Knee Update #3
Okay. I saw the surgeon yesterday. I have completely torn my MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament), that runs from the femur to the tibia on the inside of my left knee for the purpose of stability. I also "blasted," in the surgeons terms, my ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) that is found in the center of the knee that normally prevents excessive movement of joint.
I will need to have surgery to repair both. After the surgery, I will only be able to bear partial weight on my knee for three weeks. These three weeks I will not be able to work. I will also need a lot of assistance while I recover.
Right now I have to figure out if, without counting on insurance covering anything, it makes more sense financially to get the surgery done in Albuquerque or in NW Iowa. If I do it here, folks from church would take care of me while I recovered. If I do it in Iowa, Neal and his family would help me recover. Either way, my mom might fly to where ever I get the surgery to be with me for the first little bit. Then there is planning a three week absence from work for a sub and figuring out who that sub might be when my school doesn't really have backup people just lined up. Ugh!
In the meantime until surgery I can walk but not do much more physical activity. Oh, a stationary bike is also an exercise option for me. I am borrowing a training spinner from a friend to set my road bike up on in my living room for exercising purposes. I am also going to have to spend a significant amount of time working at getting my leg to bend all the way up/back again and straighten out to the locked back position. Right now it hurts and is practically impossible with stiffness to do either. I have not moved my knee completely in 10 days.
The "God, why?" question seems to be getting some answers already. And I have joy, which, like I have been trying to teach my 8th graders, is not the same as being happy in the moment put being secure in hope.
I will need to have surgery to repair both. After the surgery, I will only be able to bear partial weight on my knee for three weeks. These three weeks I will not be able to work. I will also need a lot of assistance while I recover.
Right now I have to figure out if, without counting on insurance covering anything, it makes more sense financially to get the surgery done in Albuquerque or in NW Iowa. If I do it here, folks from church would take care of me while I recovered. If I do it in Iowa, Neal and his family would help me recover. Either way, my mom might fly to where ever I get the surgery to be with me for the first little bit. Then there is planning a three week absence from work for a sub and figuring out who that sub might be when my school doesn't really have backup people just lined up. Ugh!
In the meantime until surgery I can walk but not do much more physical activity. Oh, a stationary bike is also an exercise option for me. I am borrowing a training spinner from a friend to set my road bike up on in my living room for exercising purposes. I am also going to have to spend a significant amount of time working at getting my leg to bend all the way up/back again and straighten out to the locked back position. Right now it hurts and is practically impossible with stiffness to do either. I have not moved my knee completely in 10 days.
The "God, why?" question seems to be getting some answers already. And I have joy, which, like I have been trying to teach my 8th graders, is not the same as being happy in the moment put being secure in hope.