Well, its now another month or more since i last posted.
Merry Xmas to all my readers, and a very happy 2014 to you all!
This is gonna be a wonderful year. Just believe it, and make it happen!!
On a personal note, i have noticed a marked improvement in my own mobility and strength over the last month and a bit.
I stopped going to the gym shortly after my last post, as work commitments took up most of my time, but have continued to do my straight leg raises every evening to help build strength.
I found that towards the end of December i was able to now stand with my full weight on my left leg fairly easily, although my balance is still really bad on just that leg!
My leg has continued to feel stronger and more stable day by day, and around Xmas time i went down to spend the day on the beach with a friend. I played bat and ball on the sand for about half an hour, and managed to even walk down into the water, have a swim for a good hour or so playing in the waves, and make it back up to where we were lying on the beach, all without the use of my crutches!
On New Years Eve i went to an outdoor party and danced for the first time in over 3 years on the dance floor without any walking aids! I can honestly say that nothing would have wiped the smile off my face!
About 3 days ago now i started walking with just 1 crutch in my right hand, and only to balance myself, as my left leg is a good 8cm shorter than my right leg.
My knee was sore after the beach trip, but only for about 1.5 days. Obviously the muscles in my leg got tired and decided to take a break and this left my knee susceptible to the rigors of moving around. This is what caused the pain.
After my NYE dancing session i was also a little sore, but this only lasted about 1 day and then i seemed back to normal again.
3 days ago, when i started walking with 1 crutch, my knee was sore, and i struggled a bit the following day to use just the 1 crutch, but the last 2 days have been pretty good, and i can feel that the use of just the 1 crutch is really helping me strengthen my leg a lot.
I am feeling very happy about my recovery now, and am pretty positive about the next few months, and losing the crutch altogether!
I have been doing a lot of thinking, and have decided that my best course of action would be to put off my op for another 6 months and wait and see how much more improvement there is, before "risking" the op.
I say "risking", as there is the possibility of the femur refracturing when they remove the IM nail, and also of infection. I have read stories of others on the net of having a bit of pain, and going for the rod removal, only for infection to set in, and they are now in a much worse state than before!
The pain that i have been feeling in the outer part of my knee for much of my recovery time over the last 2 years, is now very much subdued. I still feel it in certain movements, and my leg still has a long way to go yet, but i am sure that strengthening alone will see me right.
For anyone reading this blog and wondering if there will ever be a light at the end of the tunnel, believe that there will be, and believe the doctors when they tell you that muscle strength can fix most of your aches and pains.
I dont think that i will ever stop the strength training program i am working on, but this is a good thing, as i know that the stronger my leg muscles are, the more protection i am affording my knee.
I have a very lax ACL and according to the arthroscopy i need an ACL reconstruction, but i will continue to get stronger, and will prove my doctor right in that muscle strength alone can overcome even this severe knee injury.
Keep positive guys and gals.
Sometimes it is all you have to hold onto on a very dark and long road to recovery. But it is your most powerful weapon in the fight to get back to full health!
I'll continue to post how things are going. Hopefully soon i'll be free of my crutches altogether.
Peace and Love for the coming year...
