Checking the wounds

These first few days have gone by fast.

My first night at home was difficult. I woke in the night in a lot of pain and sleeping with a knee brace is difficult for a side sleeper.

I have now found a rhythm and am getting used to sleeping on my back. Before the surgery, I picked up a memory foam knee pillow from Amazon, which has been helping me keep the knee comfortable during the night.

Taking the painkillers before the pain comes back has been crucial, so I set reminders for every 6 hours.

---

My friend Lisa is a nurse, and she came to check on the incision wounds for me today.

It is the first time I have seen them, and there are a lot.

There are six incisions in total, with a mix of staples and stitches. One of the main entry points went over my scar from a previous surgery 17 years ago.

Everything looks neat and clean, and is healing well on the outside.

The swelling has come down a lot thanks to the PhysioLab Ice Machine I rented for the next month or so. It is expensive, but it is looking like a good decision.

For exercises so far, I have started with:

• Ankle Pumps – Flexing and pointing the ankles with straight legs. This is to get the blood flowing and the lower leg muscles activated.
• Straight Leg Raise – This has been too hard so far, but I have been trying. It’s important not to do this exercise if the quad is “lagging” and your knee bends as you raise.
• Knee Bends – Bending and straightening the knee within the range of the brace, which is currently 0 to 30 degrees.
• Glute Engage – Just simply tensing and relating the glutes while sitting.

The next step is the first physio session tomorrow.