Anxious and Anticipating

Well, it’s two days until D-day – my ACL surgery. I have read more than enough on this subject including whether to have surgery, what type of surgery to have, how the surgery is done and what happens after surgery, which, to me, is the most difficult part. I have prepared for the big event and its aftermath by setting up my bedroom to be my new “home” for several days such as getting a mini-fridge, setting up my laptop, organizing an arsenal of reading materials, encouraging friends to visit me to starve off boredom, etc. I’m hoping I can venture down the stairs on Day 4. There is just something about crutches and stairs that scares me.

I was lucky enough to find a friend that is willing to stay will me for a few days as getting out of bed will be painful and difficult (so I hear). I will be dependent on her to get me to the bathroom, make my meals, bring in my mail/paper, feed my cats and so on. I will then be dependent on other friends to feed my outside colony of cats, take out my garbage, move my car for street cleaning, buy groceries for me, and give me rides to the PT, surgeon and work.

As of right now, I’m not too worried about the surgery itself – that may change on Saturday when I get to the hospital and it all sinks in. I have put my trust in my surgeon and am hoping for the best outcome with no complications. It’s the post-surgery I am concerned about and wondering if my knee will indeed get back to normal (success rate of ACL Surgery is 85%) so I can walk properly (and for more than 5 blocks), run, do yoga, kneel, and bike ride. I doubt I will ever ski again as I never, ever want to go through this again.

I know what I’m in for post-surgery: 4-6 months of physical therapy (2-3 sessions/week for the first couple of months; 1 time/week afterwards) and at home exercise (2-3 times a day of quad strengtheners, heel slides, etc. as well riding an exercise bike). I’ve been doing these exercises and the bike for 4 months now but after surgery it will be much more difficult as well as painful (I heard some exercises brings tears to your eyes). I now bike for 24 minutes; the weeks after surgery doing a simply revolution will be difficult and doing 5 minutes will be a reason for congratulations -- one of many goals to be reached on this long, tedious recovery process.

So, I now put the fate of my knee in the hands of my surgeon, my PT and me (to religiously adhere to the rehab and stay optimistic). Stay tuned…