soccer... Finally! [6.5 Months Post-Op]

My last indoor soccer game, I believe, was 2/12/09. I missed 2 games when I went on my Utah snowboard trip, and when I returned home I promptly tore my ACL and was out until ... well, now!

Last night I was happy to be back (even though I am far from a star player)! Having played ultimate frisbee for a few weekends now had me somewhat prepared for the stop-and-go as well as quick changes of directions... But, as my teammate Berkley John so kindly put it, when I play UF "no one's trying to kill me" because we're all friends and it's just pick-up. That said, there were a few times when I saw more than one person coming hard at a ball and I was definitely more timid than usual... but in my defense, I feel like last night's team was pretty talented with lots of fast, aggressive players, so perhaps it was the right way for me to play. With time, I'm sure I'll get more comfortable out there (and, hopefully back in 'soccer shape' so I can handle the more sprint-like running!). Until then, all I can do is keep showing up and try to get better-- which would have been the case, injury or not!

One exciting point in the game was a sweet pass to fellow post-op teammate, Jordan (who is just returning from back surgery). It was a textbook play, with the ball going from me, right onto his foot, and moments later, hitting the back of the net. Just try and call us gimps! ;)

Typical Recovery Period? Check. [6 Months Post-Op]

6 months have passed since I went under Dr. Shapiro's knife, and I'm delighted to have this blog to go back and remember some of those specifics that are so easily forgotten as the 'light at the end of the tunnel' comes into view. I've now gotten back to try some of my fave sports (soccer, ultimate frisbee) which was my ultimate goal. Soon indoor soccer will start up, and perhaps I can even sub on some volleyball teams this winter... But more importantly, I've made it through the 'typical' 6 month recovery, and have reached some other goals:

• Walking without a limp
• Running (not rumping!)
• Reaching pre-surgical leg strength (using 1-leg press as a judge)
• Gaining most (but not all - yet!) of my quad muscle mass back
• I've got back my entire Range of Motion (ROM) with the exception of a little hyperextension (Dr. S said it's not necessary to get this back anyhow...)
• My balance and control is comparable to pre-surgery, just lacking a bit still
• For the most part, I have 'forgotten' about the knee and can enjoy my normal lifestyle!! Yippee!

Some other items of note:

• There is still some numbness to the outside of where the incision was made, but seems to be reduced
• Kneeling (think: yoga) is an odd sensation (probably due to partial numbness) which I believe my mind tricks me into thinking is painful, but it really isn't too bad, just uncomfortable
• On days after lots of activity my NON-surgical leg is sometimes sore, suggesting I still overcompensate
• I typically don't feel a difference as I go down stairs anymore, but on the aforementioned 'sore' days, that old feeling creeps back in a little

I must admit, I've gotten a little lazy in my "workouts" and it doesn't help that I don't belong to a gym. I am hoping that returning to some sports and having my BOSU ball at home in these cold/dark evenings will keep me moving and hopefully motivate me to have some level of 'rehab' at home as winter sets in!

For Wendy (who 'rumped' for the first time yesterday at 5 weeks post-op!) and Bill, who went under the knife this morning -- Keep your eye on the prize! It will be worth it in the end!

For anyone else who finds or reads my blog- I hope it's useful and if you ever want to 'comment', I'm happy to give you my take on the "ACL Journey", or just hear how you're doing or about your experience!

My next goal still remains: Indoor soccer with my beloved Hooligans!!

I'm Baaaaack!! [Shy of 6 Months Post-Op]

Funny how things work. I am 2 days shy of my 6-month ACL surgery anniversary and this weekend a few opportunities presented themselves which allowed me to prove to myself that I'm ready for my comeback!

We got a group together for the 3rd round of pick-up Ultimate Frisbee on Saturday, which as usual was a lot of sprinting, stopping, changing directions and a bit of jumping. Being that we play outdoors and in cleats, this has been a major confidence booster for me when considering my return to soccer.

