Workin' It

This rehab stuff is like a second job. We have to plan for it and plan around it. Twice a day she spends 30-45 minutes building muscles and working on range of motion.

Her first workout of the day usually starts before she gets out of bed. She usually flips her comforter off of her body and starts her leg lifts - yelling 1,2,1; 1,2,2; 1,2,3. She yells it at me to make sure I know she's doing it (and to make sure I know that she doesn't want to do it right at that time.) By her third exercise, I usually go in and sit with her for a while so that she can zone out on Spongebob while I count/time her reps.

Some mornings I also get accused of counting wrong or starting the timer late. It's always before my first cup of coffee - so every once in a while, it's probably a legitimate gripe.

About two weeks ago, we had a follow-up appointment with her surgeon. It went very well. The x-rays looked great. He watched her walk and looked at her muscle strength. They talked about how stable she her knee felt and he told her she didn't have to wear that gigantic brace anymore.

He said in five or six weeks she could come get fitted for her athletic brace and then she could start running. Liz said, "And playing soccer?" He laughed and said, "No. It will be a few more weeks after that."

She quickly said, "What day?"

He looked at a calendar and somehow, they came to July 31 as the day she would be able to start soccer-controlled movements with a ball.

I don't think either of us are really sure that means, but it is something for her to look forward to.

The next day she started on the elliptical. And even though I have been here every day to see every small tidbit of accomplishment - seeing her on the elliptical was - a proud mom moment.



So now, for her second workout of the day, she alternates between swimming laps or the elliptical.(FYI - Waterproof iPod - awesome purchase)

Everyday she swims longer than she did the day before. Everyday she maintain a higher resistance for a longer period on the elliptical.

According to the doctor, she can probably start practicing in August (or sooner) and by mid-September (give or take a week) full-speed games.

September seems pretty far away... but July 31 is just around the corner!


Calf Muscle - Photo taken May 27,2013
Definitely improved!