Surgery was just less than 24 hours ago. I got to Monterey Peninsula Surgery Center about 1pm for my scheduled 2:15pm surgery. They took me back and started the IV, then asked me for the first of about 20 times, "What is your name? When is your birth date? What are you having done today?" I guess I successfully answered every time because they didn't send me away. They even shaved my knee for me!!
At a little after 2, Dr. Gerbino came in to explain the procedure. As my ACL was still intact on the MRI, he was still holding on to the option not to do the reconstruction if he didn't think it was necessary. He tested the laxity of my knee again and said it was very loose, so he thought it would probably have to be reconstructed. He put his initials on my right knee, presumably to ensure he didn't cut open the wrong one, and said he'd see me in a few minutes. The anesthesiologist came in and started my "happy juice" and I was rolled into the OR. It was much sunnier and open than the OR's on Grey's Anatomy...and very cold!!! I climbed over onto the operating table and the anesthesiologist put a mask over my nose and mouth and told me to let him know when I started to feel woozy. If I told him anything, I don't remember it. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room with the thought, "I'm going to throw up"...which, sadly, I did.
Dr. Gerbino came in to tell me that everything went well. He did the ACL reconstruction and repaired my medial meniscus with three sutures. The ACL was intact, but when he pulled on it with his tool it was way too loose. Which explains why my knee felt like it was constantly about to give out. I was told he said all this by my wife, because I don't really remember him coming in.
The pain wasn't that bad when I got out of surgery, but my leg felt like it weighted 1000 lbs. Once I got a little bit awake, I was ready to leave. It didn't feel like very long before I was getting dressed and into the wheelchair to leave. The guy pushing the wheelchair kept trying to "help" get my leg adjusted on the leg rest, but he kept twisting my leg which hurt like h&%l!!! I yelled at him like he was one of my sailors. :-)
After some adventures getting my pain meds prescription filled, I finally made it home, up the very imposing stairs without incident, and into bed, where I have pretty much been ever since.
So far, it has been much better than I expected. I slept ok in short stints and felt rested anyway. My pain is not too bad, almost none when I am doing nothing, a little more when I do my exercises or get up and around, but nothing too terrible. I have only taken three pain pills, which is not too bad. I hate pain medication so I plan to take as little as possible, which my wife says is stupid (and she's probably right). I spent two hours so far in the Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) machine, I am supposed to spend 8 hours a day in it. I have to keep the brace locked unless I am doing exercises or in the CPM machine and I am allowed to bear as much weight as I can, which is none at the moment. I will most likely be very cautious with that. All in all, things are going pretty well.
At a little after 2, Dr. Gerbino came in to explain the procedure. As my ACL was still intact on the MRI, he was still holding on to the option not to do the reconstruction if he didn't think it was necessary. He tested the laxity of my knee again and said it was very loose, so he thought it would probably have to be reconstructed. He put his initials on my right knee, presumably to ensure he didn't cut open the wrong one, and said he'd see me in a few minutes. The anesthesiologist came in and started my "happy juice" and I was rolled into the OR. It was much sunnier and open than the OR's on Grey's Anatomy...and very cold!!! I climbed over onto the operating table and the anesthesiologist put a mask over my nose and mouth and told me to let him know when I started to feel woozy. If I told him anything, I don't remember it. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room with the thought, "I'm going to throw up"...which, sadly, I did.
Dr. Gerbino came in to tell me that everything went well. He did the ACL reconstruction and repaired my medial meniscus with three sutures. The ACL was intact, but when he pulled on it with his tool it was way too loose. Which explains why my knee felt like it was constantly about to give out. I was told he said all this by my wife, because I don't really remember him coming in.
My OLD ACL
This shows how much laxity was in my old ACL. It is not supposed to move at all.
My new ACL...yummy!!! It looks like bad sushi.
The stitches in my medial meniscus.
After some adventures getting my pain meds prescription filled, I finally made it home, up the very imposing stairs without incident, and into bed, where I have pretty much been ever since.
So far, it has been much better than I expected. I slept ok in short stints and felt rested anyway. My pain is not too bad, almost none when I am doing nothing, a little more when I do my exercises or get up and around, but nothing too terrible. I have only taken three pain pills, which is not too bad. I hate pain medication so I plan to take as little as possible, which my wife says is stupid (and she's probably right). I spent two hours so far in the Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) machine, I am supposed to spend 8 hours a day in it. I have to keep the brace locked unless I am doing exercises or in the CPM machine and I am allowed to bear as much weight as I can, which is none at the moment. I will most likely be very cautious with that. All in all, things are going pretty well.
My leg in the brace. The grey thing is the pad for my ice machine which runs contiuous cold water over my knee to keep swelling down.
My new best friend...the CPM machine.
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