I got the stitches removed today. This was an experience I'd like never to repeat. They tie the sutures pretty tight, especially around the knee, because the skin there tends to move and stretch a lot. So I think they want to make sure they don't tear loose. But this makes taking them out a little tricky. The nurse tried to be gentle, but it was a little painful on a few of these incisions, especially the big one under the knee, just because the sutures were so deep into the skin and the wounds are still a bit sore. To be honest, the actual pain was not that bad. It was more the anticipation of pain and concern that here she was digging into still sensitive wounds with sharp scissors. I was sweating by the end of it, but thankfully it was over before I actually passed out. Phew. I can't believe we're still using something as primitive as sutures. Seems like somebody would have come up with something better by now.
Anyway, here are some pics of my leg post-sutures (the white bands are steri-strips that I have to keep on until they fall off on their own in about a week):
And here's a close-up:
I also went to physical therapy and was able to do complete pedal revolutions by moving the seat back a bit. So by next week I might be able to get back in the saddle. Unfortunately, my bike still looks like this:
Actually, you probably can't tell from this picture but I've made a lot of progress in the overhaul of my bike in the past couple of days. With any luck, it should be ready to go when my knee is.
No comments:
Post a Comment