My pre-op screening was yesterday. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! I had to do it at the New England Baptist Hospital, I could not even do it with my own physician. The appointment was at 2:30 but they wanted me there at 2:00 to fill out forms. The forms part I just don’t understand, they have an online site that allows entering all of your information prior to getting there, what other forms are there?

I hit major traffic getting there and arrived at 2:20, thank goodness for the online form entry because there really were no other forms to fill out (except sign all responsibility away). I then proceeded to wait until 3:15 before they called me in. The RN took my vitals and then said she didn’t think it was necessary for me to get an EKG or have blood taken (fine by me). She went down the no list (do you smoke, have you had tuberculosis, etc.) and that was it. About seven minuets with the RN, $4 parking charge and I was done. I then proceeded to hit traffic on my way home!

The only interesting things out of that visit are that they wanted me to stop taking the Glucosamine Chondroitin. They also sent me home with soap (I’m guessing it must be different than my Dove). Starting on the 11th they want me to wash my knee twice a day with the special soap. This will also be the last weekend I’ll be able to drink because I also need to stop all alcohol intake three days before the surgery. I’ll have to make sure this weekend is not all yard work!

This weekend the family and I got invited to friends in New Hampshire. They have a beautiful home on a lake just north of Ossipee. Well, I had the opportunity to go water skiing. Yes, I know that it is not a very smart idea to do before an upcoming surgery and with the condition of my knee but I just could not pass it up. I have not been water skiing in about 10 years, loved it when I used to ski and seeing this might be just the last time I would be able to do it strapped them on. Initially I thought I’d be able to get up on one ski like I used to but that did not go that well. Got up on two skis and dropped. It was unbelievable fun and I don’t regret that for anything! The good news is that the knee doesn’t seem any worse for the wear; the sad news is that the shoulders and forearms do. Sucks getting old!

Friday I went to see the doctor the last time before the surgery (September 13th). He did the basic look over and asked if there are any changes, basically everything was about the same as last time and I’m a go. I had to make a decision as to what I was going to use to graft my damaged ligaments. I was given the choice of using a cadaver’s tissue or some harvested from my own body. The doctor could not guarantee that the donor was a 21 year old that could dunk and run a 4.1 40 so I went with my on tissue. I did find out that if I did go with a cadaver they would try to use a “subject” of similar age, if I use my own tissue I would have a little extra discomfort but since with what I’m doing will put me on non-weight bearing for about 8 weeks it does not matter much. My doctor recommends the use of a cadaver for younger patients that are still very active in sports and that should not really be me any more. While there I also went through the process of submitting my short-term disability paperwork. My hopes is that I will not need it, even if I can’t get into work I should be able to do a lot of it from home.

The company that grew my harvested cartilage and made it into Carticel has a rehabilitation guideline. You can find it here, it is some interesting reading. From what I’m told having the reconstruct at the same time has a better result at the end of the process. The picture I included shows the process of cartilage replacement. Steps one through three have already happened, that is when they harvested my cartilage and grew it in the labs. Step four the chondral defect is debrided back to healthy tissue. Step five they harvest the periosteal patch from the proximal tibia. Then finally, step six, they suture the patch into place and the Carticel is implanted under the patch.

I have one last appointment concerning my knee before the surgery. That will be my pre-screening on the 30th. Just one more physical I’ll need to go through before they will do my knee.

Sorry this is so off topic but every so often you need to do something fun….

I found this post on Gran’s on Bran, read on and you’ll get the gist.

Doris asks:

You were a young fit man when you sustained your knee injury. I know lots of people who have also sustained sports injuries so my question is: Do you now think sport is bad for your health?

Nope! I try my best to continue to be active in sports however limited it is now. I am now involved with my boys in sports (t-ball mainly). The benefits I gained from being on teams highly outweigh the injury I sustained. I think being idol is much worse for your health.

2. What is your favourite house paint color?

Never gave it much thought. I guess White??

3. Which is longer... your big toe or your second toe?

Had to look. On my right foot they look to be the same length, on my left the big toe.

4. Where is your favorite vacation place?

Northport, Maine (just North of Camden), although I seem to go to Cape Cod, MA much more often now.

5. A while back you helped out some people who had run out of petrol. They seemed in a hurry to get away with little thanks. If you had the situation over again, what would you do different? And is there any chance they were nicking the car and you had assisted them?

Situation being the same I doubt I would have done anything different. I much prefer thinking the best of people and performing acts of kindness than the alternative. And yes, I guess there is always that chance they could be “nicking” (not being from England that term gave me a chuckle) the car but I doubt it.

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So I was on vacation this past week. I did the usual fair on the Cape, went to the beach a couple days, played in the water throwing the boys around, went to the park and threw the football and baseball around, walked a bit around the town and waited a lot for my wife at the Christmas Tree Shops. I tell you this only to point out that my knee is feeling okay despite the extra activities. One thing I have noticed is that my knee has started to pop again with more frequency and usually while I’m laying down. Not overly bad, just a little pain when it happens. I’m not looking forward to the time it happens while I’m walking and I end up on all fours. I’m sure this will happen at work, those things never happen while your alone walking in the back yard. I also did a bit of drinking, card playing, and all around fun stuff if you were interested.