ACL Reconstruction Surgery

I've had many injuries but a torn ACL is not one of them. However, I've had many friends on both the men's and women's lacrosse teams tear their ACLs. From my many conversations with them as well as my own experience with injuries and surgery I can understand the pain now. That will subside, though there may be lingering pain depending on how well you heal...it won't be as bad as it is now. Rehab will also be painful but no matter what DO NOT cheat and be sure to do all of it when the time comes, it'll pay off if you work hard and do it completely. Do not get discouraged either, it may take longer than expected to heal but that's just the way the human body is, continue doing what the doc tells you and you'll get through it!

Sorry to hear about this.  Hope your recovery goes quickly.

A doctor once told me, "Vicodin is our friend."

Probably not, though, when you want to build models.

Good luck!

Sorry to hear that. Hope you get well soon!

I understand what you are going through, but, I never did have the surgery. I tore the ACL in my left knee about 15 years ago. I went to the doctor, they said they could do surgery, but, I was not having much trouble walking with the injury so I opted out. My doctor called me a "coper".

Then I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) in my right knee. This was about 8 years after my ACL tear.I went back to the same doctor to have surgery, for kicks he wanted to see how my left knee was doing. He found that  half of my ACL had fused to the PCL (posterior collateral ligament) and now looked like a "Y". 

I still don't have any issues with my left knee, but, my right knee tends to give out on me at times. And that was the knee I had surgery on. Go figure!

I hope you have a speedy recovery, CodyJ, and I hope you have less pain. When they give you the all clear, work that knee hard, and get your range of motion back! 

Best wishes Cody J.  Just to brighten your day a little, when you "leave this world" on the pain killers, you could come up with some great "What if's".  That's if you can remember them when you come "back down to earth".

Been down that road when I had a Kidney transplant back in '98 and they put me on Demerol and Morphine.  I saw a lot of crazy things walking on the ceiling and the paint melting down the walls.  When I finally got back to work, the guys said "Hey man, Jim had his first trip". 

Jim 

Get well soon.

ygmodeler4

I've had many injuries but a torn ACL is not one of them. However, I've had many friends on both the men's and women's lacrosse teams tear their ACLs. From my many conversations with them as well as my own experience with injuries and surgery I can understand the pain now. That will subside, though there may be lingering pain depending on how well you heal...it won't be as bad as it is now. Rehab will also be painful but no matter what DO NOT cheat and be sure to do all of it when the time comes, it'll pay off if you work hard and do it completely. Do not get discouraged either, it may take longer than expected to heal but that's just the way the human body is, continue doing what the doc tells you and you'll get through it!

This is very well said and can not be overemphasized. I had only one patient with torn ACL and he recovered very well. But it takes time. How long is hard to tell, some people recover faster then others, there can be many reasons. But just because you are pain free for a day or two, or your range of motion is normal doesn't mean that you can start downhill skiing.

Get well soon and keep us posted. Can you post your x-rays? Would be cool to see...Someone could even build it...

Fell sideways and stretched the ACL and MCL, along with blowing bone chips through the knee back in '93.  They went in and cleaned out the fragments, smoothed things up and said I would get back to 75-80%.  Now it wants to pop and snap when I move it to change positions, but not real painful.  

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.  You will learn to hate the resistance machine they will lock you into  to do leg lifts and lowering exercises.

Cody

I wish you a speedy recovery. My neighbor had the ACL done to his knee and he fully recovered. He did mention the pain and later discomfort he felt. Give it time and rest.

Even though your injuries were more severe than mine, I still have a pretty good idea what you are going thru. Years ago my police car got hit just forward of the driver door by a pick up truck, sort of a head on but at an angle. I suffered a  double fracture of the jaw causing me to loose my sense of smell due to the trauma. I was in and out for about 3 days. I injured my right knee and back from the impact, and had several cuts to my face and head. I was younger back then and went back to full duty about 4 months later. As I have gotten older, my back and occasionally the knee acts up now and then.

