Road to ACL Surgery

Today was the first of many visits to the University of Washington's ("UW") Sports Medicine Clinic, where they treat both the university's athletes as well as the public. I apparently fall into the latter these days.

After filling out about 20 forms on my family's medical history and my dog's as well, I was taken by a Lisa Loebish assistant with a thick Eastern European accent to measure my height and weight. Pretty normal, a shade under six feet and a girthy 180 pounds. Not my fighting weight but that's what happens when you a) become non-ambulatory and b) continue to feast.

They then took x-rays of both knees. I knew it was a soft tissue injury but apparently, you can determine other issues from the x-rays. My orthopedist, Dr. Green, then walked in the room and I proceeded to give him my play-by-play of the injury. "Nobody was open in the end zone, saw an opening, hit the gap, cut back hard on left leg, and heard a pop. Knew something was wrong when I hobbled around on one leg and felt some pain in knee. I continued to play through the entire game despite this. Was playing on more or less one leg as the left knee would buckle when weight was borne on the leg."

He responded, "That's hardcore" but was thinking, "This guy's got a loose screw in the noggin' and is way too old to be playing flag football. Stick to chess buddy."

Dr. Green asked more questions about other symptoms and conducted a couple of tests on the laxity of the ligaments. Making me extend the leg and bring it in.

Overly optimistic as I usally am, I went into this visit thinking it was an MCL injury, which 98% of the time requires no surgery. This was based on the fact that I had forward stability and incurred no swelling at the time of injury. Two good signs, usually.

Dr. Green quickly dispelled my hypothesis and pretty much concluded that my ACL was blown based on the looseness in left leg compared to the right one.

My immediate response, "So when can I get back on the field?"

"Well, it's typically 6-9 months before you can really doing any rigorous activity."

My heart sank. 6-9 months, you've got to be kidding me. I have NEVER in my life been out of commission for more than a few weeks. I seriously have had the worst luck in the last six weeks: broken clavicle and blown ACL. I might as well lose a testicle while I am at it. Yeah, let's not tempt fate by throwing out such words. Just not worth it.

I could see myself over the next 9 months .... 50 pounds overweight, slothful, pale, and playing Stratego by myself after work.

Yeah, it's going to be a b*tch of a ride post surgery, from the many tales of ACL surgeries I've come across on the net.

Anyhow, I can still pray for a miracle tomorrow when I go to get my MRI, which in reality will only confirm my lack of an ACL.

Shall I dance around on one foot in a circle in a feathered headdress and leather thong and chant for the ACL gods to deliver?

Probably should.

Can't wait for my official invitation to the OR when I return to Dr. Green's den for the good word on Thursday.