MPFL Recovery

Sunday, April 7, 2013
Date of Injury

Friday, May 31, 2013.

I was surprisingly not very nervous at all, B and my parents came with me and I checked in to the surgery center - which I want their waiting area in my house, so swanky.

Did all of my post op stuff - IV, blood pressure and answered the same questions about 300 times.

The anesthesiologist came in to explain the nerve block and asked if I wanted it. The nerve block basically blocks the nerve to your brain that is in pain, so you don't feel the worst of the pain in the first 24 hours. This is comparable to a pregnant woman not wanting an epidural, she was crazy to think that I would say no. Block me please!

B came in and waited with me until the nurses and anesthesiologist came back to work their magic. I received my drugs - morphine etc.. and got my nerve block - which was inserted into my leg. They rolled me into the surgery room, gave me oxygen and I was out.

I woke up in recovery and the first thing I asked for was water.

Part of my procedure was done via arthroscopic so I had some photos of the inside of my knee 

The top right photo shows the cartilage that is under your patella, it is supposed to be smooth so you can see all of the damage that I have done with my dislocations through the years.

I was very shaky coming out of anesthesia and the nurse asked if I drank coffee regularly - apparently I was having a withdrawal - WTF! They gave me a coke and a zofran pill and I felt much better. My parents drove me home and B went to get food, we got home and settled and I actually felt really good.

 My work sent me some pretty flowers and my parents who can never sit still started picking things up around the house.

A couple friends stopped by and I was convinced that I could go to B's softball games, he thought I was nuts. Around 11:30 my knee started getting sore so I took 1 pain pill - totally should have taken 2, by midnight I was in the worst pain I have ever felt. Pretty sure I was crying until 3 AM, around 5 I took 2 more pain meds and after getting through the night I felt pretty ok. On Saturday. B and I spent the day on the couch watching bad TV eating and having snocones. Sunday was more of the same, and I was getting around a little easier on the crutches.

I had my 4 day post op appointment on June 4, so I will recap that tomorrow, from the couch.