It's a Brand New Dressing!

Part of my surgery discharge instructions was to make an appointment for one week post-op to take off the dressing, and two weeks post-op to take out the stitches. Since the doctor is in the office only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I was hoping to make my appointments for the next two Tuesdays in a row. But since they told my wonderful, fabulous husband to make the follow up - he made the first one for Thursday.

For the past couple of days, I've noticed that the swelling has substantially subsided and the muscle mass in my quad is close to non-existent (this I am NOT happy with). This means that I have been constantly readjusting the brace to keep it from falling down. And the way one of the brace straps sit - hits right on the most painful area of just under my knee - where they drilled into the bone. Whenever I walk, it felt like the brace was pulling the dressing down with it. And...it...hurt.

So I called this morning hoping that I could get the dressing off two days early and didn't get in. Seems they had 70 ... yes, seven-zero ... people to see today. Went about my work, took a shower on lunch break and decided to try once more. Got me in! Yay!

First thing on order was to cut off the dressing. I was cringing like a little kid thinking it was going to hurt. I was wrong. Wow - so THAT'S what my knee looks like. I could hardly remember. The initials of the doctor were still there. The iodine, still there. And I've started a giant bruise on my lower leg. Now, that's going to get ugly.

And holy crap. I have five holes in my leg.

See below.

As the dressing is coming off.

















After all was said and done.

















The doctor said that I should now be starting to extend and bend the leg to help with range of motion. If not, my hamstrings will become way too tight. Since I generally have tight hamstrings anyway (down dog is not my specialty in yoga), I am doing my darndest not to let the tight hamstrings happen.

Doctor also said that I don't have to wear the brace when in "controlled environments" - he seems to think my home is one - so I have been brace-less for the last few hours. I can feel a lot of pressure on that point under my knee when I stand. Maybe it's the culmination of not having full dressing (pressure) on the wound and using the muscles for the first time in a week.

The long road is barely beginning. As I was leaning on crutches in the family room and watching Campbell engrossed in Warren Miller's Storm, it hit me. Recovery is really going to be a b***h.