Pictures!!!

So I found pictures from my second surgery. I don't think I took any pictures from my first surgery and I was too sick to think of pictures for my third and fourth surgeries. This surgery was done on December 23rd, 2009. I had come home for Thanksgiving Break and had practiced with the Varsity basketball team for fun. Well, I ended up not being able to walk after practice because, apparently, I had re-torn my meniscus. It was horrible timing because I still had a week of school left and then finals. I had to take medication to placate the pain, but my school work suffered greatly. I always struggle with medication and it pains me to see people abuse drugs. For some reason I am hypersensitive to drugs. I either react the opposite that I am supposed to or the proper reaction comes at a cost. Knee surgery is pretty extensive and the pain meds are heavy duty. They are necessary for the pain but I have all the side effects they warn you about. That is my biggest fear for this surgery. I trust my doctor completely and they always have the best staff caring for me, but the pain is the most intense I have ever experienced. During the surgery, the doctor puts a femoral block in my leg. It paralyzes the nerve that sends pain signals from my knee to my brain. In the fourth surgery, they forgot to perform the block. I came to from anesthesia and the pain was excrutiating. My mom said I was screaming and crying. Needless to say it was a horrible and I am afraid to experience it again. I am sure they won't forget again, ;), but still it is a worry.

These first two pictures are after 1st surgery, before 2nd surgery.

The long scar you see is from my ACL. They used my patella (knee cap) tendon to fix the ACL.

Post 2nd Surgery. Dec. 23rd, 2009.

 These are kind of grotesque, but I figure it might be neat to see and learn about. I know more about the knee anatomy than any other part of my body! :D

The 3rd surgery was in the hospital and since I was so out of it, I didn't notice my knee until I got home. I was used to the stitches, but seeing staples in your leg is a whole other story! Don't worry, I don't have any pictures of those.