Hello,

My name is Corey. My wife joined this group while I
was going into the period of surgery with my knee.
Since then I've read a few things that have popped up
on the group.

Some of you seem to be having some bad experiences
while others seem much better. I can fill you all in
on my experiences and maybe it will be of some help to
others.

I injured my knee in May of 2005. I was placed into a
Zimmer splint for 2 months as I awaited what was going
to happen. I had an MRI completed in June and found
that I had Completely severed my ACL and damages my
lower meniscus. I had also damaged my MCL, but after
waiting for surgery, which happened on October 4th, it
had more-less healed. In June I was prescribed a brace
for my knee which gave me the max. support that a
brace can give, reducing lateral movement to
absolutely none. Once I was measured and the brace was
built I was fitted and placed into Physio to build up
the muscle around the knee. This I believe was not to
helpful as I was already mussled up and kept fit with
day to day living. I had my surgery (ACL
Reconstruction and Meniscus repair). and discharged
from the hospital the next day. I was down for the
count for almost 2 months until I began physio once
again. I was placed onto a 8 month program of which I
am still on (week 12 or 13). I attend physio 2 times a
week for about an hour each day. There I ride an
upright bike for 15 minutes, ride another 20 minutes
on a recumbent bike, fast walk 5 minutes on the
treadmill, go to the Total Gym and squat 75 on both
legs and 50 single leg on my injured knee. After that
I'm laying down and doing leg lifts/extensions while
I'm hooked up on a muscle stimulator. Then my day
there is done and I go onto my other day to day
exercises.

Now, I'm listening here and I'll tell you all. I'm
Ex-military. I'm a fabricator and welder by trade.
Granted you need to shop around for a VERY good
surgeon. I did because there was no way in hell I
would let some newbie cut me open. "MIKE LARCOM,"
You said that your surgery cost you 14,000.00. Man,
you got a deal, my surgery cost over 200,000.00.
You need to understand with an ACL injury you have to
work it,,,NOT to early or your going to blow it all to
hell and if you do not wish to go through all this
crap again I suggest you find out some things really
quick in regards to you injury and healing. In Canada
there are the Mighty WCB (workers compensation
board)people that do not know their butts from the eye
balls. They have a history for placing injured people
into physio to early. Eg. My father had a similar
injury to his knee 28 years ago. They screwed his knee
up so bad he is now having to loose his leg just above
the knee. Your problems somehow don't seem so big when
you look at having to loose your knee and leg. Like
everyone else on this group, we have all had stiff
legs, unable to bend them, unable to straighten them,
you are probably in no different boat than the rest of
us. You do seem to be one of those who likes to
complain and whine more than do what you need to do.
So stop......if you want sympathy go to your grandma's
house. Get a hold of yourself and realize that you are
not going to be good as new tomorrow and without a
little work. It takes time. I've been off work since
May/05 and I don't get to go back until March/06 at
the earliest. Until then I 'll continue my Physio and
exercising at home. On another note, I screwed my knee
and meniscus up enough that the doctors are telling me
to find a new job because I will not be able to even
do any heavy lifting for over a year after my physio
is even complete. It's frustrating as hell, but hey,
it's life and what I've been dealt with. If you get
frustrated and start giving up and blaming everyone
Else you might as well roll over and die and you'll be
still going trough all this crap we all are long after
we are all back working.

Advise: Never let a Cracker Jack doctor in the
military operate on you. Never let some wannabe
Physiotherapist in the military work on you. Find then
best!!!!! then find the one that is better then they
are.

....Corey


--- mike larcom <myquadzillalt500rk@...>
wrote:

> here's a tip. don't let anyone cut into you. the
> reconstruction won't fix the problem just makes
> thing worse. I wish i knew the things to come after
> it was all said and done. cause i would of just took
> the brace and left it at that. I can't get my leg
> stright . walk with a limp pain everyday on sides of
> knee. no feeeling on out side of caf. op says my
> knee is tight alil to tight i say. I damage my knee
> on oct 21 2004 and had it fixed jan 6 2005. 32
> sessions of pt and til this day don't seem any
> better. i say a waste of 14.000$$ it fix it. No
> other op will see me and i will not go back to the
> same op if my life depened on it...reseach the op
> that is going to damage you.


PrairieDawn Devon Rex Alberta, Canada
http://www.geocities.com/prairiedawnc
TICA Junior Achievers' NW Region Liaison
http://justcats.org/TICAJA/TICAJuniorAchievers.html








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