CLEARED!!!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . "

Forget the G.I Joe with the Kung-fu grip. I received an even better Christmas gift yesterday . . .

My physical therapist cleared me for ice hockey!

I received this good news from my PT, Mike, after an hour and a half of therapy, three times a week, for three months straight. He said my strength was almost at 100%, my flexibility is off the charts, and the pain in my knee is non-existent. I have been skating for a while now, and he wants me to get back in the game a.s.a.p. This way, we can track the knee's progress after game conditions.

Mike told me to go easy on the shifts, but when I am on the ice, he told me to go all out. It's the only way we can be sure if the knee can take the stress. I am still going to therapy three times a week - until Mike is confident I am at 100% - but considering he has thrown new exercises at me every week, and I have handled them all, I think I'm ready to go.

Our next game is January 2, 2008, so I have two weeks to get into playing shape. Pretty soon, Vincent Antonelli and I will be going at it just like the old days. To wit . . .