Got a call from my Class III dealer today

[Pistolero]

Gee, hope that isn't needed for 20 or more years. For some strange reason when I put three ice bags on
my knee, after a while I start getting cold.
I moved out onto the deck in 94F heat, in the shade to read for a while.
Iced knee instead of iced tea, today. Nice. Sit for 15 minutes with it bent maximum and then swing it sideways
onto the bench for 15 minutes of fully extended. Cycling it has to help mobility. At least, that's my theory.

The suppressor, of course. Brad.

 

[Ian]

I'm guessing that at 155° max excursion the days of bringing your heel up to touch your back pocket are over, am I correct?

 

[Missionary]

It is good to read your body still has the capability to respond to treatment and get healed up. Immobility would not be at all fun.

 

[Pistolero]

LOL! That ended in 1971 when I originally splattered the distal end of the femur. Even after really
serious efforts, the remaining misalignment in the joint caused it to switch from pivoting to prying
itself apart at something past 90 deg, est maybe 100 deg, but never measured in those simpler
times. In the last decade that is shrunk to probably a max of 80-85 degrees, and about 4-5 short of
full extension.
Now, on Sat AM the therapist measured 111 degress flex, and I can relatively easily get to full lock, straight
and one measurement showed three deg past full extension. Currently, I am nearly certain that the 111
is out of reach right now due to increased swelling and stiffness, but I hope to get to something like 105-115
degrees at least, maybe more. My good knee is limited only by muscle against muscle compression,
and I can pull it in, compressing thigh and calf muscles to put my heel to my butt, no strain on the
joint at all. I am pretty flexible. I can stand flat footed and put the knuckles of my clenched fists on
the floor. That has been helpful putting shoes and sox on the less-than-flexible leg this last week.

I also wonder if 49 years of limited flexure of that knee hasn't done some permanent damage to the
ligaments and tendons that can't be undone at this point, even if the new joint is kinematically
capable of more flex. We'll see. I'm pretty game on the pain game at PT, we'll see how that
works out in reality. Trying to be realistic and not get too over optimistic. Things are way ahead
of my expectations so far, but willing to believe that I may have some limitations coming down.
I'll let it develop as it does.

The Occupational Therapist pretty much gave up and said...."You'll be fine" after 20 minutes of me
showing her how I could just reach down and do all the stuff she was going to teach me special tricks to be
able to do (grippers, long handled shoehorns, etc) when I am "all stove up".
Thirty plus years of picking up mine and others brass for a couple of hours on a Friday
night and one or two Saturdays per month set that flexibility up and I have kept it by stretching
exercises. Sorta a fluke gift from IPSC days, but I am happy to have it.

The suppressor fits fine on the S&W M&P45, too, haven't fired it. Tried to unscrew the end
cap with their little knobby wrench. No joy in either direction, will read more before getting
more forceful than just hand torque. Need taller sights for the M&P45, though.

Thanks, Missionary. And a loan of any spare prayers you might have out there just laying around doing
nothing would be appreciated, too. I am sure I am getting some help on this stuff from
above. I know I had some friends and family praying, and I asked for some guidance for the
surgeon's hands, and a little help for me, too.

 

[freebullet]

What dw are you playing with?

 

[Pistolero]

Valor Discretion, If I remember the model designation correctly. I have a couple of others, but not
set up with threaded barrels. I need to check the box and see what it says.

I think that is the correct designation. My LGS gets most of the oddballs that DW makes, and it was
considered "a blem" because the 'finish is not cataloged' or something like that. Alloy frame, full
sized 5" gun, tall height sights and threaded bbl. Ramped bbl so no feed ramp wear issues. As per
all other DWs I have ever owned or handled, a superbly built gun.

Bill

 

[creosote]

With a layer of "red & tacky" on the inside of my 22lr supressor. I went from hours of cleaning to washing the lead off in minutes.
Shooting it "wet" gave me the idea for grease.
Can't tell if it's any quieter though.

 

[Winelover]

Cycling it has to help mobility. At least, that's my theory.

The exercise bicycle, was the first thing up, for every PT session of my knee rehabs.

 

[Pistolero]

At PT we have started rocking back and forth on a sorta/kinda bikish thing, but it is certainly NOT an exercise
bicycle. Big flat pads for feet, arm levers linked in, backrest....can't get all the way through a full rotation yet.
Another session today. Very painful bending it to the limit and keeping going as far as I can
stand. But, no pain, no gain.

 

[Pistolero]

Coating the baffles with grease sounds like s good idea. Unless it gets burned on.

