The story so far...

On Monday (3rd December) I will be going into hospital to have my left ACL reconstructed. I wanted to blog it because ever since I was told I needed my ligament reconstructed I have wanted to know what would happen... I have found plenty of blogs about it but mainly from people in America where the operation varies from here in the UK. So I am going to blog my NHS experience of an ACL reconstruction. Fabulous!

Maybe I should do a bit of background now...

I am a 24 year old teacher and about a year and a half ago I was in a trampoline lesson (with a coach and everything) and was learning a routine. I twisted and as I did also pulled up my trousers! Classy eh?? As I landed, I landed really really badly and felt like I had broken my leg. I heard a huge snap and was in a lot of pain!! I think I landed just on my left leg and it felt as though my leg had bent backwards! Nice!!! Anyway, I went to the hospital and had an Xray which showed that nothing was broken. They sent me home with a tubigrip, crutches and a physio appointment for the following Wednesday. I went to it and had the LOVELIEST physio ever... Dave and his student. He was yummy! Anyway.... I did my physio and was having a physio session a week for about a month (all this time I was off work - there was no way I was going back to my class of 5 year olds while I was on crutches!). Dave was pleased with my progress but was worried because my knee kept on giving way and it was thanks to him I was referred to the Fracture Clinic... If he hadn't have done that I still don't think I would even have a diagnosis!! So I went to see the doctor at the Fracture clinic who then decided I need an MRI scan.

So, lets recap - I hurt my knee in May, I had an MRI in September - the NHS, not speedy! I had the scan and heard nothing and so I rang the hospital and got myself an appointment with the clinic. The nice doctor I saw this time told me that I had completely torn the ACL and that I had also damaged my cartilage. So I was put on the waiting list for an arthroscopy, and I was put on as urgent. As I waited my knee did get quite bad - it didn't give way so much as I was back to working out everyday - but weirdly every Friday my knee would 'click' out of place and get stuck which was really really painful. Luckily I found that if a child from my class sat on my knee it would click back!! Ha!

After a few months I got a letter from the hospital which asked me to phone a number to tell them I was free and ready for the op, which I did. But apparently they didn't get my message and it was only when I went to see my GP about something else he found the letter saying I had been removed from the waiting list that we found out. He wrote the best "angry doctor" letter ever and a few weeks later the hospital were ringing me! I was booked in to the hospital for July 23rd as a day patient and had my knee arthroscopy. It was fine and I was home about 2 hours after I had come round from the anesthetic.

I went back to clinic 2 weeks after my op to "have my stitches removed" which was interesting because I only had steristrips! And the doctor showed me the pics from the athroscopy and said I had an "empty space" in my knee and that I would need an ACL reconstruction. He also showed me some damage on my bone, which they haven't really told me anything about yet! So I filled out the form for entry onto the waiting list and waited. I was sent back to physio AGAIN, and showed some exercises that I already knew! I think physio is designed for people who have never even attempted to do a squat before!! My new physio was no fun either.

My knee was fine and I was not wearing a tubigrip but on the August bank holiday me and my friends went to Leeds Festival and my knee swelled up a treat and so the tubigrip was back on. So when I got back I went to physio again and he gave me even harder exercises. Then as soon as I went back to school after the summer holidays I found that the physio exercises were making my knee swell up so big I couldn't bend it properly. I decided that my normal half hour to an hour of Tae-Bo a night was ok for now and that I would do physio and Pilates a few times a week to focus on the muscles that needed to be strong. My knee wasn't swollen anymore and I wasn't in any pain.

So, yes, I got a date through for the ACL reconstruction, had my pre-op and a second pre-op with the consultant (which by the way was the first time I had actually seen him in clinic!!!) and was booked in for 19th November. I was just about the leave for the hospital but then they called and said the sterilisation equipment was broken and so I couldn't have it done that day. I stayed at home the next day waiting for them to call me with the new date... they didn't, so I called them, and I am now booked in for this Monday, 3rd December.

In a weird way I am quite excited. I still don't entirely know what to expect. From blogs I have read its not painful as such, and you get a brace, which I am excited to see! I think it is removeable and I am planning all my Christmas outfits, only rubbish bit is I can't wear high heels when I'm on crutches... but I may give it a go! Ha! I will be walking with crutches for a month afterwards and my consultant seems to think I will be back at work in 6 weeks, but I work in the Nursery and 52 3 year olds running around and me with a knee I can't bend properly doesn't fill me with confidence, but I guess we will see how I feel and what Mr. Bartlett thinks.

So anyway, that is the story so far,
I will, no doubt be blogging a lot since I'll be at home with my knee up watching day time TV!!!

Laters!
.x.