It was so freezing cold on Friday! We met Larry at the door and I was working with Matt on Friday. My mom helped me get my coat off and I looked at him and asked if I was working with him. He nodded and told me that I drew the “Short Straw” so I was stuck with him. I shook my head and laughed as my mom helped me get onto the table.
I have never worked with Matt although I have seen him at ATI a lot. He was Khal Drogo for Halloween:
They won the Halloween costume contest for all the ATI locations and got a lunch at work and bragging rights for the year.
He asked me questions about the date of my procedure and how my knee was feeling and told me that he saw the notes from Greg who worked with me last time He told me that he would do the same exercises with me and he would start by putting my leg in traction. As he went to get the belt, Brad walked over. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I thought I spoke too soon saying that my knee didn’t hurt. I told him that I iced my knee over the weekend and I was a little bit disappointed. He asked me if it was from the cold and I nodded. I told him that it was either that or I am getting old.
Over the last 17 years, I have figured out that my body is very sensitive to barometric pressure and precipitation in the air. Extreme cold temperatures as well as extreme heat do not go well with my body full of MS either. The problems I have been having with my knee in the last 15 months has made the pain a little LESS bearable.
Matt came back and put my ankle in traction and we talked about football. I told him that I wanted the Rams to win the Super Bowl. Again, I guess I spoke too soon because they were eliminated on Saturday. I will take the blame for it; but, I don’t think Cooper’s turnovers helped very much either.
After traction, Matt stretched both of my legs out and I could feel them relax. We did the leg lifts again and I did extremely well at it with my right leg. I even surprised myself! I told Matt that I should run a marathon after how well I did at it. I did leg lifts on both legs and Matt told me to ask Dr. Moore about my restrictions on completing, “sit to stands” for next time. We ended with ultrasound on my knee that Larry performed.
I had to ice my knee again over the weekend and the Rams lost. I don’t so much ice my knee, but rather my shin. I think it’s a little crazy that I would think that my leg would be all better from the screwdriver shank in less than a month! My “Shank-hole” still has a scab on it. Normally, I’m a scab-picker but I am too afraid to pick this one because it hurt so badly when I got it and for two weeks afterward. As I put my coat on to leave, I turned and looked at Matt and told him that I did not draw the “short straw” to get him as my therapist. He gave me a double thumbs up as we left.
Thinking about it, I think I may ice my knee again tonight… Icing frustrates me because it is almost 16 months after my original injury and I am still dealing with pain. But I guess that icing is better than pill popping. I used to take so many painkillers because my knee hurts so badly!