Monday, February 01, 2010

Catching up - The knee and the surgery to come

Sorry for the delay in writing.

Okay - at the fighter auction tournament at Easter 2009, during the first round my right foot slipped during an attack, then caught on caused the final twinge to my right knee that was in fact (but unknown at the time) the final moment of my Anterior Crucial Ligament (ACL).

Initially I felt a short stabbing pain, stopped, tested the knee - felt able to stand and no real pain, so continued the bout.

I then endured a much sharper and lasting pain that dropped me out of the tournament. With assistance my armour was removed, my knee was bound and iced by the St Johns people and I was out of the tournament.

I rested the knee for the remainder of Festival, was assisted in the drive home by Ryan (of Saarlands) who came with me (and almost destroyed my gear box by his complete lack of skill).

I went and consulted a general GP shortly after returning to Melbourne - who referred me to a Physio.

The Physio started me on an exercise regime, slowly healing the knee - he was initially concerned that something serious might be damaged. However, the knee healed well and strengthened with the rest & specific exercises given to me.

After roughly 8 weeks I ceased to see the Physio - he suggested if I did have any problems then I might need to see a specialist.

There were no issues for a month or so - then a single incident with a jolt of pain, that quickly faded. This was not the last - over the coming months they occured more often and eventually too many to disregard any longer.

Having lost the paperwork with the details of the specialist, I tracked down the Physio (who had changed practices in the mean time), got the name of the Specialist he suggested and contact that Dr accordingly.

Saw him in November 2009, where he examined the knee and came away with him certain that the only problem was some torn cartilage - the knee operating normally in all other ways that he could tell. - Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Mid December, had a key-hole knee surgery (Arthroscopic) where he fixed the torn cartilage, and discovered that my muscles were masking a lack of a ACL (Anterior Crucial Ligament) - a very important ligament that controls and allows twisting actions of the knee.

To replace it is a Knee Reconstruction Surgery (the major, invasive kind).

BUGGER!!!

Took out Private Health Insurance the next day, and started counting time, waiting for the 12 month exclusion period for existing conditions to pass.

So - current plan, will be having the operation in mid December 2010, with anticipated return to active combat being November / December 2011 - probably William Marshal Tournament 2011.

Until then, a waiting game, with no running on bad ground, no sports, and lots of caution.
Oh well, thems the breaks.

The good news is as long as I follow all instructions it should be back to good as new.

Then back to fighting, finally get the Knight hood and then win the Kingdom...
(cause you gotta have goals).

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1 Comments:

Blogger Mayela said...

10 years ago. I assume things have advanced (my scar will be bigger than yours!) and I don't remember a whole lot about it any more, I would be more than happy to tell you about it and any of the tips I can remember for you. Oh and You could check in with Rauf too.

8 April 2010 at 10:09 pm  

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