Alligatorob's Diary

[alligatorob]

Today was not a good food day, and I did not want to post, but I know admitting to it will help. Did fine until evening, then I polished off the last of the Halloween candy... had to estimate calories but probably not to far wrong... Tomorrow is another day.

It was a good exercise day, little over an hour and a half both in the gym and physical therapy. The PT people are good to me, I know I spend a lot more time there than most. Partly because I have two knees to work, and partly because I insist on doing everything on my list and its getting long. So far no complaints. I do try to be as self-sufficient as possible, I don't take a much supervision as most patients. The therapists are nice people, that helps.

Well done, Rob

Thanks Cate, but today wasn't so well. Tomorrow is another day.

Sorry to hear you still have pain and discomfort Rob, but by the laws of time and physics, you will improve!

Thanks Emily! I am sure you are right, its just hard to remember sometimes.

I think you're doing great, for what it's worth.

I always appreciate your opinion, worth a lot!

 

[Llama]

Not a lot of veggies but otherwise pretty good for a bad day. Therapists are never happier than when patients are motivated and do well so I bet they enjoy having you there a little longer.

 

[liza3]

Did fine until evening, then I polished off the last of the Halloween candy.

This halloween candy is really getting a lot of us!

Nice to hear you doing so well with the PT--i can imagine it must be very satisfying for them to see someone so willing to put the hard work in. Good for you Rob!

 

[alligatorob]

A marginal food day. Had a birthday party for the grandson and I ate too much pizza and cookies... However it was a better day than yesterday. Hopefully not as good as tomorrow.

Not a lot of veggies but otherwise pretty good for a bad day.

Thanks Llama, you can find a silver lining in most anything I think.

Therapists are never happier than when patients are motivated and do well so I bet they enjoy having you there a little longer.

I hope so, I did notice a guy yesterday doing better than I am. Not sure where he is post surgery but some of the balance things he was doing I doubt I'll ever be able to do. Course he was at least 30 years younger. I know it never makes sense to compare yourself to others in these things, just to yourself.

This halloween candy is really getting a lot of us!

Nice to hear you doing so well with the PT--i can imagine it must be very satisfying for them to see someone so willing to put the hard work in. Good for you Rob!

Thanks Liza, no Halloween candy excuse today, LOL.

 

[liza3]

Had a birthday party for the grandson and I ate too much pizza and cookies... However it was a better day than yesterday.

Nice to enjoy the birthday party even if you felt you had a bit too much. It's good to be able to enjoy these things with others!

 

[Llama]

I hope so, I did notice a guy yesterday doing better than I am. Not sure where he is post surgery but some of the balance things he was doing I doubt I'll ever be able to do. Course he was at least 30 years younger.

That's so you. He probably didn't get knee replacement surgery at that age, let alone a double. He may not even have had surgery at all.

 

[Cate]

Glad you enjoyed the birthday party, Rob. I had a post all typed out yesterday & it's gone, but I think I thought it sounded rude & deleted it all. I'll just ask one question. (Make that 2). Is your diet consisting mostly of bread & cheese at the moment? Are you not having home-cooked meals like meat & fish with veg? That still sounds rude but I'll quickly post & leave

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a good food day, ate pretty well. And back to fish, have more for tomorrow.

No exercise, just some PT things, an off day.

Nice to enjoy the birthday party even if you felt you had a bit too much. It's good to be able to enjoy these things with others!

Thanks for the kind words Liza, and it was good to do. Might have been better without the cookies... but it was still good.

He probably didn't get knee replacement surgery at that age, let alone a double. He may not even have had surgery at all.

LOL, guess you caught me. He seems to do some of the same exercises as I and he has a knee problem. However you are right, I know knee replacement is rare in people of his age... must be something else. I still envy his balance!

I'll just ask one question. (Make that 2). Is your diet consisting mostly of bread & cheese at the moment? Are you not having home-cooked meals like meat & fish with veg?

You are right, and I am trying to change that. Supper tonight was better. Since the surgery I have not been as active preparing food as I was, but that is starting to change.

That still sounds rude but I'll quickly post & leave

LOL, of course it doesn't! I appreciate you, and others being honest with me, and I value your opinion. I follow your suggestions more than you know, I know it doesn't always seem like it but I do. For example it was you and your dry July that stopped me drinking very much. It helped me understand how many empty calories I was drinking. I can think of other examples, but won't type them here, just wanted you to know I value your input and could never imagine you rude...

 

[Llama]

I don't think Cate has it in her to be rude!

Youngish guy doing knee stability exercises probably has a tendon issue, maybe an ACL tear or something.

 

[alligatorob]

I don't think Cate has it in her to be rude!

Absolutely!!

 

[Cate]

Thanks, Rob (& Llama) I don't like being rude I must admit, & prefer not to say anything if I can't think of anything nice to say. I feel that asking lots of questions is rude & I still have more. I'll space them out

Today was a good food day, ate pretty well. And back to fish, have more for tomorrow.

I stocked up on frozen fish yesterday. I have managed to find a good quality frozen fish. It won't be as good as yours I'm sure, but still. I also got some frozen raw tiger prawns. Do you like cooking stir-fries, Rob?