Cody

Good luck with the treatment. I don't have knee trouble but I have had both shoulders repaired, one took 5 months to be right the other was fine in 3 weeks. Everyone heels at the right speed for the injury. As many have said listern to the therapists and let it heal right not just fast. You will now yourself when its getting better as you wont think about doing something you'll just do it.

Just be glad you live in an age of key hole surgery, I have three small scars on each shoulder and I was told by my surgeon not that long ago the scar would have been 18 inches on both sides and there was not a great chance it would have been fixed even after that.

Look on the bright side all thaht time at the bench!

Phil

Thanks guys!  I had to change the dressing and was able to look at the incisions.  Nothing much. 4 holes in the front,  3 on the side, and one near the top.  Nothing like the shock of seeing the 14 inch stapled-up incision of my abdomen when I woke after the initial car wreck.  I swear they probably had to use the bulk pack of staples.  I remember counting 41.  I'd give everything I have to change that day.   But what can ya do...

The Enormous brace is annoying and crutches suck but its getting less sore.   Twinges here and there but nothing too bad.  I get tired out on the crutches and the pain meds just make me even more tired.  I have hobbled to the table to do some modeling but usually end up falling asleep at the table.  However I have found a way to keep occupied.... EBAY!  So many models need good homes... :)

OOh shopping on pain killers that will end well!!

I broke my leg a few years back in a motorbike accident and found that if the crutches where a little higher I could use my shoulders more and move better. But I also found its all about momentum once your going keep going and your fine.

Sleep is good as your healing you just need to find the right position to be comfortable and make sure you cant move in your sleep as I found with my shoulder surgerys thats not a nice way to wake up

Phil

Listen to your Doc & physical therapists and do what they say. Most importantly, STAY POSITIVE!!!!! When I was 20 something, I demolished both ankles, a knee, and compressed several discs in my back after a sudden and unrestricted free fall off of a defective staging. Took the better part of 5 years to make the repairs to the ankles & knee (lots of "aftermarket" titanium replacement parts). Many medical professionals said I'd never do any kind of physical work again. My stubbornness & determination, as well as guidance from my Doc & physical therapists, proved the naysayers wrong. I'm now 50, a police officer, & more active than many younger guys with all their "original equipment".

Yes, there are some difficult days, but I can now tell you with great accuracy when it will rain or snow (always thought that one was an old wives tale!). Get well soon!!

Thanks guys!  Can walk now around the house.  Was on two crutches and now I'm down to one.  

Had a bad issue with the pain meds they set me home with after I stopped them.  I began having a lot of problems (depression, vomiting, shaking, sweating, panic attacks, night terrors... you name it) and had to call the hospital a number of times.  They said I was extremely sensitive to these narcotics.  A psychiatrist confirmed that saying he "had only read of this magnitude of a reaction" after quitting Oxy and Vicodin.  Same thing happened after the initial accident but I was told it was PTSD and they didn't consider the drugs to be the cause.  Lesson learned.  I have always had a major problems with depression after the initial accident when I had brain bleed.  The specialist said the narcotics blocked the brain receptors that are kept open by the depression meds I take.  So it canceled the good meds out and I went into withdrawals.  I have lost some weight but I don't recommended this as a diet plan.  

I could go on and on about what this has caused (especially since this is the 2nd time) but I just advise to be really careful with those drugs they give you for pain.  Even taken as advised it can throw you for a loop.   I took them as prescribed and basically have been rendered useless for the last week and still am.  I am noticing time is the only thing that seems to make things a bit better.  One step at a time.

Cody,

I understand what you were going through with the pain meds. My doctor had me on Oxy and Morphine after my surgery from a motorcycle accident. After taking the meds for two days I was having severe panic attacks. I stopped them immediately and just dealt with the pain. I'll never take pain meds again...

I really hope you have a speedy recovery!  

Thanks so much Bruce!  Thanks for your input and sharing your experience too.  Sorry you had to go through that too.  It's a bad experience all around and it's not like you can put an immediate stop to it...  Just let your body get rid of it and slowly adapt back to normality.  Agree w/ you man...  never again!