Making Progress, and Concerns

My range of motion (ROM) continues to improve. I hit 112° at both PT sessions last week and reached 114° Tuesday and today. This all comes after a 5-day MethylPrednisone burst that helped bring down swelling enough to give my knee more room to bend. I met with my doctor's PA on Monday. He's pleased with my progress and seemed optimistic that I can continue to see increased ROM over the next year, especially in the next few months, as swelling continues to abate. I would love to get to 130°, but it doesn't appear to be in my cards. 

I've been enjoying indoor rides again, but they come at a cost, so my physical therapist would like me to hold off before incorporating them into my rehab. I rode for an hour a few days ago, and my knee felt very good, allowing me to push the pace for a couple of surges. The next day, however, I paid for it with a very tired and weak knee that had me sidelined the entire day. Taylor (my PT) told me it's okay to occasionally do an easy 5 miles (emphasis on "easy") for fun but not to consider it part of my rehab, at least not at this point. She would rather see me establish quadriceps activation (a key part of knee replacement rehabilitation) through my other strengthening exercises that better isolate the quadriceps.

As I write this, I paused to post a video to my Threads account—a video of one of our Tuesday Night Gravel rides (see video below). I spent some time sorting through my thoughts about ever returning to that level of riding again in a fast-paced group on a gravel ride where we're pushing each other to our limits. I was texting Rachel a few days ago that maybe it's time to think about minimizing the risks that I've been fine accepting as a part of my life—up to now. I would still like to ride with my friends, but maybe just an easier-paced ride with some of the other retired guys in the group on a weekday morning, perhaps. Or, as Marty suggested tonight, a ride with one of the slower groups on Tuesday nights. I would like that. As I told Rachel, I've been subconsciously preparing for this and constantly worried that I wouldn't know when enough was enough. My mind still feels youthful, but my body reminds me otherwise. I see more time walking the links in my future, and that's not bad!

Heather Cox Richardson had a sobering update a few days ago. I shared it on Facebook, encouraging my conservative friends to read it, and commented, "We’re in a very precarious place as a democracy. Even if you feel there's nothing to worry about, do me a favor and please read to the end. This is not the kind of thing you’re going to read in conservative circles, nor is it the kind of thing you’ll likely hear on MSM. There’s a real threat that’s gathered and has begun to enact their authoritarian plan for our country. This should worry you no matter who you support." Here is a link to Heather's post.

I'm worried, and I think most of us who pay attention to what's happening are also concerned. We see the way Trump has embraced unrest and violence by most recently pardoning the people who attacked our nation's Capitol on January 6th, 2021. All 1500 of them were pardoned, many for violence perpetrated on Capitol Police officers. 

We've watched as he sent his co-president, Elon Musk (the world's richest man), out to systematically dismantle our government, firing heads and upper management of agencies vital to our country's safety, and lawyers who worked on the numerous federal criminal cases against him. They've also illegally stripped funding from many agencies, throwing them into chaos as the courts try and sort out the destruction perpetrated by those behind what many are referring to as a coup. I don't think they're overstating it.

At this point, anyone would be forgiven for wondering out loud if Trump is a Russian asset. What more would one need him to do to convince someone that he's clearly working on Putin's behalf. I listened to a news conference with Trump this afternoon where he actually blamed Biden for the war in Ukraine. Had Biden not been president, Putin would never have invaded Ukraine, he said. It was all Joe's fault. He's delusional. 

And yet people follow him and, I suppose, look up to him. I wonder what kids coming of age think of him, especially kids from conservative families whose parents support him—parents who bring their children to church every Sunday and raise their hands in praise to the Lord while supporting an adjudicated rapist and openly racist man for president. 

Make it make sense.   

That's all I've got.