I "Walked" the Woods!

 Our weather has been just stellar - so stellar - 70's!  I'm at wits end...  Being unable to be out doing something or riding Speedy is the pits...  But - as friends have reminded me, I can sit in the sun, I'm a little more mobile & I'm Home!  Doris picked me up & we went to Matt-Making this morning.  Only six of us there - but it was good to see my friends.  

At my first Physical Therapy appointment last week, the bend in my knee was just over 70%.  Full range of motion is 130%.  I was given exercises aimed at strengthening the under used muscles in my leg, above & below the knee.

Bottom of the backyard~

Today, I took the walker, now with wheels & navigated the ramp.  Once at the end of the sidewalk, I went down the edge of the woods to the lower corner of the yard & the start of Tinkle Branch Trail.

Two new residents~

I'd made it down here one other time, a few days after I got home.  With Butch's help - to hang the flying owl ring I'd found shopping in Duvall.  This - of course had been before my injury.  After I'd been hurt, I asked Courtney to go back & buy the owl hook we'd seen in the same store.  It was still there & I'm so glad I bought it.  

I made it all the way to the far end of the trail & the Lowlands.  The sun was glinting off the red glass post cap.  The woods were the driest I've ever seen them.  We've had only one decent rain since I returned home.  It gave us just shy of an inch of rain.

The far SW end of our property~

The leaves have dried & curled.  Crunching under my feet & the walker's wheels.  I stopped to give my leg a rest, before turning back.  A few larger branches had come down in the winds. One I had to move to get past & up the hill to the cabin.  The hill was a challenge - but I managed.

Looking south from near the cabin~

Once back up at the top, I hustled a little, knowing Butch would be home shortly to take me to this weeks PT appointment.  Hum...  I didn't make it, he came down the street just as I'd made it back to the sidewalk.  He asked if I'd planned to do my PT before I'd done my PT?

I was very happy when the bend in my knee measured just over 80%.  A decent improvement from last week.  Jenny added some additional exercises.  She said I should be going in three-times a week.  But since I'm doing them at home, she'll settle for once.  I learned it takes up to a year to recover full use of the knee & they consider a return to 120% adequate.  Since my injury was so severe - it could take longer...  (I did manage to get my leg into the drivers side of the Explorer, so hope I'll feel comfortable driving around town by next week.)  I sit on my stationary bike & use my right leg to stretch the left knee with the pedals.  

Next week, I see an Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon in Omaha - who will be handling my recovery from this point on.  I'm into my eighth week - hopefully with only four to go - before I can bear weight on my leg.  I'm so tired of the brace & so tired hobbling...  Fingers crossed!