 

[Pistolero]

I got thru a full rotation on the not-a-bike machine today after about 5 minutes of warmup.
Did some leg extensions on the wt machine, foot on a flat pad, semireclining position. I was able
to push out and cycle the incredible weight of .....drumroll.....35 lbs..... Oh well, at least the knee
was working and I did some two legged stairs, like a normal person and was pleased that that was
pretty darned good. Stairs will be quicker now.

Currently, the knee is pretty unhappy after the hard workout at PT today, but I did a lot. Heating
pad and ice packs so far, not hurting but not bending much right now, either.
I am pleased for day 8.

Bill

 

[Winelover]

If that's the same machine, IIRC maximum weight, at end of my therapy was 55 pounds. We did 25 repetitions using both legs, then switched to just the the repaired one. They also had a machine where you laid on your back, feet raised with knees bent on a 90 degree angle. You pushed off to straighten your legs. The tension was adjusted by heavy rubber bands. I don't know what the weights/tension was, the therapist set it.

 

[Pistolero]

I thought 35 lbs was pretty wimpy, maybe not so much. the foot pad is big, 24" wide 12-14" tall, vertical
rubber face, moves horizontally. You are sitting, leaning back at about 35 deg. Pushing straight
horizontally. I think there are many different machines, often only a bit different.

Didn't do any machine laying on my back, and did no reps with the good leg. But there is a room full of strange
contraptions, no idea what else they have or what she plans on having me do in the future. I thought the
two legged stairs was great, but couldn't quite manage it as well later in the day as the leg stiffened up
from the extreme efforts to increase flexure to the limits.

By this morning the knee is wanting a day off from the most serious PT. Heat is starting
to feel better now than ice. I will do some lighter exercises and walk around 1/2-3/4 mile this
afternoon. The walker is history, stopped using it Saturday PM, day 4. When I get warmed up
walking is pretty good, very much like normal walking, no real limping. Relearning proper stride
to an extent, since the old knee was so bunged up, I hadn't been really walking properly for many
years. Need to lay down a new program for that leg.

Bit by bit, getting better. Still a good ways to go.

Bill

 

[Winelover]

I never used heat, nor did the therapist. After therapy, they'd hooked you up to a re-circulating ice water boot/pad for twenty minutes.

 

[Pistolero]

Yes, they do that, and it applies pressure, large wrap around the whole middle of my leg, which also feels good.
But this morning the heating pad has felt really good.
I asked if there was any reason to not use heat, and she said that she wasn't surprised that heat was good and it is OK to use.

 

[Winelover]

Yes, they do that, and it applies pressure, large wrap around the whole middle of my leg, which also feels good.

Sounds like the same machine. Has two inlets and two outlets. Can be used for two different areas on the same person or hookup two patients at the same time.

Never tried applying heat. Cold compresses are noted for reducing swelling/inflammation. My knees seemed to be generating heat.

 

[Ian]

Bill, the man that owns the shop next door had his knee replaced about two years ago in his late 40s due to multiple injuries (too much fun with go-fast stuff) and he pulled his shorts legs up to show me the difference in the size of his thighs s few weeks after having the bad knee fixed. His lame leg had atrophied considerably from years of favoring the bad joint, and that became his biggest challenge in rehab. He had to re-learn his gait by forcing himself to hobble the other direction for a while in addition to many more months of strength training and chiropractic care as well as exaggerated arm swinging when walking.I never noticed him limping before the operation and he didn't either, it was a subtle thing but it really had him screwed up from mid-back down. He's normal now, but he had to put in a lot of work to get back where he wanted to be. I'm sure you will be too once the rest of your suspension and frame systems get unkinked.

 

[Pistolero]

Walking is better, but it is sure unlearning some bad habits. My leg wasn't atrophied, but actually
built up more muscle around the knee to stabilize it. I expect to get closer to two similar sized
knees. 25 years of bicycling and the thighs and calf sizes are pretty much the same....before.
Normal run was a 32 mile loop, usually did it in 2 hrs 10 min plus a half way rest/rehydration
break.
And 'go fast toys' - yeah, in a way, but a Honda S65, while a fun bike wasn't real fast.



Yep, winelover, black nylon braid over the umbilical, red steel case, split connector hose. Had a woman
with a shoulder wrap at the end of my PT bed yesterday and we shared the machine.

 

[creosote]

You meet the nicest people on a Honda.

 

[Pistolero]

Yeah, the rear fender of a 60s Ford Comet, IIRC. I put a huge dent in the side of the
S65 fuel tank and snapped off the handle bars with my femur, just above the knee.
I think the handle bar is what really destroyed the femur.

NOT fun.