Our normal co-ed team won't be starting indoor soccer for another week and a half or so, but the outdoor season is still wrapping up. I've heard the fields are in pretty rough shape, and fellow ACL rehabber, Jeff, opted out of the outdoor seasons entirely this summer partially because of the pounding and poor field conditions. So when I got a text from our captain on Saturday asking if I'd be able to sub on Sunday (yesterday) for outdoor, I was a combination of excited and nervous! I said yes, but worried because I'd hardly touched a soccer ball since surgery, and because I didn't want to hurt myself if the fields were that bad.

Luckily, the ground was kind of soft thanks to the previous week worth of rain, and aside from some expected ruts in the field, the game seemed to be pretty forgiving to my knee. [Note: I have not and don't plan on using a knee brace.] Once I got out there, I felt pretty strong and even tallied an assist with a corner kick! Otherwise it wasn't a brilliant game for me by any means, but it was on par with where I was pre-surgery, and that's all I can ask for!! I must also say that it was fun to be welcomed back to the field by my teammates-- I've missed being out there with you all!

I was delighted that things had gone so well in soccer, only to come home to a message asking if Eric and I would mind subbing for 2 games of softball that afternoon. How could I say no, seeing as how I'd conquered UF and soccer already this weekend?! Softball's never been a strong sport of mine, but it was fun to get back out there, toss the ball around and take a few swings. It feels good to be back!!

One day later, I am pretty sore, but I'm sure part of that has been some laziness in my exercise routine prior to this active weekend. I think there was a little unintentional overcompensation at times, because my non-surgical leg (quad, calf and even shin!) is more sore than my surgical leg... but for the sudden spike in activity in 2 short days, I don't think I would have expected any less.

Tonight, it's off to yoga, which I hope will end up with some much-needed stretching. But I couldn't be happier with the weekend's turn of events and opportunities to get back in action. My nerves are (mostly) settled and now I can look forward to my next activity to conquer: Indoor Soccer!

Until then, a big CONGRATS to Missy and Nic for their wedding this weekend-- I can't wait to walk (not limp!) down the aisle and be a part of your big day! And in addition to all this fun stuff to celebrate, I now have my own engagement to add to the list, as of 9/26/09! Perhaps it's time for me to start a new blog! ;)

Yoga, BOSU, and Kneeling [5.5 Months Post-Op]

It's a beautiful thing when you realize you're continuously 'forgetting' about your knee and any limitation you may have post-op. While I am still not at 100%, I have gotten back into most normal activities and feel confident doing just about any activity, with the exception of using my surgical leg for powerful 1-legged leaps... the power is yet to return!

One activity that has been a real confidence booster is Ultimate Frisbee. The constant changing of directions, quick sprints and sudden stops, and 'going long' for a scoring catch in the endzone remind me a lot of soccer or flag football (but with more running!) and I feel this is similar to a 'worst case' activity, yet I have very little hesitation! On top of that, there is no pain or soreness afterwards, which is key!

The yoga I am doing with Jen (today will be the 4th class) has been an eye opener mostly in the case of kneeling poses. When we lunge or stretch or sit in most positions, I do not feel a major difference from left to right. However when I have to put weight on my surgical knee (seeing as how I had a patellar tendon graft) it can become painful after a long period of time or even a short time if it's taking most of my weight at once. To help curb any kneeling pain, I use a foam pad beneath both knees whenever I can. One thing that makes me feel a *little* better is that Jen, an otherwise very healthy and active person, also thinks we are kneeling too much and it bothers her knees a little too... so maybe it's not just me!

One thing I have gotten away from is PT directed at just my left knee and surrounding muscles. When getting into a more active regimen (including running, UF, or BOSU DVD workouts) it's easy to forget to focus on the surgical leg. If it feels good, why keep the focus on one side? But I don't think this is the right approach, since just last night I was looking at the quad muscles from side to side and while it feels good in most activities, there is still a significant difference in muscle mass. This is where having a gym membership or personal trainer might come in handy (which I don't have), but also going back to the basics and doing exercises Drew left me with in our last meeting would probably help.

