Just got home a few hours ago from having knee surgery on my left knee.  The surgery ended up taking over 4 hours...but everything went well.  Thank God for my wonderful wife, Jennifer, who's been taking care of me all day and is going to be carrying a big load for the next few days.  (I'll try to be a good patient.)


CAUSE FOR SURGERY
Unlike with most knee surgeries, I didn't have a recent trauma or accident that cause me to go in for this procedure.  My knee had just started bothering me an swelling during normal training.  I backed off from training for a few weeks and it didn't improve.  After visiting my friend and sports doc, Dr. Roger Tolar, he sent me for an MRI.  It showed damage from an old injury (that led to a surgery 30 years ago!).  The diagnosis from the MRI place was that I had meniscal issues.  From there I went to the world's best knee orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ron Yamamoto.  Seriously, he only does knees and has been doing them for as long as I've been alive...he used to work with the Cowboys here in Dallas.  Anyway, I've known him for many years through church...though not as well as I know him now.  He worked me in for a visit, examined me, and sent me for another MRI with a different view.  This additional view showed other issues (ACL and patellar) that he suspected from his exam that the first MRI didn't show.  He said that they all stemmed from my very old injury.  He could see the meniscal tear or scarring, but was also able to see that the patella was kicking out laterally when I bent my knee rather than staying in it's groove.  He also said that something was very wrong with my ACL and that it was non-functional.  Basically, it provided no support to my knee.  He said that only because I've been so active with my trianing that my muscles were able to compensate to stabilize my knee joint.  This puts tremendous strain on those muscles though.  He also made a point that I'd have had to have this surgery regardless of whether or not I was training for triathlons.

The Dr. Yam first consult and 2nd MRI was only a week ago.

TODAYS SURGERY
Showed up at 6:00a.  7:10a, Dr Yam came to talk with us and lead us in pre-op prayer.  Operating by 7:55a scheduled for 3 hours.  Out of surgery at 1:15p.  Out of recovery at 3:00p.  On the way home by 3:30p.  Jen was at the surgical center the whole time, and my Mom was able to get there after she finished a speech this morning.

Findings: Dr Yam found two meniscal tears that he was able to repair.  He found that the ACL was only 30% and totally non-functional.  He reconstructed that from patellar ligament.  He adjusted my patella which was titled incorrectly (due to the other stuff that was messed up).  And last but not least, he found and removed two free-floating bone/meniscus fragments.  One was 3/4 inch long.  Ouch!  All of this definitely explained my knee pain.  He said that I'll soon be at 93% strength and stability in the joint.  He emphasized that this we'll be 3x better than how it's been for all these years.  I'm very excited about that!


NOW
I'm now sitting on my couch with a full belly (thanks to Michael Butler and fam sending food from Mandola's Italian Market--it was INCREDIBLELY GOOD).  I've got a brace on my leg with it strapped to a machine that keeps my knee moving constantly.  I have a morphine drip going directly to my knee joint through a catheter.  I've got a ice-water contraption circulating cold wather to a bag around my knee to keep it cool and the swelling down.  I've got air bag sleeves strapped to both shins that pump and release like a blood pressure monitor to keep blood from pooling and clotting in my calves.  Needless to say, they didn't have all of this for my surgery 30 years ago.  In a few minutes, I'm going to down a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream that Lois Scott brought by (Dennis's wife).  Seriously, I'm gonna eat the whole thing...I'm not in training or anything.


FUTURE
I'm supposed to keep all of the contraptions hooked up as much as possible (including during the night) for the next 5 days.  After that, I'll be on crutches for 4-6 weeks.  I'll be able to start light training, probaby swimming and cycling, after that.  In 3-4 months, I'll be ready for serious training.  But, I have to wear a patellar brace for A YEAR!!!!  That seems like a long time...but I'm just so glad that I'll be able to stay active.


THANKS
I'm so thankful first and foremost to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for letting me live in a country with the opportunity for such great prosperity to allow so many of us to participate in triathlons or whatever we want and to have such great medical technology and professionals.  Thank Him for allowing everything to go smoothly today and for a positive outlook on the future.

I'm thankful for my other self, Jennifer, who makes my life complete and brings joy to my life.  She's been and continues to be the best nurse, orderly, pain manager, admin, caterer, chauffer,.....  I'm thankful to Dr Tolar and Dr Yam and their staffs for all of their outstanding care and caring.  I'm thankful for my three amazing kids (Courtney, Grant, and Jake) who are now earning their room and board by becoming my hands and feet for the next few days.

Huge thanks to all my friends, family, and Tri4Him teammates (who are too many to name here) for all of the encouragement and PRAYERS.  I really appreciated going under the knife knowing that you guys were providing air support.  Now it's time to pray for Jennifer!

Love you all!


Jeff