Gratitude Monday: the four-week mark

Thursday marked four weeks since my total knee replacement surgery. SITREP as of Friday’s PT session:

Flexion: 122 degrees

Extension: Two degrees off flat (have to work on that, which involves lying supine, propping my ankle up on a rolled towel and letting gravity pull the knee down for a couple of minutes; try it some time and see how much you like it)

Walking up and down stairs with some fluidity

My therapist says I’m doing fantastic, although I confess I am still not at the stage where I can say with a straight face, “I’m so glad I had this done.”

(The redness is because I was icing it just before I took the photo.)

SITREP from Friday’s yoga lesson:

Careful sun salutations, including lunges and planks

Warrior I and Warrior II, and Triangle Pose

Very lopsided Tree Pose (I can bend the right knee only enough to get the foot along the left shin, but the right leg will sustain the left foot against the thigh as normal)

Bridge against the wall (although, TBH, the left leg was doing about 65% of the work)

Can’t do Child’s Pose,

but can do Melting heart.

And my verymost favorite: Twisted Puppy!

So today's gratitude is progress. I know I've had a better recovery that some people, and I'm grateful for that. I'm also grateful that this process has made me appreciate things I've taken for granted, like mobility and flexibility. That has enriched my life.