Finally, I am trying to do the BOSU a little more now that weather is starting to cool down and the local HS track is rarely available with school is back in session. The DVDs are some good direction for working up a sweat and getting some jumping and squatting in, but I definitely need to research some more exercises which will target my knee. I am open to suggestions!

We're creeping up on the indoor soccer season (late October, I believe) but I hope to get out with a ball and work some more soccer-like movements into my routine so I am a little more confident as I hit the turf later this month!

In just 9 days I will be at the 6 month mark. My, how time flies!

My Comeback Continues... [5 Months Post-Op]

Towards the end of last week, my BOSU ball arrived!! I didn't get a chance to check it out until yesterday, and even then I chose to do what looked like the easiest of the included DVD workouts because I wanted to start out simple. So I promptly popped in the 'Long and Lean' DVD, and it was a lot of yoga-type poses (but, incorporating the BOSU, of course) and I was delighted to see that once I got past the awkwardness of doing the DVD for the first time, none of the poses created additional pain or strain through my knee! This included lunging poses where the BOSU was bubble-side-up and the forward (bent) leg was on the bubble. And now, a day later, I feel it more in my back and abs than my knee, which must mean in a left-to-right comparison, my legs are getting back to even!

The BOSU wasn't enough for the day though, as I have gotten pick-up ultimate frisbee back on the radar and we had a group planning to meet at 4pm. Eric and I have gone and thrown around a little, but that never prepares you for the stop-and-go running of a true pick-up game. So prior to getting started I strapped on my cleats and did some jogging on the field to remind my body of the ground conditions and being in cleats instead of runners. I also spent extra time stretching my legs out and doing some side-to-side jumping to imitate a quick change in direction. Besides the butterflies in my belly, I felt prepared to give it a try.

Originally I thought I'd have everyone huddled up and be making a blanket statement of 'take it easy on me!' but since we're not that hardcore (and, maybe the opportunity didn't really present itself) we just kind of got the game going and slowly but surely I reacclimated to the game and the feeling of being out on the field and active again. As soon as I started to feel comfy, the enjoyment really came for me... As out of shape as I might be for the sprinting aspect of the game, the knee held up amazingly and there hasn't even been any soreness since! There were a few plays where I became a little timid and avoided jumping up against other people for a free frisbee, but I will probably avoid major contact like that until I feel closer to 100%.

And my latest accomplishment on my 5 month anniversary from surgery, is that I've started a yoga class with my friend Jen! We chose a beginner level class we've taken before to try to get back into practice, and I am looking forward to the first session tonight where I can continue to monitor the progress in my knee and work on balance, strength, flexibility and relaxation! I am bringing along a foam pad to provide extra padding to my patellar tendon area during various kneeling poses, but aside from that I feel I have my entire range of motion (ROM) back, and hope there won't be many poses where I even feel a difference from side to side!

Namaste!

Swinging Clubs and Passing the Torch... [21 Wks Post-Op]

An update to share- just a few days ago I hit the driving range and followed up the next day with my first 'official' round of golf! I am happy to report that my knee felt fantastic and the only discomfort the following day or two was the usual- my shoulder from swinging the clubs for the first time in months! Thanks to Eric, Jordan and Katy for your patience and getting me back out there!

On another note: Today was my friend Wendy's ACL surgery... So, for her I have this...

I know there will be setbacks along the way that will make the word 'discouraged' seem like it's not strong enough to describe how you're feeling. You'll get upset over the smallest tasks that you'll be forced to learn all over again, but you will also get excited as you overcome those very same challenges. As the days and weeks pass, the pain (and, even the memory of the most painful moments) will subside and will be replaced by excitement about the little things -- which you will soon be taking for granted all over again! So, enjoy the ACL journey, because I've got my fingers crossed that this is the only time either of us will ever have to go through this!! ;)