The first step in the New Knee Boogie

Physical therapy and a wellness assessment are my next step on my knee replacement journey. I’m writing about them in the same blog because they happened three days in succession. The time went by so fast and I received so much information it made my head spin. The first step in the New Knee Boogie will make all the difference in my successful recovery down the road.

Why physical therapy is an important the first step in the New Knee Boogie

The idea of having physical therapy before the surgery seemed like overkill. It was what the doctor ordered, so who was I to argue. I resisted the idea of going to what I imagined to be something close to a medieval torture chamber. I drug my feet as I walked into the small clinic. The intense pain I felt in my right knee made it impossible to sleep and go about my daily activities. Any manipulation of my right leg could only cause more agony.

My opinion of the experience couldn’t have been further from the truth. The therapist introduced herself and put me at ease immediately.

She assured me we would work together to strengthen my muscles. The first step in the procedure was to apply wet heat to the top half of my leg and ice below my knee. A tens unit helped loosen my muscles further.

Exercise is the key in the first step in the New Knee Boogie

Then she showed me a series of exercises I could do at home to help strengthen everything before I went under the knife. Exercising is the key to getting back to normal during the knee replacement procedure. My two sessions have made me a believer. The pain I felt limited my mobility to the point I felt like an invalid. After two sessions, I can perform most of my daily activities. After the surgery I will have to work hard to make my way back to normal. The thing I’m discovering about a knee replacement is it isn’t a passive procedure. The patient has to work hard for a favorable outcome.

Health assessment is part of the first step in the New Knee Boogie

Rooster and I had to get up early to drive a hundred miles for a wellness assessment. They want you to be in the best shape possible when you have a knee replacement. Rooster couldn’t go in when we got to the clinic. He waited in the car during the evaluation procedure. They took my blood pressure. I must have been nervous because the reading came out high. The nurse said it happens to a lot of people when they came in for evaluation. They did an EKG and drew a lot of blood and later they asked a million question about my health. 

The clinic doctor came in and did the normal stuff doctors do like listening to your heart and lungs. She announced I was good to go as long as there were no surprises in the blood work.

Detour on the first step in the New Knee Boogie

Rooster and I decided to stop at Wilson’s Market on our way home from my health assessment. This country store is out in the middle of nowhere. You can smell the fried chicken they make before you walk through the door. A person never knows what they will find at Wilson’s. We mostly looked around. Rooster bought some bananas. Our stop at Wilson’s became a nice way to take my mind off my first step in the New Knee Boogie.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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