We'll be waiting for a Smudgie update today!

[petitepedal ★]

  Hopefully the doc wants a new car or boat and will get her into surgery ASAP

[Digital_photog ★]

3 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

  Hopefully the doc wants a new car or boat and will get her into surgery ASAP

It least it isn't a sprain so hopefully they don't have to amputate.

[Digital_photog ★]

5 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

new car or boat

Not a new bike?  Most of our local surgeons are very avid cyclists and ride very nice bikes.  One who is WoD_Ps cousin has ridden cross country 5 times.

[Wilbur ★]

26 minutes ago, Digital_photog said:

Not a new bike?  Most of our local surgeons are very avid cyclists and ride very nice bikes.  One who is WoD_Ps cousin has ridden cross country 5 times.

Which proves doctors aren't right in the head.  

[Square Wheels]

Waaa waaa waaa, I bumped my knee...

Just kidding, now I'm afraid to complain about my knee.

[Digital_photog ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

Waaa waaa waaa, I bumped my knee...

Just kidding, now I'm afraid to complain about my knee.

I have a chainsaw.  Do you need amputation?

[petitepedal ★]

Bumping this for an update!

[petitepedal ★]

Now I am worried @smudge are you hanging in there?

 

[Airehead]

Any update?

[smudge ★]

13 hours ago, petitepedal said:

  Hopefully the doc wants a new car or boat and will get her into surgery ASAP

Sorry for the delay. Busy day!

There will be no surgery for now.

 

12 hours ago, Digital_photog said:

Not a new bike?  Most of our local surgeons are very avid cyclists and ride very nice bikes.  One who is WoD_Ps cousin has ridden cross country 5 times.

Actually, this guy IS a bike guy!

12 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Waaa waaa waaa, I bumped my knee...

Just kidding, now I'm afraid to complain about my knee.

Piss off jackass!!  

[petitepedal ★]

What do they plan to do?

[smudge ★]

So here's the deal....

I thought for sure I was headed for surgery. But he is confident this will heal up with time... and a brace. The MCL is torn/shredded, and that will heal.The ACL will not heal.  He said people really don't need an ACL (so why the hell is it there??), so he's not going to jump into surgery for it unless I/we feel it is too unstable for my activities. THEN we'll look into it. But that recovery alone is 6 months. He said if we need to do that, probably the early snow months we could do that; I chimed in that with the fat bike, there is NO downtime during the year! We shared a chuckle about that. Like he said; he's a surgeon, and he loves to do surgeries. But he doesn't feel this needs surgery right now. 

So I went to the place that measures you up for things like knee braces, and got measured up! Then I got the great news it needs to be ordered, so we have to go to Marquette on Wed again for the brace. sigh... At first I was uncomfortable with no surgery (the knee seems so bad IMO, that I wanted it put back together!), but then I was excited about the brace so I didn't have to keep strangling my knee with the Ace bandage. But no brace for a couple more days. THEN on the way home I find out there are numerous colors for the brace... and the woman didn't even ask me about a color!! WTF?! I would like a red, or even an orange! Gonna get a stupid black. 

[Ralphie ★]

Good deal, I think!  I don;t like surgery unless it is absolutely nececelery.

[smudge ★]

8 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Good deal, I think!  I don;t like surgery unless it is absolutely nececelery.

I hate surgery too. Makes me nauseous. And I have a heck of a time waking up. It feels like they are shouting into my head to open my eyes. F off! 

[2Far ★]

Surgery was a breeze, instant pain relief, Wo2 got some goofy pics pre-op. Re-hab was taken as a personal challenge.

'course, mine was a hip, not a knee. YMMV. 

[Randomguy]

1 hour ago, smudge said:

I hate surgery too. Makes me nauseous. And I have a heck of a time waking up. It feels like they are shouting into my head to open my eyes. F off! 

See, this pisses me off.  I want you to have that surgery.

[Digital_photog ★]

8 hours ago, smudge said:

So here's the deal....

I thought for sure I was headed for surgery. But he is confident this will heal up with time... and a brace. The MCL is torn/shredded, and that will heal.The ACL will not heal.  He said people really don't need an ACL (so why the hell is it there??), so he's not going to jump into surgery for it unless I/we feel it is too unstable for my activities. THEN we'll look into it. But that recovery alone is 6 months. He said if we need to do that, probably the early snow months we could do that; I chimed in that with the fat bike, there is NO downtime during the year! We shared a chuckle about that. Like he said; he's a surgeon, and he loves to do surgeries. But he doesn't feel this needs surgery right now. 

So I went to the place that measures you up for things like knee braces, and got measured up! Then I got the great news it needs to be ordered, so we have to go to Marquette on Wed again for the brace. sigh... At first I was uncomfortable with no surgery (the knee seems so bad IMO, that I wanted it put back together!), but then I was excited about the brace so I didn't have to keep strangling my knee with the Ace bandage. But no brace for a couple more days. THEN on the way home I find out there are numerous colors for the brace... and the woman didn't even ask me about a color!! WTF?! I would like a red, or even an orange! Gonna get a stupid black. 

Like it told the blind squirrel.  "I have a chainsaw"  Amputation is the only answer.  Then you can go to my cousin and get a bionic leg.

[Longjohn ★]

I really like that your doctor is a cyclist. Some doctors have the attitude " you don't need surgery, you will be fine, you won't be able to ride a bicycle again but what the heck you're an adult, you have a car, why would you even want to ride a bicycle? That's why I chose my new doctor, I heard she spends a lot of time with her patients answering questions and she runs marathons. 

