The State of the Knee Post Surgery - and Now the Heart Needs Work Too

I doubt anyone is really interested in this post, but I'm compelled to write it just for my own notes and future reference. This is about the state of my knee today, and new Director's Uncut version.....I'll add in the state of the heart as well since it made a cameo appearance in the knee surgery.

Okay, so last June we discovered I had a torn meniscus.  I went through everything I could other than the surgery to hold it at bay through my Kona Ironman experience and was entirely unsuccessful with all attempts.  Kona was a great big pile of pain.

As soon as I got back I had an MRI to confirm the torn meniscus, but we also discovered I had a spot on my tibia where the cartilage was rubbed clean off.  Microfracture surgery would help grow new cartilage.  I was scheduled for surgery the next week.

First, how I ended up on the table with Dr Hasty holding the knife.  Back in June when I first thought about seeing a doctor for my knee pain I went to Greg at Boyette Orthopedics.  He had done all my cortisone shots last year for my shoulder issues and was a whiz at it.  Greg gave me a cortisone shot that day in my knee and I felt like I was off to the races.  When the shot wore off one month later, I was in the thick of my training and I wanted immediate and affective alternatives.  Friends in and out of the business had suggestions - ART, rooster comb injections, to name a few.  Greg felt I'd need to see Dr Boyette to discuss alternatives, but she was on vacation at the time.  Since I needed answers now, I elected to go see Dr Hasty.  I had just begun to get to know him and his PA, Charlie Kresho, from swimming in the lane next to them here and there and also seeing them at the occasional Thursday ride.  I liked that they were active in the triathlon culture and that we had that connection.  I have nothing bad to say about Boyette Orthopedics and would recommend them to anyone.  It was simply about timing that I switched.  As they are a Tricredible sponsor, I felt and continue to feel bad about that.

Or maybe it was that the females in the hospital affectionately refer to Dr Hasty as Tasty Hasty.  Apparently he's easy on the eyes......

Skip to post-MRI, at which point we scheduled me in for arthroscopic surgery for the torn meniscus and microfracture surgery for the lack of cartilage.  The microfracture process involves drilling small holes in the bone to activate bleeding, which then is supposed to stimulate growth of new cartilage.  New cartilage isn't supposed to be as good as the OEM cartilage, but it's better than nothing.  It's not likely I will be able to run again like I used to but maybe.  There are plenty of NBA players back on the court after having the procedure done. 

Surgery was Wednesday, October 30.  Everyone at Surgicenter was fantastic.  I never felt nervous and I could tell how cool and pristine the process was at this place.  One thing I noticed different between this time around on my knee and the last time I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee 15 years ago: I got some see-through gauze panties to wear.  I hope that's your last thought in your head before you sleep tonight.

Once in the OR - which was a massive room - the nurse, who is a runner, and the anaesthesiologist, who is a cyclist, and I got pretty chatty having all this in common.  The nurse suddenly said she wanted to see my heart rate (I guessed because us athletes are always data freaks about each other's vitals and she wanted to see how low it was).  I could tell something was wrong and they called someone else in.....I think the "head" anaesthesiologist.  He said not to worry and to go ahead and proceed.  They put me out.

When I came to he was right back there with me and Angie with a serious look about him.  He said I had a problem with my ticker.......that I had WPW syndrome which is like having an extra electrical port in the heart where electricity can pass through causing a short circuit.  Evidently I kept repeating to him that I had a good heart and that there couldn't be anything wrong with it.  He and Dr Hasty were very quick to schedule me an appointment with Dr Clark, a cardiologist, for Friday.

Evidently after surgery and as Dr Hasty was leaving I yelled out, "That fucker took my phone and I was in the middle of a post!"  I obviously live too much on my phone.  But that doesn't explain why I kept referring to Tinkerbell while under the influence......

Some of the meniscus could not be repaired without removing it altogether.  Also, Hasty discovered a spot on both the femur and the tibia devoid of cartilage so the microfracture process was double.

Recovery on the knee is going well.  Little to no pain.  I can't bear weight on my knee for 6 to 8 weeks as the cartilage tries to grow back.  Even walking will shave the new cartilage off before it can take hold.  But I'm managing on the crutches pretty well so far.

Back to the cardiologist.  His first words were, "You're fine. You have nothing to worry about."  He said I do have the syndrome and I've had it since I was born.  If I were 20 years old he'd be more concerned but since I'm 41 I've obviously managed to deal with it and at this point it's nothing to worry about.  I tried to impress upon him that perhaps I put myself at higher risk with all the triathloning about that I do.  He said he could fix it with an ablation and I'd never have to worry about it.....no big deal, up to me.  I asked him what would he do if he were me and he paused for a long time.  It was too much of a hesitation and it made both Angie and I uncomfortable.  He said, "I'd consider it very seriously."  He left us to think about it and we both said let's get it fixed asap.  The nurse came in and was processing us out and I said, "Wait a minute.  We want to have the surgery!"  She acted flabbergasted, saying it'd be months before I could have it since the knee has to heal first.  I told her that's not what the doctor said, and there was something else she said that contradicted his words too.  He came back in and she all but scolded him for suggesting he'd do the surgery so quick.  He looked like he had his tail between his legs and sheepishly agreed to everything she suggested.  I thought he was the doctor and was floored he wasn't running the show!  We left with the next step of the procedure scheduled but I've already talked to Dr Hasty to have a second opinion scheduled with Dr Frazier, who Katy Sheets initially suggested I should go to for this.

We'll see what Frazier says, but at this point Angie and I believe I need the ablation.  I haven't read up on it, but apparently WPW syndrome is the same thing you hear about high school kids dying from all of a sudden on a basketball court.  It was suggested that perhaps God felt he had to sweep the knee (a la Karate Kid) for Kona so I wouldn't go all out and kill myself running my heart to death.  Maybe so.  I believe I have a purpose, though I'm far too dumb to know what it is.  This may be my second chance and I'm taking it.

I'll write more after seeing Dr Frazier.