Yay....I'm a gimp now

[smolakian]

So, I was skiing at Breck on Dec. 18th. Nothing really spectacular...just skiing some uneven steep bumps. Got caught in the backseat, forced myself up out of it and heard a pop. No fall and it didnt even hurt that much. I was at the bar drinking like a champ within a few hours. Of course I was scared as shit "My season is over" type stuff. All my friends just thought I was freking out, 'cause I was getting around allright without crutches or anything.
Fast forward 1 week. After a doctors visit and an MRI. I get the final call. Grade III ACL tear and Grade II MCL. My deepest fears were confirmed. So, I wore my brace for a couple of weeks and my MCl healed up pretty nicely. Then it started to snow! SHIT you have no idea how I was temped to push the surgury back to early summer and keep skiing with the brace. But, the doctor insited that I was just inviting meniscus damge.
So, Today is Saturday the 22nd. I had my ACl recon (hamstring graft) on thurday. I guess it went pretty well. (I was sleeping like a baby, of course) and there was no visible meniscus damage. However, Thursday - Friday afternoon were filled with excruciating pain. The oxycodone wasn't doing anything for me. It SUCKED ...But, it seems like I've been making remarkable progress since the doctor OKd me to take vitamin I yesterday afternoon. I have jacked my CPM up to 62 and it feels good. I just had no idea how much postoperative pain would suck. Is that normal? Or do I just have a real high Oxycodone tolerance?
Anyway, I am a pretty positive guy. Thank God or else I dont think I'd be able to get through the agony of sitting at home every weekend. I'm hoping to be out on the rocks by late spring to learn trad climbing. I think I'll be ready to handle some easy 5.5-5.7 trad routes on second to start learning about gear placement and such. I doubt I'll be ready to be back on harder sport routes till June. Any front range maggots need a second for some easy trad routes this spring?

[altagirl]

I was also completely shocked by the amount of pain after my first ACL. It didn't hurt at all when I tore it... and I guess I didn't know what to expect. Percocets took the edge off, but it still hurt like hell. Then my next two knee surgeries didn't hurt much at all and I barely needed pain killers.

Difference - I thought I was elevating my knee the first time. I did it like they did it when I was in the hospital overnight. Sit there with a pillow under my foot like it's on an end-table or something. That's not elevated and I had no idea my leg could swell that much. Next time I had surgery, I went home immediately and laid flat on the sofa with my foot up on the wall or on a stack of pillows on the arm so it was WAY over my heart. Barely swelled and I hardly had any pain. I think it also makes a mental difference when you're expecting pain vs. when you aren't.

Anyway - sounds normal to me. Stay on top of the pain meds and take icing and elevating as seriously as possible. Oh - and make sure you're doing calf pumps or moving your foot in circles and that type of thing that gets the circulation flowing and keeps the swelling down or helps to get rid of what you have.

Heal up fast. I'm at almost 14 weeks and went XC skiing today. It won't be long before you can be doing stuff again...

[xboat]

welcome to the club. read my thread smolakian, things get better by the day. keep moving your foot around and contracting your quad while in your imobilizer. i wanted to put a gun to my head that next day as i thought the oxycondone wasn't doing jack, also. in a couple days you will really feel how well they work though. i'm just trying to take mine before doing alot of exercises. good luck mang.

[Arnold Babar]

Don't do anything stupid and you will see improvement every day. The pain does suck, and we here are the only ones who understand. I took my oxycodones till they were all gone (towards the end it was recreational) and experienced a degree of dependence so I will warn you about that, but they do work and will come in handy over the coming weeks. Welcome to the club.

[smolakian]

Thanks for the advice, I read all the threads in this forum plus almost ALL the threads I could find on the internet before my surgury.(I didnt get anything done at work the days leading up) I am amazed at how much better I am feeling vs a day ago. I'm down to 1 oxycodone about every 3 hours and managing most of my pain w/ Ibuprofin. I have a cold therapy thing too. I couldnt live without it! The excercises are bearable now and they actually feel GOOD. I might even down a few brews while cheering for the STEEL tomorrow.

[Arnold Babar]

What is it with all the Steelers fans, poor misguided souls. My knee's not better yet, but at least my team's still playin' football...

[smolakian]

Yeah, my teams not playing anymore, but at least my doctor just wrote me a scrip for more painkillers...

Update...4 days post-op:
Knee is still swollen and sore. I also noticed some nice looking bruises on my shin starting to form. Walking without a crutch is still prety slow but, I can get around pretty quick using one. I went to the doc for my checkup and he flexed it and took some x-rays. Sid everything is looking good. I have my first PT tomorrow.

[xboat]

well, how did it go man? you had your surgery 3 days after mine, would be cool to compare. i have PT in the morning and have been feeling pretty decent lately. should get some good flexability numbers. worked every day this week just trying to work 4 hours or so a day. work sucks. fuckin steelers.

[smolakian]

Well, I had my first PT on tuesday. My flexion was at 107 and extension was somewhere short of 0. I can't remember exactly what it was. I'm finally back at work but its hard to accomplish anything because I'm still a little sore. I havent had to use my crutches since Wednesday! Im going up and down stairs and everything. Everybody at work was impressed at how well I've been walking. PT gave me excercises: hamstring stretches, prone hangs (let leg hang off of bed to help with extension), and wall slides. I've been doing all of these pretty religiously and it feels pretty good. I go back to the PT this afternoon. I really hope they use the shock pads on my leg again. It feels sooooo good. I'm still waiting for the bruise on my shin to go away because it still hurts everytime I stand up. Besides that, things are on the up and up. Except for the fact that I still wake up in pain at least once in the middle of the night and have to pop pills.

[Arnold Babar]

Mmmmmmmmmm, pills...I miss pills. Keep at it, it gets better day by day, as long as you don't over do it. Send extra pills to Arnold Babar ...

[smolakian]

Quick update.
So, I'll be 5 weeks out from my surgury this thursday. I pretty much have full ROM. (they stopped measuring it at PT) My hamstring is still weak and sore. But, besides that my PT is extremely surprised by my progress. On monday I saw my doctor and he thought that it would be allright for me to toprope at the gym. So, I went climbing for 2 hours yesterday. IT felt AWESOME to be doing something. I was completely surprised to be back on a wall this early! I was climbing almost at the level I was at before the injury. IM SOOO STOKED. My knee is barely sore anymore and it feels better everyday.