Well folks, it’s been an amazing 5 days! Pretty astounding how the body can recover and improve in just a 24 hour period. My PT appointment went well yesterday! My physical therapist will be Trevor with Select Therapy out of Baxter and Crosslake, MN. I will be going back and forth between the 2 locations weekly since Baxter has a bigger gym I may have to be there for certain things, especially after I hit the 6 week period and start getting worked pretty hard- like an actual physical trainer! I was thinking, “oh great, now I have 2 of them between Trevor and my mother it’s like a damn cheering squad!” But really, he’s awesome and I look forward to working with him for the next 6 months. He said I’m gonna be an easy one! That’s always good to hear! 

I can already get my 90 degree flexion going and I’m walking pretty normal but slowly. I still have to keep the knee immobilizer on for a few weeks until I can lift my leg on my own. Right now I need assistance to lift it or grab it myself. I guess this is pretty common with a patellar tendon graft, it can take up to a month before I can lift it on my own. But my quads are firing no problem which means they’re nice and strong so the rest will come. All this is fine and dandy in that department! 

I’ve been trying to ween myself off the pain pills which I’ve learned is a bit too soon. Typically I’m waking myself up every 4 hours to take 2 oxys, but I’ve been trying to take only one or substitute Tylenol and that’s not helping at all. I woke up last night in tears and really confused as to where I was. I didn’t even know I was back in the US and I couldn’t see in the dark which was pretty intense. Once I finally figured out where I was I got pretty scared and took another oxy so I could sleep through the night without such pain. Hopefully in the next few days I’ll be taking 50% less because those things are trouble and they already got me seeing things! Haha. 

Well that’s about it for now, I can take my first shower tomorrow morning! YES- most definitely going to be the best shower I’ve ever had in my life! Only about another month until I can take a bath! But that’s okay, baby steps!

I’ll leave you with some up to date photos of my progress and surroundings!

xxx, Lauryn Elizabeth

Look how much the swelling has gone down! Not so much seepage from the knee either!

Dad bought me these glorious zebra cushions for my crutches. Cruising in style! 

My bedside table- ice/compression knee machine, lotion, hand sanitizer, meds, water bottle, chapstick and I had orange juice for the first time today! 

Not for the squeemish! My battle scars looking pretty damn good if I must say so myself! My body, my temple.

My knee immobilizer and fat ankle! I have a love/hate relationship with this brilliant/evil device. Only a few more weeks till I’m moving without it and upgraded to a self fitting knee brace.