A LOT HAS HAPPENED

So a lot has happened in a short period of time. For starters, I tore my ACL and MCL and had to have reconstruction surgery. It was awesome! I would now like you to note that I am being ridiculously sarcastic! Who would have known that a stupid ligament in your leg could cause so much trouble! I mean seriously?!!

So, the question of the summer has been, "How did you hurt your leg"? I REALLY, Sincerely wish I had a great story to tell, but alas, I have none. It was nothing more than I tripped and fell. I mean, honestly, it was the stupidest thing I have EVER done! The whole story goes something like this. Bryon, Madi and I had just stopped off at the new house (to be mentioned in a later post) after Bryon's friend, Skyler's wedding. Bryon's parents followed us to the house for a grand tour of the reconstruction. My mom just happened to be there working (while we were out playing). We live out in the middle of B.F.E. and we constantly have deer trapesing through our yard. Madi loves to see the deer and always wants us to show her where they are. This particular night there was a doe and fawn hanging out around the house. Madi was SO excited and wanted to see the fawn. It was ambling down the road in front of the house so Madi and I poked our heads out the screen door to check it out just in time to scare it and watch it run around to the back of the house. With Madi in tow I turned really quickly to run back in the house and my foot caught the top step back into the house. My pants were of course too long and they slid under my shoe causing a ski affect throwing me violently to the ground in splits formation. Just as I was going down I hit the back of my head on the door knob, causing me to lose sight for a split second. As I felt the thud on the ground I could feel my knee on the outside of my leg and with a large "POP" it jerked to the inside of my leg. In all of my amazing-ness, I managed to hold on to Madi but quickly laid her down on the ground once I hit so that I could grab my leg which I knew was jacked up! It scared Madi to death and she started screaming! I was tying not to cry in front of the in-laws so the only thing I could do was rock on my butt and say "ow" several times. I may not have been fully aware of the volume of my voice at this point.... At any rate, the rest of the family (aside from Madi and me) were in the back of the house looking at the deer. They came running at Madi's crys and assumed it was her that was hurt, not me. Once they realized I was indeed hurt they left me to sit on the floor to help the pain go away. They took Madi and finished the tour. Thanks guys! Ü When everyone was ready to go home Bryon came to help me get up and as soon as I put pressure on my leg I could feel my knee cap sliding around. The pain was excruciating! I fought back tears and let my wonderful husband help me to the car. As I was getting in the car I felt my knee cap slip again, only this time it was blinding pain! I told Bryon to shut the car door ASAP! Once I was concealed by the darkness of the night and the sound-proof walls of my car I let loose the tears that so badly wanted to fall!

At this point we were still living in my parents basement so once I got home I had to make my way down the stairs. I thought it would be worse, it wasn't too bad. I hopped the whole way down. Coming up the next morning was another story. Once Monday came I headed out to work with some mild pain. I honestly thought I had maybe stretched something and it just needed a little bit of time to heal. I walked on it, very gingerly at that, but still. By Tuesday I still kept feeling my knee cap moving and that is what alarmed me. I tried to get in to any orthopaedic doctor I could just to find out what was wrong. If you have ever tried to get in to one on short notice, you know how hard of a task this is. I found an IHC hotline that automatically looks up all of the doctors schedules and lets you know the first available appointment. So, I went and met with Dr. Idon'tcareaboutyou,quitwhining,youfaker. She was foreign. After x-rays and waiting rooms, the doctor finally came in and assured us I hadn't broken any bones. Whew, what a relief (said with LOADS of sarcasm). We already knew that.... She couldn't tell about anything else unless she ordered an MRI. She poked and prodded around though. Once she hit the center of the inside of my knee I about jumped out of chair in pain. She said I was fine and to wait another 2 weeks. If it still hurt she would get me scheduled for an MRI. I hate her.

The next day, I was talking to JoDee about it and she reminded me that our friend, Becky, worked for a very well known surgeon and that I should contact her. I called Beckys cell phone and she told me to come in the next day. The Dr. was very short and to the point, but he covered all of the bases. He even sent me down stairs for an MRI. I liked him. Unfortunately, by the time I got the MRI done it was 5:00pm the Thursday before the 4th of July and everyone was gone for the holiday weekend. I was told to come in on Monday for the results.

Over the weekend I still felt like my leg was getting a little better and I started to feel bad for making such a big deal about my stupid knee. Even Bryon admitted that he thought I was being a little bit dramatic and that I was probably fine (he ate those words only hours later-Did they taste good Hon?Ü). I still went to the appointment and as soon as the Dr. walked in he said, "I'm glad you came in and we got the MRI. You need surgery. How does tomorrow morning work for you?" Um....

So, I had surgery. I tried to be so strong and not freak out. It all happened so quickly. I really was emotionless at the hospital. Bryon kept asking me if I was scared and I just kept telling him no. I was being honest. I think the word to describe how I felt was numb. Until they wheeled me in the back and my operating room wasn't ready yet. They left me lying in my bed in the hall way next to the operating room. People kept zooming past me without so much as a glance. The anesthesiologist came out in the hall, to get things started. She pulled out the IV needles and I could feel the tears coming on. I looked away towards the wall and cried. I don't think she even knew. She left me alone again. Luckily the drugs kicked in quickly but that was the loneliest I have felt in a long time.

As I was waking up all I remember asking for was Bryon. They hadn't reached my room yet where he was waiting for me. I fell back asleep as they were wheeling me to him. I slept for another hour. Poor Bryon was in that hospital room ALL DAY! He was so good to me. Even when I told him to put a couple of packages of the graham crackers in my bag for later at home. He really didn't want to. I made him. I think he still resents me a little for that. Have you ever had the graham crackers at the hospital? There is nothing better. That simple pleasure is what makes the hospital bearable for me. He also refilled my soda several times. What a great husband I have!

I have been going to Physical Therapy 3 times a week. That in and of itself is a post. The people there are amazing! They only hurt me a couple of times. They put up with my wishy-washy-ness (I want to try the whirl-pool, I hate the whirl-pool). I am almost back to full range of motion with my knee. I still walk with a limp. I can't ride my horses yet, which is making me crazy! I may just make Bryon and his manly muscles hoist me up on Dancer soon. We'll see. Hopefully my next post isn't about how I re-tore my ACL getting on my crazy horse. Keep your fingers crossed!

My knee pre-surgery and neatly folded sausage fingers

My Knee Post-Surgery

My desk of snackies... note the graham crackers...note them!

The flowers my work sent me. They're the greatest!