success

Well i went in and a short wait for the surgical team to get me in about 1:30....and I was getting picked up by 5 pm to head home...moder science i tell, ya...like drive through suregery.

I had an anesthesilogist ( "Ed") who had done his residency in San Dieago and had done a few shorter sprint triathlons so that was good. My doc is an official surgeon for the Us Ski and snowboard team so I think I was in good hands.........( side note the nurse did not look like below).

I triued to see how long I could stay awake when they gave me the meds in the operating room so I started counting....1.....2.....3....4.......................thats all I remember.

I woke up and I was quite woozy and out of it and felt druggy and as best i can remeber i started telling the nurse how hot all the nurses look here. As i sobered up i realized what i had been saying...oooooops.

My pain level was about a 2 on a 1-10 and i was ok with it but she said lets get you to a zero and gave me some more dope.

headed home, knee is in an ace banadage with stitches underneatch I am told ( will look in a few days an all went well. I am actually walking on it with the aid of a ski pole.

that night had a few pain pilsl and a martini.....ooooops again.

feeling pretty good actually. got up at about 5 am this morning after a solid nights sleep and took a few pain pills again even though did not really have any pain but will driving to Portland today so want to be ok for the drive ( as a passenger).

i will have to scan in my arhtroscopy pics when I get back into the office.


Thanks doc and thanks friends for the thoughts and words....Happy holidays!!!!

cut

so I will l go in and get the knee done today and then 8 weeks before i ski the doc says but likely can ride the trainer by weeks end. The thing was my insurance paid 100% this year and only 90% with a large copay next year ( read two weeks away) so I scrambled with the doc center to get in and they worked a scheduling miracle and got me in so that was good. I have to admit when they ask what happened I do not have to say well "being overweight................" or I was in a car accident or anything else i just quietly say "well a few marathons and an ironman......wore it down......" like it was nothing ( just like Bruce would throw it in.....right Bruce?) so I get a little respect as I am sure they see a lot of people who either made a mistake or are out of shape all day so nice to deal with an injury that is from trying to stay healthy. I guess that is? So coffee this morning as much as I want to 10 am thank god and then in at 4 for the cut. should be straight forward....headed to Washington to visit family the next day and enjoy the holiday while I sit around and practice guitar. just think 100 years ago I would have a bum leg and based on my past likely I would be an old man with no lungs from childhood asthma and a very ugly face from a broken nose....modern medicine...got to love it

surgery this friday

Well tried skiing and knee felt great....until the next day. it was sore for three days and I can feel the same spot again. I will not be able to resume my running at all until I get this fixed. I looked into my insurance and if I get it done by the years end ( 2 weeks!!!) they will cover 100% and if I wait until 2008 they will cover 90%. Well that was easy so in I go on Friday.

I have a feeling my nurse will not look like this.

Van Halen....off season fun