Scalpel & Suction

Tis the season for giving and forgiving, sharing and caring, loving and perpetual hope.  Tomorrow I will be going under the knife hoping the result of my surgery will be slightly improved function in my right knee. Again, that is a hope. The reality, as difficult as it is to admit, is this surgery may not make an improvement at all. I am a 31 year old male with the knees of a 70 year old male, literally. Tomorrow will be the fourth time my right knee is entered by a surgeon with hopes of delaying Mother Nature just a little while longer. Were I 50 or 60 years old I would be getting a total knee placement, however, my age prevents that from being a possibility. For those of you not familiar with the ins and outs of knee replacements here’s the skinny. Right now science and technology only allows a person the opportunity to receive two knee replacements in the same knee in one’s lifetime. Each replacement last approximately 10 years. After the second replacement there is not enough bone left for a third, which leaves amputation as the last option. Now you see why knee replacement is not an option for anyone at my age, at least not right now.

On the bright side my downtime will give me an opportunity to catch up on paperwork and some reading. It will also give me time to decide what my next goal is going to be. The scheduling of this surgery actually comes at a pretty good time, the end of the year, when most of us start deciding what we plan to accomplish in the upcoming new year.  I have a few ideas swirling around in my head, when I make my decision I will be sure to make it known.

I would not qualify tomorrow’s surgery as major but it is a surgery so there is always the potential for complication. I was given two surgical options. One option is called a Fulkerson Osteotomy (or Fulkerson Procedure). The Fulkerson Procedure definitely falls in the category of major surgery. If your curiosity is peaked I encourage you to google it. If you do google it you will know why I did not choose that procedure this time. Tomorrow’s procedure will have me on crutches for a few days and hobbling for couple more weeks. That will not stop me from going to the gym though, I’ll just be moving a little slower.

Tomorrow’s procedure includes the following: Right knee arthroscopy with synovectomy, removal of loose bodies, joint flush, and partial lateral menisectomy.  Say that three times fast.

I’ll keep you updated on my recovery and future fitness goals. 

Keep it Healthy,

RJ