Surgery Success!

Ready to head into the Operating Room!

Tuesday, I was scheduled for partial meniscectomy at 12:30 PM. Tim drove me to the Riverton Hosptial and as I was checking in, a nurse came up to me and said,"Lindsay!" It was Mary Middleton, a friend that I went to high school with. She told me she had seen my name on the list for surgery today, and was scheduled to have me as her patient, but then asked to take a lunch break.  We chatted for a while, and she was one of the nurses in the pre-surgery area . It was nice being able to know someone in such an unfamiliar situation.  She made sure I was taken care of.  They had me get dressed in a hospital gown, and started an IV on me. Tim then hugged and kissed me as they wheeled me over to the Operating Room. It was sorta weird, they left me outside the OR room for a little while and was greeted by the anesthesiologist.He went over my heath history and then gave me a small dose of anesthesia, and that was all I remember! The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room. 

While in surgery the Orthopedic surgeon performed the meniscus surgery with arthroscopy, a procedure used to both examine and repair the inside of a joint. A thin tube (arthroscope) containing a camera and light is inserted through small incisions near the joint. Surgical instruments are inserted through other small incisions.  In a partial meniscectomy, the surgeon removes as little of the meniscus as possible. Th unstable meniscal fragments are removed, and the remaining meniscus edges are smoothed so that there are no frayed ends.

I was pretty out of it, Dr. John Brady, the Surgeon, came to give me an update. I remember asking him if I was going to have problems stabilizing my knee with the amount of mensicus he removed. He told me I had asked him that same question several times, and started joking with me saying I was singing the entire time I was in Surgery. I felt a little embarrassed, that I was repeating myself so much! He reassured me that I would be fine, and he would come talk to me when I would remember more of our conversation. It was not too long after Tim came in the room. We both dozed off for almost 45 minutes until the nurse came in and asked if I wanted anything to drink..Of course I did!!  It had been over 18 hours since I drank or ate anything! I immediately said, "Diet Coke PLEASE!"

I was released within two hours after the surgery was completed. I was wheeled out to the truck, and Tim took me home. I didn't feel much pain. ( as compared to the pain I felt prior to surgery).  I spent the rest of the night resting, and icing the knee. I was treated to Cafe Rio ( my favorite) by my sweet friends, Sally Miller and Lindsey Tanner. They brought over dinner and some brownies for Tim and I. I then immediately, called my sister, who is at the cabin with my mom and my two kids. I was able to talk to Mason and Allie. It made me so happy to hear their voices! I told them I was fine, that doctor fixed my knee and that I was recovering and resting to feel better. 

I was told to stay on crutches for the first 48 hours. I woke yesterday feeling good, I was in less pain than what I thought I would be in.  I actually felt so much better in the knee than I had prior to surgery. I was happy about that. I took the day reading, watching movies and doing a few leg exercises. I plan on getting up tomorrow to drive down with Tim to Manti to see my kids and family. I'm able to more weight on the leg now than I had before the surgery, which is always a good sign. I'm on the way to a healthy recovery.  This has been a tough mental trial for me. It's hard when that something I enjoy ( running and biking) is taken from me...and I no longer have control of that..I know for most people..they don't understand or can't relate to this, but for me...I have worked so hard to get the weight off, I get so afraid that all the work I have done to get into shape will be taken from me. But, I have determination.  I know that I will work so hard to not let this trial get the best of me!