1992 - After a ski season with knee pain and swelling, had a 'lateral release' surgery to free up my kneecap and allow it to track centered on the joint.
2001 - More knee pain and swelling with clicking and grinding. Arthroscopy for cartilage removal from the back of the kneecap and 'micro fracture' procedure to fill in the area of missing cartilage.
2008 - November 11, Kneecap began severely clicking during a short run. Walked home. Swelling and stiffness for 2 days. No running for 3 weeks. Clicking all the while.
- November 30, walking the dog, knee locked up and could not straiten it. Stiff and sore.
- December 1, exam and x-rays revealed nothing. All bones and knee joint looked fine. Knee still stiff and not bending easily nor able to straiten it.
- December 3, MRI revealed a piece of cartilage hanging loose from the back of the kneecap and a small piece of cartilage lodged in the knee joint.
- December 4, Arthroscopic surgery to remove the cartilage pieces and then an incision to reflect (expose) the back of the knee cap and fill in the nickle-size void with a piece of plastic.
- December 6, back at work with a stiff limp.
- Today, very minor pain, still swollen but walking fairly well.
This is the third surgery on my right knee. I hope this third time is the charm.
The good news is that the recovery is fast. Swimming, biking, hiking and skiing are still in my future.
The bad news is that this ski season is shot.
The real bad news is no more long runs or running down any declines whatsoever. Only short runs on the flats if at all.
My right knee before surgery.
Before surgery, leg bathed in betadine.
My knee today.
I had the spinal (numb from the waist down) so I could watch the whole procedure on a video screen and interact with the doctors and nurses in the operating room. That was kinda fun. I managed to crack a few jokes and share some stories of travel and triathlons. Total surgery time was about 70 minutes.
I have a post-op exam this coming Thursday and will discuss my rehab PT and what my future with triathlons will be.
Anybody need a good swimmer or biker for a relay?
18 comments:
Wow, I hope this fixes it for you. I had the cartilage in my right knee removed completely 36 years ago (that's what they did then) and I think in a way it was good. I still have knee pain and have to be careful but I do marathons and triathlons and have few problems. How fun it would be to watch the surgery!! If I have surgery again that's what I'm doing.
I hope you make a quick and successful recovery! I am happy to hear that you can still swim and cycle. If you lived here (FL) you would have no problem finding FLAT runs! :)
Get well!!
Oh my gosh! I had no idea you were going through this - it happened so fast! I wonder if that's what going on with my knee. P.T. can't get it to straighten. Clicking. Is the no running on hills permanent? Can you walk down hills in races instead?
Okay, um, OUCH!!! Makes my stress fracture look like a pleasant walk in the park. Recover well! :)
BENSON! Gross, I almost gagged looking at the betadine (thought it was blood!)
Fingers crossed for you pal that this 3rd time really is a charm!!!! Forget wanting your 2 front teeth for Christmas (you know that song), you just want a working knee!!
Cheers!
I hope your recovery goes speedily and you have a lot of great hikes and other outdoor adventures to make up for missing ski season.
So sorry to hear! I hope that the recovery goes quickly! You watched the whole thing? I think i'd be torn between wanting to watch and afraid it might gross me out. It is one thing to watch surgery on someone else but on one's OWN body...i donno...that might wigg me out.
What a bummer! I'm so sorry to hear about your running future, but at least you'll be able to do other sports again. I had arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this year to get my plica removed (I watched mine too). It was a couple solid months of recovery, not too bad, but I feel for you; it sucks having to just sit around wishing you were out being active. Good luck with PT, I look forward to seeing what they'll have you do. Hope third time is the charm!
oh! my fear for my own knees realized through you...praying for a fast recovery and for smooth sailing from here on out :)
Wow! Hope the healing is fast! How cool that you were awake during the surgery... only Jeffy :)
Whoa!
I have been in your crutches man! It is funny how a little torn flap of cartilage can cause so much knee stiffness, weakness, and swelling.
I was lucky that I had a good Ortho doc who is a runner and he had me off the crutches in a week and running short distances in a month's time. I only wish that you will be able to heal well and that your PT will strengthen those muscles around your knee so that you can do some running in the future.
Watch out for the ice patches and slick snow!
OUCH! Heal quick! SO glad you will be able to do the things you love. Third time is a charm! I am sure you will be back at it soon....
Jeff- I can't believe you watched the whole surgery. Your very own episode of ER/Grey's!!
Here's hoping for a super speedy recovery. I know how much ski season means to you ;-)
Hope you heal quickly. That one pic of your knee in betadine looks like blood. Icky! It was very swollen beforehand. I bet you're back to your active lifestyle before you know it.
I love all the pics on your blog. You live in a cold but gorgeous area. Love the bear tracks!
Also read your IM-CA report. Nice job! I'm doing it next year (gulp)!
good luck on your recovery....
looks like they got everything in order....
you'll be zinging down the roads before too long.
they have lots of those aquathons now, you can still swim/bike and have fun..:-))
Good luck with your knee.
Oh my god! Please tell me that's iodine on your sheets in the pre-op picture!
Hi Benson.. yikes, that leg in betadine freaked this HI girl out too. Glad to see that you're healing, but that long term run-ban would have me pretty bent out of shape as well. I hope things change in the long run (sorry, crappy pun).. That snow looks gorgeous! Thanks for the hello on my blog so I could come read yours :)
RR
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