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a decent food day, finished off the birthday cookies, not the best, but otherwise I think I did fine and the calories were about right. Did just under 3 hours in the gym this morning and a few PT exercises, probably not as many as I should have, but a few.

Youngish guy doing knee stability exercises probably has a tendon issue, maybe an ACL tear or something.

Probably, and not really a great comparison to my condition. You did get me thinking, I keep being told I am way ahead of average, but it occurs to me that average for knee replacement patients are old and often not in very good condition...

I don't like being rude I must admit, & prefer not to say anything if I can't think of anything nice to say.

You are not, and in this setting being frank with people is the most helpful thing you can do. I appreciate it.

I feel that asking lots of questions is rude & I still have more.

Again it is not in this setting, and please ask away!

Do you like cooking stir-fries, Rob?

Don't know that I have ever made one. I do like eating stir-fry, but it has been a while. Your fish sounds good, I like shrimp in most any form.

Just noticed an error in my exercise minutes, I did not workout 17 1/2 hours today. MFP's new format has bugs...

 

[Llama]

Glad you didn't work out 17 and a half hours! Most of the people I currently see after knee replacement surgery are around 10 years younger than you but a lot less active.

 

[Cate]

Hi, Rob. Well done on what sounds like a good day. I have been wondering if you eat separately from your wife & just cook simple things for yourself & and if she may eat totally different things. G does all the cooking at our place & I do the shopping. He eats pork or duck when we're out because I don't like it (too rich & fatty for me). I would find it difficult if his diet was totally different from mine at home.
I think you're doing really well with your rehab. I am ready to start strength training tomorrow after fishing out my physio exercises & Llama's & am ready to roll. Today I thought I had better appease my dog after leaving him home yesterday & took him for 2 good, brisk up & downhill walks.

 

[Emilyrose]

Glad the birthday cookies are gone.

 

[alligatorob]

Not a bad food day, lots of fish, no junk, and no binge. Did 3 hours and 20 minutes in the gym, felt good.

Most of the people I currently see after knee replacement surgery are around 10 years younger than you but a lot less active.

Makes sense, I suppose the bad knees were part of being less active. My knees were pretty bad, but I think I had less pain than some.

I have been wondering if you eat separately from your wife & just cook simple things for yourself & and if she may eat totally different things.

We are a bit mixed. I fix most of my own, but there are times, usually dinner when I eat what she fixes. Sometimes I take some of her left overs, soup particularly and warm it up. My wife is vegetarian and likes different food from me. She does eat fish, that helps. She also eats at different times, dinner usually by 4 pm and nothing after that. too early for me.

I am ready to start strength training tomorrow after fishing out my physio exercises & Llama's & am ready to roll. Today I thought I had better appease my dog after leaving him home yesterday & took him for 2 good, brisk up & downhill walks.

Good for you, and your dog!

Glad the birthday cookies are gone.

Thanks Emily, so am I!

 

[Cate]

We are a bit mixed. I fix most of my own, but there are times, usually dinner when I eat what she fixes. Sometimes I take some of her left overs, soup particularly and warm it up. My wife is vegetarian and likes different food from me. She does eat fish, that helps. She also eats at different times, dinner usually by 4 pm and nothing after that. too early for me.

I had forgotten all of that. Makes it difficult to eat meals together. Not eating after 4 pm would be so hard for me!

Not a bad food day, lots of fish, no junk, and no binge. Did 3 hours and 20 minutes in the gym, felt good.

That's a good day, Rob. Well done

 

[alligatorob]

Today was not a bad food day, but I sure had lots of cravings. The peanut butter helped hold them back. Good exercise and PT day.

In PT I had a talk with the therapist about my lack of progress of late. I made 0
degree extension and 130 flexion a couple of weeks ago and not much improvement since. The extension is when forced, I cannot do it with my leg lifted. He thought that would come with time, if I kept the stretches and exercises up.

@Llama I have been doing a some exercises for the Vastus medialis, I think that was the one you suggested I work. I do squats clenching a ball and sometimes with a glute band, can't yet do real deep squats, but they are getting deeper. Also some adduction exercises, one on a machine and one with bands. Do those make sense?

That's a good day, Rob. Well done

Thanks Cate!

Not eating after 4 pm would be so hard for me!

Me too, sometimes I can do it as a late lunch, but not easily.

 

[Llama]

They're generally fine exercises and adding a bit of adduction to your extension can help but the vastus isn't really active anywhere except during that last bit of extension you didn't have access to for years. Squats and the "standard" adductor machine have most of the muscle activation in deeper knee flexion. Soccer players (and probably rugby and basketball players as well as a bunch of other athletes but nobody ever forced me to watch any of those for hours on end) tend to have giant vastus medialis muscles because they do a lot of quick direction changes where they pivot on a nearly straight knee. Basically any sport that's horrendous for the various bands in and around your knees.

 

[liza3]

Sounds like you are continuing on a really good track Rob! Cravings are hard -- good for you not giving in!