December 7, 2007

The Verdict Is In

No sense in building up to it. I’m having ACL reconstruction surgery in 10 days. You’re probably not going to believe this, and the feeling probably won’t last long, but I actually feel better now. I know the plan; I know how long it will be before I can go back to karate (too long). I also know that I’m looking at a good six months of physical therapy which will start just two days post-surgery. That should be fun.

The surgeon and I talked about options, like waiting and trying PT a little longer (which neither of us felt was going to do anything to help my stability problem), injecting the knee to see if part of the problem is inflammation inside the knee (which he thought would just come back in another month anyway), or just going for it and fixing it.

He said that if I just wanted to play volleyball once a year at the beach, he’d tell me to let it go for a while; but that’s not what I want. I was going to karate classes two-three times a week before, plus working out at home on off days. The route to getting back there is going to suck, but at least I know that this way, I will get back there.

I decided to have an allograft (donor graft) because it’s an easier recovery. I won’t have to worry about additional pain from a graft site (patellar tendon or hamstring). Plus, I saw the graft retrieving part in the surgery video and yeech, no thank you. I asked the surgeon how many incisions I would have and how big they would be. He whipped out a pen, pulled up my pant leg and went to work. As seen below, I’ll have small incisions above and below the knee off to the sides. There are also two teeny dots there right below the knee cap for the scope and other fun stuff that we won’t discuss because I’ll get queasy. The surgeon said his pen slipped a bit on that bottom line, and that it won’t be that long. I just hope the scalpel doesn’t slip. Yikes!

Before I left I made sure that it’s not like Grey’s Anatomy or anything. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to have some shaky-handed intern taking the "wheel" once I’m out. He assured me that there’s not a medical show on TV that is realistic and that no students will be touching me. Silly questions to him, but asking him and getting them answered relieved me like you wouldn’t believe.

Next week, I go meet with the anesthesiologist. I’m going to ask him/her to do a femoral nerve block as well as the general anesthesia. From what I hear, numb for the first day is good. The surgeon is booking me a night at the "inn," which I can use if I want or I can just go home right after, depending on how I’m feeling.

The only thing that is really bumming me out is that the day after surgery is Big I’s school Christmas show. I’m guessing that I will not be able to make it, and that sucks. But pushing the surgery off another week means surgery on Christmas Eve. I figured Big I would rather have me miss her show and be functional on Christmas than the other way around. She was a little upset about it and doesn’t want me to have surgery at all; but I convinced her that the camcorder version of her singing will be just as good as being there in person and she can give me a private show at home.

I’ve been told by many that the week of surgery is going to be rough, so I’ve arranged for some guest posters to fill in and keep things interesting around here. I might pop in to say hello and give you an update if I’m feeling up to it. If not I’ll have Mr. BBM hijack my blog and let you know how whiny I’m being.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for being so supportive and sweet. Your comments and emails have meant the world to me. Your encouragement and confidence in me simply blows me away.

***Go check out The BBM Review for your chance to win a new Baby Jamz toy!