Done

Well, it will probably never really be done. But I have had my last required appointment with Dr. Pittman (who was even hotter than I remembered him in khakis and a navy blazer).

He's happy with my progress, didn't think it could really have gone better, and laid out my options and left them in my court.

I can have the hardware taken out if I want. BUT. It would put me back on the couch for a while, require another surgery, and it might be hard to get to the plate in the back. Plus, I already have some numb places on my lower leg, which I assume is a result of nerves being cut during surgery - do I really want more scars, more weird dead spots, more time on the couch and time away from my family?

There are less drastic options. I could have just the outer plate taken out. I can leave all of it in. Or I can come back to have just the top screw taken out, which has backed its way out about an eighth of an inch already. At this point, I'm not considering any surgeries - I'm leaving it all be. If that top screw comes out any more or becomes an issue, I'll talk to him about it.

As far as my activity levels, I have no restrictions except what I place on myself. I bent it and straightened it for him and we talked about my activities and if there was anything I couldn't do. We talked about running, which I can do but which still looks pretty disabled. I told him I tend not to kneel on that knee, it just feels weird. He said that I should keep trying whatever I wanted to do and that I was too young to rule anything out for the rest of my life.

So nothing is out. Not rock climbing (although Pants will have kittens if I try it again, I think), not skiing, not even running a marathon. I am medically allowed to do whatever I am comfortable doing and I should continue to try things, even if they haven't worked out well so far.