It's official - I'm going to be operated on and I'm booked in for Tuesday.
I knew when I injured my knee playing football four weeks ago that it was going to be bad news for me. Straight away I felt something go and I thought "This could be it for the year." Turns out I was right.
The verdict from external examinations is that I've got a very badly torn lateral meniscus in my left knee, a large cyst (the result of significant trauma apparently) and an even-odds chance that I've sustained damage to my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is kind of like the foundation ligament inside the knee joint that is very important for stability of the joint.
At best, I'll have a very large chunk of my meniscus removed (what is left of it anyway - I had a piece removed 11 years ago) and the cyst will be drained of the fluid and left to settle on its own. A medium outcome is that the cyst will have to be surgically removed (which is surgeon's preferred option at the moment) through an incision on the side of the joint. Worst case scenario is all of that mixed in with a knee reconstruction where a piece of my hamstring tendon is removed and used to reinforce the ACL. Across the options recovery to full fitness varies from up to 6 weeks to up to (and beyond) 6 months.
Urgh.
The whole thing is going to cost thousands, too. That's after rebates from Medicare and my health insurance, mind you.
Lots of funky (but ouch, my god, they are going to do what?) video and animations at Orthosports.
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4 comments:
I'm praying for you. My husband has gone through two ACL repairs, within a year of each other, (I swear, how he's still alive as clumsy as he is) and his biggest complaint was muscle loss in his legs afterwards. I hope all goes well with as little invasiveness as necessary. And extra thoughts go to your wife, she's going to be the one taking the brunt of the worry while you're under.
Thank you for your concern.
I have been warned that if the surgery is minor, rehab and exercise starts the very next day.
If it's a full ACL reconstruction, then I think I get a day or two of rest before the rehab starts.
Either way, I'm on notice that if I want recovery to quick and muscle loss at a minimum, I've got to work and it will hurt.
Woo. Can't wait.
Our thoughts are with you mate. C's because she's done far more damage to herself in her time and so understands a lot more. Mine because my 80 year old grandma just had a knee reconstruction done and is 6 weeks into that 'got to work and will hurt' part, which has given me a window on what it's like.
best of luck for minimal surgery.
Cheers Dave. I'm hoping it will be minimal, partly because that will cost less but also because of the recovery.
Big day is tomorrow. While I'm looking forward to some relief from the discomfort, I must admit that going under a general always freaks me out a little.
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