[smudge ★]

1 hour ago, Longjohn said:

I really like that your doctor is a cyclist. Some doctors have the attitude " you don't need surgery, you will be fine, you won't be able to ride a bicycle again but what the heck you're an adult, you have a car, why would you even want to ride a bicycle? That's why I chose my new doctor, I heard she spends a lot of time with her patients answering questions and she runs marathons. 

I was texting with one of my office mates who said she had ACL repair years ago. She wasn't going to have it done either; but she was holding her then 2-year-old daughter at the top of a set of steps when her knee went out. She called her dr the next day and scheduled the ACL surgery.  

I'm thinking if I'm out on my bike on a trail and need to dab now and again, am I going to be able to rely on that knee? What if I'm trying to not fall and need to rely on that knee to stop a fall? (Happens now and again) So I don't know. I think mostly he wants to make sure this MCL is going to heal well on its own. If it doesn't then fer shure I'll need surgery to fix that MCL, and he'll do the ACL at the same time. But we are hoping the MCL heals on its own cuz it's a harder surgery. (?)

[Longjohn ★]

My relief operator at work tore ACL and MCL years ago at work. Had various surgeries and braces over the years with limited success. This spring he finally had a full knee replacement. I hope your knee heals way better than his.

[Reverend_Maynard]

I would seriously consider having it done.  Much like your office mate, my SO has moments where the knee just gives out.  They are painful and I wonder what kind of internal damage is occurring when that happens.  Could it be leading to arthritis or cartilage damage or???

With the MTBing, I'd definitely want the knee as stable as possible if it were me.

[smudge ★]

1 hour ago, Longjohn said:

My relief operator at work tore ACL and MCL years ago at work. Had various surgeries and braces over the years with limited success. This spring he finally had a full knee replacement. I hope your knee heals way better than his.

Me too!!!!

45 minutes ago, Reverend_Maynard said:

I would seriously consider having it done.  Much like your office mate, my SO has moments where the knee just gives out.  They are painful and I wonder what kind of internal damage is occurring when that happens.  Could it be leading to arthritis or cartilage damage or???

With the MTBing, I'd definitely want the knee as stable as possible if it were me.

Ya know, this is exactly my concern! This guy is supposed to be a really good Ortho guy.... I'll see how the healing of the MCL goes, and I might press for the ACL to be worked for the exact reasons you stated. 

I wonder about a second opinion too.

[Kzoo]

I would assume that without surgery you will be looking at wearing the knee brace for all future cycling and other physical activity where lateral movement in expected.  The MCL should heal quickly the ACL not so quickly.  I have a young friend (24 or 25 now) that tore his ACL about 3 years ago.  His ortho doc recommended no surgery.  He has since gone on to fire training and is a professional fireman with no issues with his knee.  He may wear a brace on duty but I don't think we would have passed any physical tests if he wasn't 100% or close to it.

[Randomguy]

4 hours ago, smudge said:

I'm thinking if I'm out on my bike on a trail and need to dab now and again, am I going to be able to rely on that knee? What if I'm trying to not fall and need to rely on that knee to stop a fall? (

This is why I would have insisted.  Yeah, if all you do is exactly nothing, then the ACL won't matter.  If you want to ride and ride decently, or do other exercises or garden or lift your ass off of the ground when you fall, you are gonna want that joint really stable as all fuck, and not with your knee brace hitting the frame of the bike.

Because I know America, this is how your play will unfold:  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timeframe - one year later

Smudge: Doc, I can't take it any longer, that knee cannot be trusted and really hurts and screws me up when I dab or slip on ice walking to the car, sometimes I am in pain for weeks after.  I can't do the same activities to anywhere near the degree I could, and sometimes not at all.  I have to stabilize that joint.

Insurance Company in Trump's America:  If it wasn't severe enough to warrant surgery at the time, we won't be covering it.  Since it has been (x) months/1 year, it is now a pre-existing condition and it would be elective, plus fuck you.

[smudge ★]

23 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

This is why I would have insisted.  Yeah, if all you do is exactly nothing, then the ACL won't matter.  If you want to ride and ride decently, or do other exercises or garden or lift your ass off of the ground when you fall, you are gonna want that joint really stable as all fuck, and not with your knee brace hitting the frame of the bike.

Because I know America, this is how your play will unfold:  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timeframe - one year later

Smudge: Doc, I can't take it any longer, that knee cannot be trusted and really hurts and screws me up when I dab or slip on ice walking to the car, sometimes I am in pain for weeks after.  I can't do the same activities to anywhere near the degree I could, and sometimes not at all.  I have to stabilize that joint.

Insurance Company in Trump's America:  If it wasn't severe enough to warrant surgery at the time, we won't be covering it.  Since it has been (x) months/1 year, it is now a pre-existing condition and it would be elective, plus fuck you.

Ha! My fear is I will have those exact words to say to my doctor!!!! My exact concerns! 

Thanks RG. You and the Reverend have given me the confirmation to say yes, I DO need that ACL repaired.

 I appreciate everyone's support and input. Truly helpful. 

[maddmaxx ★]

21 hours ago, smudge said:

Ha! My fear is I will have those exact words to say to my doctor!!!! My exact concerns! 

Thanks RG. You and the Reverend have given me the confirmation to say yes, I DO need that ACL repaired.

 I appreciate everyone's support and input. Truly helpful. 

Are you able to get around the house without pain or too much fear of the knee going out at any time?  If you are, then you are going to have to plan on having someone around tomorrow to walk to the mailbox.

[smudge ★]

I can get around fairly well. Steps were a concern, but I've learned how to navigate them. I was wearing an Ace bandage to hold the knee steady, but even then I felt it wobble a little. I have the brace now.