surgeries, lessons, suckyness
Along with the onslaught of ACL posts... I thought I would share my story- just so maybe someone will learn from my stupidity and not do the same thing I did. Three weeks ago I was at park city doing a photoshoot thing, so I was trying to step it up for the camera... I came out of a simple boosty 3 wrong on the last table... had a weird fall, more like slid out... and tweaked my knee. It felt like my mcl, but I didnt think it was a big deal. I had tweaked it before... so after 5 minutes of just hanging out I decided I was just going to finish up in the park then head home after I got a few more shots.
And that was my fatal mistake...
The first rail I hit somehow I fell off of it... sort of straddled it with my left ski still on... (same knee that I hurt before) and I guess it twisted... popped and hurt like none other. I just remember being curled up next to the rail and all I could think about was if I really had heard a pop and pleading that its not anything serious. After picking myself up and dragging myself out of the way I skied the rest of the day... well not reeeally skied but slid around taking my turn as the photog.
The next day I started to get worried about it because I was planning on going to the us freeskiing open which was in 2 weeks. So I called my ortho doc and got in on monday. They said it was a minor mcl tear.. but it was looking like I wouldnt be able to ski in the open... which crushed me.. so two and a half weeks later and lots of rehab, my knee still wasnt getting better. Therapists and doctors kept checking in and doing all sorts of tests and stuff to my knee and assured me that my ACL was fine. I went in to see the doctor last thursday to see whats up, and judging by my slow progress we ordered an mri just to be sure. I went back to get the results 2 days ago (monday)- the doc walks in and tells me that its a good thing we got the mri because they had been totally wrong. Turns out my ACL is completely torn, along with my now-partially-healed MCL... along with a fracture somewhere in there... on the lateral femoral condyle (???) then some other stuff goin on too. And that my season is over.
I know that this is part of the skiing lifestyle, and it was probably bound to happen especially with the way I ski. But this tears me apart. Skiing is my life and now I dont know what to do without it. I just had soooo many plans and goals for this season- I never even got a chance to go claim venegence on pyramid. I go in for surgery tomorrow and then rehab... lots and lots of rehab. I can ski this summer, and I will-
So now im just left trying to stay positive and learn as much as I can from the experience. Injuries suck... and its going to be a very long, rough road ahead of me.. But ill be back next season charging and its going to be sick. Be careful with the knees, dont risk it... I would have been skiing by now if I hadent.
FL
