O.R.I.F

Friday 21st August 2009

I had to be at the hospital bright and early, to be the first person in theatre. Phil and Kim dropped me off and helped me up to the ward to wait for the surgery.

I chatted with the consultant and he said that the MRI had shown what they suspected, and there was a bit of bone floating about in my knee. What they didn't know was whether or not it was actually a part of the joint service or not. If it wasn't part of the joint surface they could just take it out through keyhole and leave me to repair, but if it was needed I would need to be opened up and have the bone reattached. The good news was that no matter which option they went with, I wouldn't be in plaster. I was incredibly happy to learn this, when I broke my other knee I spent the first 7 weeks in a full leg cast. I was barely able to move about and my leg muscles wasted away. The next 6 weeks I had to spend in a brace trying to rebuild my leg and regain my range of motion.

At about 09:30ish I was wheeled off to theater. The operation lasted for about 2 hours. I came to very quickly in recovery. The last time I had a GA I felt awful for days, being fit and healthy has some advantages! After a 5 minute shivering fit as the anaesthetic left my body, I was sent back to the ward. The recovery nurse was amazed just how quick I recovered.

Back on the ward I was still feeling absolutely fine. I had something to eat, and I tried to get myself re-hydrated. I was still in my 'cricket pad' splint, and wired up to an IV of antibiotics.

After a while the OT turned up and helped me into a new knee brace. This one has a dial to restrict movement to a set range. I'm currently allowed to bend my knee to 90 degrees.

The physio turned up next. Even though I was still wired into my IV and wearing my surgical gown (and paper pants), I was shown how to walk again. I was amazed. A few hours ago someone cut me open and screwed my knee together, and now I was walking again.

My range of motion in the left leg is still quite bad, and the leg cant quite handle full weight bearing yet, but I can walk. I am on crutches, but I'm happily walking about. The more I do, the better it's getting.

I hobbled round the ward for the rest of the afternoon, and was allowed home the following morning (after a couple more IV doses of antibiotics).