Bright and early tomorrow morning, I’m getting arthroscopic surgery on my knee. This morning I was off at the physical therapy place, getting mentally prepared for what is to come.
We went over my post-op exercises. I practiced using crutches. I got coached on the warning signs — if I see yellow pus leaking out of the incision, or red streaks emanating from the knee, go to the emergency room immediately. Uh, duh. I also got instructed on the pre-op routine for today, which mainly involves not eating or drinking tonight, and washing the surgical area with a special soap.
I was also getting prepared for the worst. Best case: I get a simple debridement, and face about two weeks of recovery. Worst case: if there is a lot of repair work done, I’m looking at 6 to 12 weeks of recovery. There is no option to look forward to.
After that depressing experience, I went to the lab and fed all the spiders to cheer myself up. Then I grabbed my laptop and set it up near my bed, since I’ll be spending at least the next couple of days there. I may be glued to the computer for a while.
I had it multiple times years after I tore my ACL and had ACL reconstructions. It wasn’t so bad for me, and I’m hoping for you, too.
Hope it goes well for you.
Hoping for the best.
Hope it goes well for you.
The human knee is a triumph of Intelligent Design. (Yes, this is sarcasm).
Butt-Head (hears “spending days in bed”) “This will be cool”
Tomorrow: “AAARGH!”
.https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8sc8XtEQFE
Make sure you understand in advance the instructions about pain meds. When I had ACL and meniscus repair in 2000 I misunderstood how much I could take. So I only took half of what I should have and it hurt like hell for several days.
I hope you have a successful surgery and your recovery goes as good as possible.
Good luck, PZ! I hope you’re soon on more spider-foraging field-trips!
Wishing you the very best of Modern Medical Practices and Technology.
I hope the operation is the simple debridement, and that it and your recovery is as smooth as medicine can make it. I’ll add that while pain is telling you to take it easy do follow the exercise advice, and take pain killers to enable that.
Best wishes to you, PZ Myers. Hope all goes well and you recover as smoothly and as speedily as possible. Thinking of you so thoughts and best wishes. (No prayers tho’ guess wishes are just about as useful..).
Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to do that would help.
A word of advice, noble educator: if you’re still in pain after taking your pain meds as directed, inform your physician immediately. There is no reason you have to suffer! As each pain med affects each patient differently, seeking pain relief with the “right” medication is nothing to be embarrassed about.
Here’s to a successful surgery, and a pain-free recovery!
Is it bad, that I laughed a little when I read this? “After that depressing experience, I went to the lab and fed all the spiders to cheer myself up.”
Much luck in your operation. May the trained professionals know what they are doing.
i see, from the picture, that you are hallucinating already. best of luck with your surgery, recovery, and spiders!
Best case: I get a simple debridement…
Did they explain how removing your wife will help your knee?
In any case (I’ve been there), you will need both plenty of exercise and not-too-much exercise – knee recovery also involves tight-rope walking.
Wishing you an easy procedure and a swift and painless recovery, surrounded by your two-, four-, and eight-legged loved ones.
Just be sure to double-check your paperwork that you’re getting arthroSCOPIC surgery and not arthroPODIC. Though that might be cool, too.
Good luck with the surgery! I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Best wishes PZ!
Thinking of you, PZ.
I hope that the surgery goes well, and that you have excellent physical therapy.
Be brave PZ. It will soon be over and then you’ll be running marathons again…
Wishing for a speedy recovery, PZ.
Is it too late to grow another six legs? You know, for backup?
May your surgeon be in top form, the procedure go smoothly, and the healing be swift. It’s a tricky bit of anatomy but my MIL found her knee replacement was much easier in regards to being mobile and pain free than her hip replacement surgery.
From one who has been there (2 hip replacements, 1 knee replacement, and arthroscopic knee)
1. Don’t get behind on the pain meds
2. Pool therapy – walk in the pool, then with a kickboard. CAUTION: do this ONLY when you have been cleared. Doing too soon can cause infection, I am 78 and have had a variety of issues and have found pool therapy as great adjunct to regular PT. Make sure your footwear is slip proof footwear.
Good luck! and do the PT!
Cheers, bionichips. Excellent suggestion.
Still, old professor visiting https://morriscougars.com/facilities/cougar-pool/6 seems a bit problematic.
Heh. Joking, of course.
I idly checked whether there were indoor pools in Morris, and saw one is in the university.
(Presumably, heated pools. Not seeing an ice rink)