It is kind of odd to think that five and a half weeks ago, I was getting someone else’s tendon inserted into my knee and that I’m walking around better now than I was 6 weeks ago. Physical therapy is going fine – kind of easy – actually much easier that I had thought it would be given some people’s stories of it. The dude even cautiously, with all sorts of disclaimers, okay’d me for riding the bike – which is something that Kari told me I probably could/should not do for 3-4 months (stationary bike okay much sooner) and as much as I trust Kari and her advice and the warnings from the PT dude I’m assigned to, I missed going out on rides with Sal even more. Sure, he sleeps during the ride, but I get a kick out of him getting excited about the idea of the ride. It also helped me mentally feel like I was on the right track back. And in every other aspect of the rehabbing, I’m extra cautious.
Besides, I’ve been poking around the internet and found out about an air evac flight ambulance service. Now I know I could bike as long and far as I’d like with Sal (as long as we stay near airports) and not have any worries about our well being. To know that they’d be there for me, anywhere around the world, puts a lot of concerns to rest. And most insurance plans cover it, even!
At least it’s a lock for this year, when I’ve exhausted my plan’s deductible via the surgery. Maybe next year, it won’t be such a no-brainer.
Oh – another thing which I thought was a no-brainer, I’m finding isn’t such a no-brainer for other people. That is, the donor’s tendon. To me, given the choice of harvesting the replacement parts from myself, or a donor, it was an obvious choice to get someone else’s parts. Mine are falling apart as is – might as well roll the dice with a nice meaty, fully tested part from a stranger.
But other’s squirm when talking about this. Other people’s parts in my knee (there’s a picture of such an event over on Purvey’s blog if one’s really interested) offend their sensiblities. It doesn’t bother me mentally at all – I wasn’t that close to my ligaments before they busted – and having them replaced by someone else’s parts isn’t causing me to lose any sleep. Besides, now if things don’t go my way, I can just blame it on my haunted knee.
Glad you’re recuperating nicely! Better than nicely, even — ahead of schedule, from what I read.
i have other people’s (scooty’s) parts in me all the time…
c’mon. you know i had to say it.