Good News Bad News

Yesterday, I went and saw the other orthopedic surgeon. Bad news is I need surgery again. Good news is I only need my knee scoped to remove some cartilage. I will be on crutches for only a few days and off work for two weeks. This doctor was so much more positive then the one who did my original surgery. Don't get me wrong, I think my original surgeon is an excellent doctor and did everything right (although I don't understand why I need another scope but whatever). This new doc just said that I am too young to stop playing soccer and there is no reason why my knee should be this tender/painful when it has been over a year after the original surgery.

Those ortho docs are ruthless though. When he was examining my knee, he kept pushing on the inner part where I had pain. I would be gripping the table and screaming out and he would say, "Wow, that's really tender isn't it?" And then he would keep doing it! He just had to make sure I guess. We get a lot of ortho surgeries where I work, and I have a greater appreciation for what those kids go through. We also get a lot of kids who are what we call "frequent flyers" and have had multiple surgeries. This will be my third surgery in less then a year and a half. I am going through nothing what some of those kids have, but it will certainly help me put myself in their shoes.

The visit was kinda awkward in a way because this 2nd surgeon is good friends with my original doc and they actually work together sometimes and consult with one another on various cases. He said he would be happy and consult on my case and let my original doc do the scope or he would be happy to do it himself. Regardless, he said I should operate as soon as possible because it wasn't healthy for my knee to be swelled up like it is. I can't believe I played soccer on it as long as I did. I am scheduled to go under the knife Dec 5th and I have elected to let the 2nd surgeon do the scope. I really liked his aggressive, positive attitude. I hope I have made the right decision and I can just move on after this.

On a side note, I have always had a goal of running a marathon. It originally was to run one before I turn 30 which is this next August. I asked the ortho doc if a marathon was in my future. He said the only people built to run marathons were the Kenyans and that I should run a half and call it good.