Gentlemen, We Can Rebuild Him: Part 3

Technically, this Tuesday will be two weeks since my HTO and allograft surgery for the knee but since it's the freakin' weeken' baby I'm aboutta have me some fun.  What's progress been like this week?  Well, I'm trying to focus on the little things because the milestones are gonna be more like inchstones on this journey I'm afraid.

I spent the week off work, trying to find a way to get comfortable (it doesn't hurt all the time, but it is uncomfortable most of the time). Also, if I'm being honest, this second time around of dealing with weeks of nonloadbearing hell, I needed some time to clear my head and come up with some new ways to stay positive and on board with some goals to get me through this.

So, I broke down and got a wheelchair.  Angie took me to the greenway for a jaunt after she got off work Wednesday, and it put me in a much better mood instantly.  It was her first time on the greenway, and my first time going a half mile anywhere and bitching that I wanted to go back to the car now.  It seems wheel chairing takes some practice.

"Eat my rubber...."

I'm much better at it now.  My friend and bmx legend, Dave Mirra, has been teaching me some tricks and now I can do stuff like this......



Really though, the wheelchair should be great for work since the factory is so huge.  My pride wouldn't let me use one after the last surgery, but I had some tough times crutching across that place and found myself getting stuck from time to time too far to make it back and looking for an emergency sit down.

They've been really cool at work about it too and have made some accommodations there to help make life easier for me.  Like these......





 I'm so blessed.  They didn't do that well with the handicap parking space notification, but hey, I get it.....



I've also started physical therapy again with Kevin Youngs, who is a delightful fella that is just itching to find new ways to show you how much just a little bit of pain can make you feel so much better.  Or not......he's happy to show you a lot of pain can pretty much accomplish that very same thing.....


This looks really easy, doesn't it?  What you can't see is my awful grimace, and the sweaty grip I have on the table....

The only part of physical therapy that doesn't hurt......

Other than that, the staples came out Friday, which was liberating at least a little bit.  I can submerge the
knee now which is good because now I can do this......



Anyway, that's all for this week.  I have some shirts I'm distributing for the "Save the Richter Kid and Get Him Back to Kona" foundation if you're interested.  IM me and I'll get you one......