Good News, Bad News

I have some good news and some bad news on this chilly October evening.

The good: It’s been 12 days since my last PRP treatment, and I’m walking like a normal human—if that’s possible. What I mean is that I’ve ditched the dip-and-drag swagger, where my left leg is semi-straight and makes a half circle as my right leg propels me forward. This is a good thing because my back was starting to contort in all the wrong ways. It’s also good because my right knee was taking a beating. But it’s really a good thing because I have to get around at work, which means people—real people who don’t get the whole needles-in-the-knee thing—watch me do the shuffle a dozen times a day.

The bad: I’m still not fully recovered, which means I need to use my hands when sitting down. Sure, I can flop onto the couch without bracing myself, but smaller seats are a bit harder. Like the toilet. But that’s a story I’ll spare you…

In other news…

Since this is my second time around with PRP, I’ve learned a thing or two that I missed last time. Alright, I really learned only one thing: Buy a journal. See, three months ago when PRP was all new and weird, I’d get all neurotic on my husband each night. Is it supposed to feel this bad? Shouldn’t I be healing faster? What about this ache—is it normal? Why is my tendon still swollen? Is that normal? Should this be happening? Am I behind? And on and on.

This time, you’d think I would know exactly what to expect. You’d think. But then you’d realize I didn’t take any notes about my first PRP, and my memory of the experience has somehow been wiped over the past 11 weeks. This time around, I’m bugging my husband with other questions. Didn’t I get better faster last time? Are you sure I wasn’t walking without a limp sooner last time? I don’t remember it hurting for this long … are you sure I’m OK? Is this normal? Am I behind?

A stupid little pack of papers could have cured my self-doubt. But since I flunked that test during my first go-round I’ve gotten smarter. So next time I get PRP I’ll scroll right to this entry. I’ll remember I wasn’t exercising at the two-week mark, and feel a whole lot better about my sorry state.