Posts Tagged ‘surgery’

Another Year, Another Knee

February 2nd, 2010

It was almost a year ago, to the date, that I made a Snide with some images of a knee surgery I had last year on December 30, 2008.  Well, this year on January 19, 2010 I had the same type of surgery, but this time on my right knee.  They went in and cleaned out my shredded cartilege.  Hopefully I will be back to sport much quicker than last time.

I was very nervous due to the issue I had last time with the anesthesia.  I watched them shave my leg and I told them of this fear.  They told me they would be gentle, and the next thing I knew was I was out.It was much rougher coming out of it all.  I was coughing, sneezing, and had a blistering headache.

My Mother took good care of me for the week I stayed at their house, and I watched movies and t.v shows–some that I love, and some that I would not typically waste 2 hours on.  As I laid in bed, with my leg elevated the laptop was my best friend.

The pictures do not look as bad as last time, and the healing has been going much smoother.  However the doctor did say something concerning about a “divot” they saw, but I haven’t been able to ask more about this yet.  This time there was video, although short snippets.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8CxI9FoGaE&feature=player_embedded

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2cDEI17a2E&feature=player_embedded

 

Click on an Image below for a slideshow.

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

March 26th, 2009

I have had great recovery with my knee in the ability to walk around the office, the house with minimal pain.  I have basically been walking on it since the day of the surgery

After doing non-impact rehab, I have been on a program to get me back on the courts of tennis and basketball, and back on the fields of soccer.  The program has supposed to occur and a couple week intervals.  Beginning with light jogging (50 yards at a time),  I was supposed to build up to a longer distance with less walking.  This was to last a couple weeks.  Then I was to progress to sprinting.  A few weeks later I was supposed to progress to doing cutting and figure eight type drills. 

Have you noticed all the use of the phrase “supposed to?”

I think its been a couple months now that I have been doing the light jogging.  I have seen very little improvement.  I have not progressed to more then a few light 50 yard jogs.  This week I have experienced some more swelling behind my knee, and even experienced some sharp pain in my knee during a roaring ping pong game today.  This has been frustrating.  I have had a lot less motivation to go to the gym to rehab, and it has been aggravating that a couple week process has been taking months, with no line on the horizon.

I have continually been icing though, so hopefully that will help the swelling.  And I need to stay focused on my rehab exercises, and keep pushing through the demotivating aspects.  The doubt side of me wonders if they missed some loose cartilage that might be floating through my knee.  I just gotta press on.  “It isn’t nice, but it’s reality.”

Knee Surgery

February 6th, 2009
My knee has bothered me for about 2 years now. It started by just feeling “unstable” when I would warm up for sport. It eventually got worse. Finally after one game one night, my knee got really swollen and stiff. So I saw a doctor and stopped playing sport. The doctor at one time told me that I shouldn’t even go for walks, that that was too much impact and stress. I went from playing sport 5-6 days a week, to zero exercise.Eventually I was able to start biking, but that wasn’t the same. After 9 months off and 12 weeks of physical therapy, it still wasn’t better. So we decided on surgery.

I had knee surgery on December 30th. It was an odd experience. I was really worried about having an IV stuck in me. I made sure to look away when that was happening, and keep my eyes off of it at all times. The nurse led me down the hall to the operating room, which was freezing cold, and I laid on the table. I had barely been on the table and I felt this very weird sensation…like my body was lifting from the table, and that my brain was shaking and about to burst. I mentioned aloud “I feel funny” and the doctor from the back of the room said “you’re supposed to feel that way.” The very next second–so it seemed–I was waking up with a nurse moving my hair off my face. I didn’t have the strength to fully open my eyes, so a little at a time I would open one and gage my surroundings. Eventually I was able to overcome the might of my anaesthesia eyelids.

I was on crutches, but able to limp around that day. I started theraphy the very next day. Within a day or two I was able to walk. I saw the doctor a week later. Apparently surgery only lasted 30 minutes. It would take me that long just to shave my knee–which is striking by the way. He said that it was good they did the surgery, cause it wouldn’t have healed on its own with time or therapy. The cartilage behind the kneecap was shredded and they needed to smooth it out, as well as do some meniscus repair. I had cartilage chunks floating through my knee joints. He said I may need a similar scope in 10-15 years, but by that time–the way science is going–they will be selling cartilege at Costco.

I am still doing therapy now 4 weeks later, and I hope to be able to sport it up again within the next 3 months. Woohoo.

Digging on my rough cartilage

Digging On My Cartilage

Rough Cartilage Behind The Kneecap

Rough Cartilage Behind The Kneecap

Frayed Cartilage

Frayed Cartilage

Loose Cartilage Floating Around My Knee Joint

Loose Cartilage Floating Around My Knee Joint

My ACL

My ACL

Medial Meniscus

Medial Meniscus

This Week I'm Thinking About: Heather Weir