Turns out a girl with a dislocated kneecap has a lot to be thankful for.
Blood-filled syringes, for one. The sports med doc used an enormous syringe to drain 60cc of blood out of my swollen knee today. (Apparently this is equivalent to 2 oz, though I swear it looked more like a pint from where I was sitting.)
Pretty gross, but I can’t tell you how much difference that made! Instead of a grapefruit, my knee now looks more like a large Fuji apple. Plus I can actually bear weight on it, and lift it without using my hands to help. I’m now getting up and down the stairs with one crutch, meaning I feel much less like I’m liable to topple over and add a broken neck to the dislocated knee.
This is a huge improvement.
I’m also grateful for cadaver parts.
The last time my kneecap decided to take a powder on the side of my leg for a few hours, the technology available for repairing such mishaps was pretty Dark Ages compared to now. Looks like this time around I’ll get a brand new (to me) tendon from a cadaver, giving me (after a grueling 6-month recovery period) a knee far superior than the previous model.
At least that’s what they say, and I’m choosing to believe it.
Meanwhile, the outflowing of support from friends, family and acquaintances has been nothing short of amazing. Some people in particular (you know who you are) have gone well above and beyond the call of duty to make me feel safe, comfortable, taken care of and loved.
I’m seeing the true nature of people in my circle, and I’m speechless with gratitude and appreciation.
I’m really not looking forward to the surgery and its painful aftermath or grueling recovery, but I feel fortunate indeed. Yes, in an instant everything changed, and not in a good way, but it could have been a lot worse.
I could have been struck by lightning and killed. I could have been downed by a stroke or an aneurysm. I could have had my foot and shoulder mangled by a scooter accident, like a client of my life coach’s, who was in a wheelchair with metal rods sticking out of her feet for 3 months. I could be one of the cadavers donating my good knee’s tendon to someone else.
I’m choosing to focus on what I can be grateful for, and what’s going well. I’m choosing happiness.
And you?
Melissa, so sorry for your pain and discomfort. We are thinking of you and sending you healing vibes. I’m introducing my daughter Danielle York to you via one of these newfangled electronic methods because we think you’re both terrific and want her to know about you too. She is going in for surgery TODAY, and will have her broken jaw wired shut for 6 weeks. She flipped over the handlebars of her bicycle, braking all wrong. Maybe it’s the season. — You didn’t miss much at “To Life!” this year–from what we saw, pretty low attendance. Now I continue the labors of love for my own open studio, “Art in the ‘Hood”. Will email you the postcard just for fun. — Love, Laurel B.
Oh Laurel, I’m so sorry about your daughter! How awful!
It does seem to be going around… May this comment mark the end of all such mishegas!
Good luck with the open studio prep!
xom
Eek! Not exactly the most pleasant thing to read while eating breakfast. 😛
I am glad to hear you have a better knee cap now. And yes, support from family and friends is always key during bouts of pain or suffering.
Hope things continue to improve for your condition. Does it hurt? Did they give you pain killers?
Yeah, sorry, I should have preceded the post with a grossometer rating. :}
Same old kneecap, but at least it’s in the right place now. And will eventually be attached better, once the surgery is done.
The good news is it really doesn’t hurt too much. A bit achey, but the other knee actually hurts more! Irony…
I received a cadaver acl tendon in April 2007 after it ruptured in July 2006 & didn’t hold up. I too am thankful for The blessing I received from a person brave enough to be an organ donor.
Welcome, Elaine! My surgeon told me that the ACL replacement was the first use of using cadaver tendons. Boy, oh, boy, am I grateful that some forward-thinking doctors decided to try this technique for re-attaching kneecaps! It’s been a long recovery process (still not 100%, after 21 months!), but I have a helluva lot more confidence in my knee today than before the surgery. 🙂
I hope your knee is happy today!
Oh my goodness. What an injury to endure. I do hope your’e feeling much better by now (it’s been a couple of years). Although, I would imagine you have some permanent damage or at the very least restriction of movement. Is there still pain on those raw, cold rainy days? Knee injuries are pretty scary. You’re fortunate to have been young when this occured.
Thanks, Jason. Much better now, yes! My knee sometimes feels “heavy” and a little stiff, but it’s almost on par with the other knee. I’m very grateful. 🙂