End Of Week 5

By the end of week 4 I was pretty pleased with my range of movement and I was putting up with pain levels which were manageable. The start of this last week saw me setting myself some new goals - attempting to walk up and down stairs properly, walking without a crutch and reducing the codeine tablets. My plan is for me to aim to go back to work after week 6 so I need to start stepping things up.

I work in the Estates department of a large school and my work is part desk based but has a fair amount of walking around (lots of stairs too!!). This hopefully means I will be able to balance sitting and moving too. I am a bit worried about the amount walking (and stairs) but I will just have to take it easy and build up to it.

By the end of week 5 I am pleased to say that I can negotiate stairs (albeit slowly and with some discomfort) and can go both up and down - I wasn't looking forward to the coming down bit after my last physio session because I tried one step down and it was agony. He suggested there was an element of mind over matter and it seems he may have had a point. I tried the going up bit first, initially holding on to the bannister for support then managing without. Once I was confident with this I started practicing going down, starting with the last 2 steps then building up. After a couple of days I was confident with going down too. I can’t say it doesn’t hurt but it isn’t too bad and I am hoping that the pain will decrease over time as the muscles build etc.

I took the plunge the other day and walked into the village without a crutch. It’s about half a mile in and half a mile back (obviously). It was getting sore after the walk in but after a bit of a stretch I was ready to walk back. Joint-wise it was ok but I was still blooming knackered when I got back.

The main thing I am still suffering with is swelling, mainly above the knee. My concern here is that when I go back to work I won’t be elevating or icing it - I’ll just have to play it by ear and probably have a big icing session in the evening when I get home.

I have not had any codeine tablets for the past couple of days and am relying on paracetamol and ibuprofen and the pain isn’t too bad considering and I don’t feel so sleepy during the day. Sleeping is getting a little better, I still wake up once or twice but not every couple of hours like I have been - I am a member of a few knee surgery groups on social media on the sleeping issue is one that comes up a lot. I felt like it was never going to get any better but it feels like I am turning a corner so hold on in there folks!!

Last night I noticed a sore patch under my knee. I didn’t think much of it and went to bed as usual, when I got up this morning I had a nasty looking black lump with sore skin patch around it. I have contacted the consultant and he thinks there may be an infection caused by a stitch so I I’ll probably be back on antibiotics after I see him tomorrow.

Anyway - at the end of week 5 I finally feel like things are progressing and the end is in sight (maybe not the end but certainly something that looks a bit like it) - so to any of you out there either at the beginning of your knee recovery or just about to take the plunge, take heart, it does get better just take things day by day, do what your told to do and don’t be afraid to ask questions. I highly recommend hooking up with social media groups as you will find that whatever you are going through is not unusual and you can get advice and encouraging words from other knee warriors.

I fear the hardest thing is going to be weaning myself off Challenge TV before I go back to work!!