As I wake up from the haze of anesthesia, I keep asking "what did the doctor say?" to my husband. He apparently tells me many times what the doctor said, but I keep asking anyway. Funny how everyone seems to have a certain thing they get "stuck" on after coming to. Keith's was trying to continue selling the doctor a bike and asking if I had called his mom. Anyway, we laugh now, but there was not much laughing going on that morning for me.
The surgeon told my husband that everything went really well in surgery. They ended up finding a 95% ACL tear and no meniscus damage. Yeah! I was worried about the meniscus because of the MRI combined with the symptoms. Looks like that stubborn 5% of the ACL was the root of the pain pre op. I know I'm stubborn, but really, did all my parts have to be stubborn too? I guess so.
Nothing can quite prepare you for the first time you try to "walk" after having ACL surgery for several reasons. Number one, the blood rush is something that you can't understand until you feel it. Kind of like when the doctor says "when you feel like you need to push" during labor. No words can quite give it justice. Number two, after all that work pre op to get that quad to fire there you are with a giant, heavy wet noodle hanging from your rear end (that is bare and hanging out of a hospital gown at this point). Number three, dizzy from the meds and already in some pain you realize that this is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. Oh man. I guess it's too late to turn back now...
Somehow, by the grace of God, we were discharged and made it home with some Potbelly sandwiches in hand. Half of the sandwich filled me up and helped calm my uneasy tummy. Most of the rest of the day was a blur with intermittent pain, drug induced sleep and feelings of "what in the world did I just do to myself?". It was clear that I had made my nest on the couch and that is where I was going to stay for at least the night and next day. Everything I had read about this surgery from real people said how it was one of the most painful things that they had ever been through and the second day seemed to be the worst. My mantra became "stay ahead of the pain" and I did a pretty good job. Surgery day down.
You are right about the "blood rush" after surgery. After sugery, all I kept thinking was that I was on my way to a strong and stable knee.
ReplyDeleteOn May 15th, it will be three years since my ACL reconstruction.
Best of luck on your recovery!
Thank you Michelle. It has been a roller coaster of emotion in the past week too! I am really happy to be done with those first few days!! Being able to get back to updating this is helping too. "the ACL experience" and I train at tkd together, so at least I'll have a rehab buddy. : )
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