The time has finally come. Electric Zoo Weekend is upon us. I have been waiting for this ever since I purchased my tickets last October. It is a 3 day festival at Randalls Island in NYC.
My last festival, which was Electric Daisy Carnival, I fell victim to a weak and ACL-less knee at one point of the 2nd day, my knee popped out when I jumped. That was the last time I was able to walk for the next month or so.
This weekend, I decided to go about my business a little differently. I will make sure not to wear that cheap knee guard again that I bought in Italy. Instead, I will make sure to wear the big, sturdy, noticeable serious brace that covers my whole leg. I will not jump. Or do anything crazy. I promise myself that. Even though I can function without it and probably get through the festival without it, I know the epicness of it is going to be hard to resist and I will most likely be hopping around or something like that.
So the brace is coming with me, at least just in case someone pushes into me or something crazy like that.
You never know, better to be safe than sorry.
After the jump, check out the preview for this weekends madness
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
3 Months After ACL Surgery: Back to Basics
Notice the title change? No more "__ Days After ACL Surgery", instead now I think its fair to say I've reached the "months" stage of my recovery.
Yesterday was exactly 3 months since my operation. How are things? Well if you've been following me than you know its been a bumpy and slow recovery, but I believe that it can only get better from here.
I can walk without a brace. I can swim. I can juggle a soccer ball. I have pretty good ROM. I can sleep without my brace. I can shower like a normal human being. I can carry semi-heavy things. I can also go on roller coasters. I can walk for at least a mile and a I sit for at least an hour with my leg in the same position. Basically, I am back to basic functioning. For the most part.
Progressing with PT every week, almost every day actually.
Now to get strong enough for my return to music festivals (remember: 5 days before surgery my knee gave out at EDC)
Yesterday was exactly 3 months since my operation. How are things? Well if you've been following me than you know its been a bumpy and slow recovery, but I believe that it can only get better from here.
I can walk without a brace. I can swim. I can juggle a soccer ball. I have pretty good ROM. I can sleep without my brace. I can shower like a normal human being. I can carry semi-heavy things. I can also go on roller coasters. I can walk for at least a mile and a I sit for at least an hour with my leg in the same position. Basically, I am back to basic functioning. For the most part.
Progressing with PT every week, almost every day actually.
Now to get strong enough for my return to music festivals (remember: 5 days before surgery my knee gave out at EDC)
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
83 Days After ACL Surgery: RedBulls and Dancing
What do the Redbulls have to do with my recovery? Well, not much really...but I did get to go see them beat the Portland Timber tonight with my cousin Gruby.
He's here for 10 days and I am trying my best to show him a good time, especially since its one of the few times I am with him when he can not worry about family responsibilities 24/7 and instead party with his younger brother from another mother.
This past weekend we did a lot of partying in NYC, Atlantic City, and Hoboken. Needless to say, after a few drinks, I can't hold myself back and I end up...dancing. And guess what, it was without my brace too. Obviously I was trying to be careful but when I look at it now and think about what I was doing in my not totally sober state of mind, I realize I was jumping and twisting and spinning and yet, my knee is still intact...except for the part where its stiff and sore the next day.
But there it is, my first time dancing since surgery. Only 83 days later.
He's here for 10 days and I am trying my best to show him a good time, especially since its one of the few times I am with him when he can not worry about family responsibilities 24/7 and instead party with his younger brother from another mother.
This past weekend we did a lot of partying in NYC, Atlantic City, and Hoboken. Needless to say, after a few drinks, I can't hold myself back and I end up...dancing. And guess what, it was without my brace too. Obviously I was trying to be careful but when I look at it now and think about what I was doing in my not totally sober state of mind, I realize I was jumping and twisting and spinning and yet, my knee is still intact...except for the part where its stiff and sore the next day.
But there it is, my first time dancing since surgery. Only 83 days later.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
79 Days After ACL Surgery: Kicking and Swimming
Hello there!
Ever since getting the news that my ACL is fine and did not re-tear, I feel like I have been doing much better in therapy and on my own as well. I avoid wearing the brace everyday (except when I party) and one major thing I have gotten better at is swimming.
Up to this point, swimming has been difficult for me. One day about two weeks ago I remember being in the pool with my brother Kris and not being able to stay afloat by using my legs. He didn't really realize what I meant by this until he went under water to see me flapping my arms like a fish in the deep end and my lifeless right leg just hanging there not moving at all.
It wasn't only due to the pain that I was restricted, but I literally couldnt kick and swing my leg. Well the other day I noticed that I can kick much better. I have been doing exercises that revolve around me keeping my leg straight and kicking it up and down to fight the resistance of the water.
If your anywhere near my point of ACL recovery, these are some of the things you can try in the pool that I have been doing:
- with your back against the wall, hold onto the curb of the pool and put your legs up just close enough to the surface, but not out of the water...then, with your legs straight, kick up and down. I do this for about 5 minutes 3 times a swimming pool session and it really kicks my ass
- while holding a noodle, mattress, or floating ball, kick your legs behind you and try to kick as if you were swimming forward
- squats
- walking backwards and forwards in the pool for as long as you can
- and so on...basically, do anything to get your knee working in the pool.
