Yesterday a nurse from the orthopedic office called to follow up on my recovery progress after surgery. They actually called a couple times immediately following the surgery, but I missed those calls. So the nurse sounded a little surprised when I answered the phone.

“We’re just following up to see how you’re doing?” she asked.

“Well, I walked two miles the day after surgery,” I told her.

“Ohhh,” she responded, a little surprised. There had been discussion about whether crutches were necessary after surgery. I turned them down.

“I also did a little lifting,” I told her.

“Oh, wait, what?”

“Just some light stuff. Things I learned in recovery from the ACL years ago. The knee feels great.”

“Did you read the information about what the doctor wants you to do?”

“What information?” I asked. “I didn’t see anything,” I admitted.

“The post-surgery instructions. He wants you to do some light knee bends. We gave you information to read.”

Playing along

At that point I figured I’d better fall into line. I was simply farther along than the instructions likely imagined. See, I’ve been through this before.

But even those around me seemed nervous at the pace of recovery. My daughter’s boyfriend has started calling me The Terminator. “I think the doctor’s right,” he admonished. “I can’t believe what you’re doing.”

This…. from a guy that has had plenty of gnarly accidents and recoveries during his work in the trades. He also once had an industrial-grade fire extinguisher go off inside the cab of his truck. Phooooomppfff!  “Yes, that was intense,” he laughs whenever I recall that day.

Such is life. You never really know what’s going to happen next. Just ask Sean Hannity. Phooooomppfff! 

Wanting more

But my knee feels great. There was no really no pain and not much swelling even the afternoon of the surgery. I’ve iced. Elevated. Kept the bandages on for a few days to protect the small incisions. Those are due to be removed this Friday.

And last night I went for another walk on the bike path that swings behind our house. It’s about a mile out to the “main road” and back. My legs felt energetic. The knee felt looser. The swelling is going down. I can walk stairs normally again. I’d call that healthy progress. Plus I saw some rusty blackbirds and a lesser yellowlegs. Signs of spring!

The Spin Zone

So this morning, I put on my bike shorts, stuck the Specialized Venge in the trainer and spun 45 minutes of indoor riding. Good news. The knee feels great.

I’m grateful that this is coming along well. I’m a couple pounds up in weight for lack of training, but that should melt off within the next few days.

Come Friday I’ll meet with the doc and thank him for his skills. It took just twenty minutes of his time to snip the loose bit of meniscus that I damaged hurdling a street cone during a race on a snowy day a few Januarys ago. Won’t be doing that again, I can assure you that.

And if the weather gets above fifty this weekend, I’ll be out riding 30-40 miles and starting preparation for our trip to the hills of North Carolina come May. It’s all part of a spin through the recovery zone.