Dwayne's ACL Story

by Chris
(Anaheim)

Hey! I completely tore my ACL and i have a slight tear in my meniscus somewhere. This is my story!

I was on local mountains in early March when i decided i needed to grow out of small jumps and do big ones, i ate mad crap off a big jump, heard the pop and had to lay there for about 10 minutes. After nobody came (it was still too early) i had to snowboard down the rest of the mountain by myself! I think that having to do that i tore my knee up worse...

Well April 21st came by i was quite nervous. I didn't read up on any of these stories until after surgery cuz i knew i'd be a little freaked out pre-op. The time came, i was hooked to an IV, though they missed the first time -_- i was injected with some antibiotics. After that my anestesiologist came with some "happy juice" i remember asking him what it was and getting a reply, but i completely forgot what he said hah. Then the nerve blocker came, i remember my leg spasming pretty badly and i have no idea how i got knocked out. i woke up about 1 1/2 hours later all woozy. I saw a nurse walk by and i was talking to him a bit and he assured me i was finished and ready to go home, my mom and brother got to come see me, they gave me apple juice and all and sent me home! (Without any ACL post op packets!) Note i had a fatty cold ice machine and an knee brace.

Day 1 POST-OP
I remember laying in bed watchign TV, my friend came by with flowers and chocolate and laid in bed with me watching movies all day! i felt NO pain though, thank god the nerve bocker was still in effect. yada yada after eating light foods cuz of the anesthetics i decided to sleep. Waking up in horrible agony that night around 1 when the nerve blocker ceased to work, i popped a percocet and tried to go back to sleep

Day 2
Mmmm. Popping percocet every few hours to keep the pain from killing me i watched more TV, unable to do much, i kept it elevated, iced and what not. My nurse came took out the drain that was lodged inside my leg rewrapped me and talked with me for about an hour, told me i had a PT trainer come the next day! JOY

Day 3
I woke up really early around 4:30 AM in pain and horrible agony, i crutched outside to get some water but got really light headed and decided i needed to collapse on my couch in the living room. My trainer came around 4:00 PM (my first time out of brace and moving) i did really well. I got a 90 degree knee bend, but i couldn't and still to this day move my quads. He lifted my cast and had me try to keep it up, it my thighs fired a little, but not enough to keep it up. Maybe it was just too heavy, or i have too much fluid in my knee, I don't quite understand. Should i be worried?

Day 4
Just another day of uselessness. Caught up on bones family guy etc on my tivo finally! Still hurting in mornings until my percs have hit just another day of bedtime and occasional working out my leg

Anyway thats my story so far. Plz leave comments!!