Friday, August 10, 2012
74 Days After ACL Surgery: Bracing myself for more parties
The last few days have been pretty wild. I turned 21 on August 8th and since midnight of that date, I have been treated to a lot of partying by my friends and co. However, regardless of how silly I may have looked walking into bars with a huge brace on my leg, I still wore it every single night.
I am definitely not trying to worry about "drunkenly re-tearing it" again so I am making it a habit to wear it for all the celebrating I will be doing from now on.
Oh how I can't wait to party with out it...for now though, its my number one accessory.
I am definitely not trying to worry about "drunkenly re-tearing it" again so I am making it a habit to wear it for all the celebrating I will be doing from now on.
Oh how I can't wait to party with out it...for now though, its my number one accessory.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
70 Days After ACL Surgery: ACL graft is NOT torn
What a relief! Wow! Just...WOW, I would be really bummed if my ACL graft was torn...
...ok thats an understatement. I would have been very very very pissed and depressed and upset and angry at the world, but after seeing the doctor today and spending the last 2 or so weeks in fear and anxiety, I am so relieved right now to know that my knee is OK and that I can resume my regular therapy.
Bottom line is my ACL graft, which I feared could have been torn or stretched out, is in place. Its actually still tight and stiff, as is my whole knee, but thats better than having my knee flying all over the place.
Read after the jump to hear about what the doctor said and were we go from here.
...ok thats an understatement. I would have been very very very pissed and depressed and upset and angry at the world, but after seeing the doctor today and spending the last 2 or so weeks in fear and anxiety, I am so relieved right now to know that my knee is OK and that I can resume my regular therapy.
Bottom line is my ACL graft, which I feared could have been torn or stretched out, is in place. Its actually still tight and stiff, as is my whole knee, but thats better than having my knee flying all over the place.
Read after the jump to hear about what the doctor said and were we go from here.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
69 Days After ACL Surgery: Tomorrow I find out if I re-tore my "new" ACL graft...I think
PT today really sucked. I was able to do most of the usual but I was feeling pain in my kneecap like never before. I had trouble doing the step-downs and even the balancing board. The bike was not too bad so thats kind of encouraging...then again I was able to ride a bike without any problems before my ACL surgery.
Anyways, tomorrow is the big day (or at least it should be). I have a 10:30AM appointment scheduled with my doctor but I'm just going to get there around 9AM, write my name down on the check-in list and be like "listen guy, I got shit to do today, my knee hurts, just tell me doc, is it torn?". Yupp, then I have to figure out how I am going to answer his question about "what happened?".
"Oh nothing you know, I just got shitfaced with my buddies and woke up the next morning with a painful knee...".
No. I can't say that. My mom would kill me before he does...even though she might have an idea that thats how it went down.
But seriously, rarely do I curse on this blog, but I-am-fucking-scared-and-nervous about tomorrow. I do have a feeling though that he is going to make me get an MRI and then come back to his office again next week and that is just going to build up my worrisome state....or whatever.
The worst case scenario that I am hoping for tomorrow is that he does the Lachman (something like that) Test and says "Hey, your ACL is fine...it must be your meniscus again". I mean, thats not something to be too happy about but at this point I realize that repairing a meniscus (or shall i say, trimming a meniscus) will be a lot easier for me and him then this whole ACL procedure as well.
Damn, I kind of just want to keep typing to get my mind of tomorrow...but it inevitable. Right now, at this very moment, my ACL graft is either fucked or totally fine...but I wont know for sure for another ehhh 10 hours.
Fantastic.
Praying for the best. Ciao happy world.
Anyways, tomorrow is the big day (or at least it should be). I have a 10:30AM appointment scheduled with my doctor but I'm just going to get there around 9AM, write my name down on the check-in list and be like "listen guy, I got shit to do today, my knee hurts, just tell me doc, is it torn?". Yupp, then I have to figure out how I am going to answer his question about "what happened?".
"Oh nothing you know, I just got shitfaced with my buddies and woke up the next morning with a painful knee...".
No. I can't say that. My mom would kill me before he does...even though she might have an idea that thats how it went down.
But seriously, rarely do I curse on this blog, but I-am-fucking-scared-and-nervous about tomorrow. I do have a feeling though that he is going to make me get an MRI and then come back to his office again next week and that is just going to build up my worrisome state....or whatever.
The worst case scenario that I am hoping for tomorrow is that he does the Lachman (something like that) Test and says "Hey, your ACL is fine...it must be your meniscus again". I mean, thats not something to be too happy about but at this point I realize that repairing a meniscus (or shall i say, trimming a meniscus) will be a lot easier for me and him then this whole ACL procedure as well.
Damn, I kind of just want to keep typing to get my mind of tomorrow...but it inevitable. Right now, at this very moment, my ACL graft is either fucked or totally fine...but I wont know for sure for another ehhh 10 hours.
Fantastic.
Praying for the best. Ciao happy world.
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