T Minus 2 Days

So I've decided to write a blog.  I really don't have time for this, but I have 2 big reasons to.

Reason #1 - I was searching for a blog that would walk me through a personal account of the surgery that I'm about to go through.  I couldn't find such a blog.  And that frustrates me.  So for all of those people facing a similar surgery I decided to write one of my own.

Reason #2 - I'm sure there are friends and family who would like to know what is going on, so I considered sending out a mass email to you all, but then I got to thinking that that could become quite annoying for someone who isn't really interested in details. A blog feels a lot less invasive to me.  Follow at your own pace kind of thing.

I'll start off by attempting to describe each procedure of the surgery.

Procedure #1: Arthroscopy
This phase of surgery involves two small cuts on either side of the patellar tendon (just below the knee cap). A camera will be inserted so they can check on the inside of the knee... presumably the cartilage.

Procedure #2: Scoping the Plica
On the outside of my knee is a hard object that I always described as a bone spur. Or calcium deposit. It formed about 4 months after my injury in February and this annoying object is the number one reason I returned to my doctor to talk about surgery.  It has grown and become extremely uncomfortable when putting weight on that leg while bending.  Apparently it is a normal part of the knee that has changed in some way or another.  I don't understand this part of knee very much at this point, but I hope to learn more. Anyways, they plan on "scoping" this plica down, so that it is once again unnoticeable. I'll talk more about this object at a later time.

Procedure #3: Lateral Release (Code #29873)
This is one I really don't want to think about and therefore don't know much about because I don't want to research it. Basically something on the outside of my knee is tighter then it should be and is pulling my knee to the outside.  The idea is to cut away part of this thing to release some of the tension.  I just keep picturing a rubber band or something like that being pulled taught and then cutting into it.  It seems like it would just want to keep tearing... ok we're done talking about that.

Procedure #4: Medial Patella Femoral Ligament Reconstruction (Code 27420)
This is where they add a tendon.  We've decided to use cadaver tissue because mine are unusually stretchy which would defeat the purpose of this procedure.  Otherwise we could use a part of my hamstring. First they will drill a hole into the knobby end part of my femur on the inside of my knee.  By "inside" I mean the left side of my right knee. They would also drill a very small hole straight through my knee cap from left to right. Starting with the hole in my femur they will insert an end of the new tendon (or old if you think about... really old) and insert the other end of the tendon into my knee cap, stringing it all the way through to the other side and attaching it on the outside (right side) of my knee.  Double ouch.

I'll talk about procedure #5 tomorrow.  This took much longer to write then expected as I was quite distracted by the season finale of Psych.

If your knees are working properly... be thankful. :)