New Member, I am having ACI in mid October, Help!

[cdubb]

I think figuring out how to get in/out of a car is just one of those things that we'll need to figure out after the fact.  We have an Odyssey, which may help, but I think it'll still be trial and error!  I think after the first 2 weeks, I may be able to unlock the brace out a little, which should help with fitting in the car and driving. I'm only about 15 miles from my Dr.'s office (closer if I go to the Oak Park location), but in Chicago traffic, that could be an hour at times! 

[KartBoy]

I stopped wearing my brace in the sixth week after MACI on advice of physio but already had rom of 100 degrees, toward end of sixth week I also managed to get into the front of the car, just had to be careful getting leg in, seat full back on its rails helped make enough room but need all the rom I had to get toes into footwell although once in no problems at all. The first four weeks I had to slide into back seat and could just fit. It was also a bit tricky getting out but slow and careful is the way to do it.

I'm now 2 days into weight bearing and will think about driving in about a week but not before then and only if I can be sure I can use operated leg to put enough pressure on brake for emergency stop. I can't bear the thought of injuring someone because I couldn't stop in time (My TPF was a pedestrian vs car). Its not worth the risk driving before your ready/ safe. You have a serious injury and your employer needs to understand this or they won't be able to support you going forward.

[cdubb]

I actually filed my short term disability claim today and put in for 6 weeks. I figure if I'm ready to return earlier, I can, but if not I'm covered.  My employer is on board and will likely work on a work from home situation prior to the end of that.  They are already working on getting me access to be able to work from home. I want to know about driving not just for work, but also to get to/from pt, personal errands, etc.  If I end up not being able to drive until about 6 weeks, then it is what it is and I'll make do.  Since it's my left knee, I'm hoping I should feel safe to drive earlier.  I suppose only time will tell...

[Youthist]

Hi Tony -.

Good Luck and keep us posted on your recovery,
thornburg

Thanks thornburg, good to hear your story. I have my ACI in 9 days and I am starting to get nervous about it now. After two arthroscopies in the last 4 months I am also struggling to find my quad, it has basically disappeared. I do not think the op nexst weekend is going to help it any either!

I am definitely keen to get back running, but I hear you and everyone, patience is critical.  Dr Skinner after having a look at the defect at the harvest 4 weeks back felt confident that he would have me back at a "good level of activity" within a year. It remains to be seen if I can play football again or indeed run, I am just going to do exactly what the surgeon and physio advise, and try to remain upbeat, and I know  that things could indeed be a whole lot worse.

In my head I am already seeing myself running the Brighton half as my comeback race in Feb 2012 - but I am getting way ahead of myself there...!

[Melissa S]

Tony,
Good luck!  I have mine done in about a month, and starting to get nervous too. I think there is nothing wrong with you dreaming of running that race!  Keep that in your head and stay positive and you will get there.
Keep us posted after your surgery.

Melissa

[KartBoy]

Tony

I think your being unrealistic about anything as intensive as a half-marathon. That takes a lot of training and your going to put your new cartilage under an enormous amount of pressure. I was training for my black belt exam in karate and the London marathon, it sucks that I had to consign both goals to the scrapheap but that's life. In the seven weeks since my maci, pain levels have dropped and so far recovery has been a breeze, I'm hoping to be able to ski gentle slopes again and maybe scuba diving from boats to avoid need to walk around with loads of heavy gear but anything above about 5k at jogging pace is unlikely. I don't ever want to have to have knee replaced, the maci is the only chance of this not happening and I have no intention of wearing out my new knee by expecting too much (btw I'm 48 years old).

Its a bit of a rant but really saying that you need to be careful and perhaps question your doctors a bit more about what is realistic given the extent of the damage you have.

[Youthist]

Tony

I think your being unrealistic about anything as intensive as a half-marathon. That takes a lot of training and your going to put your new cartilage under an enormous amount of pressure. I was training for my black belt exam in karate and the London marathon, it sucks that I had to consign both goals to the scrapheap but that's life. In the seven weeks since my maci, pain levels have dropped and so far recovery has been a breeze, I'm hoping to be able to ski gentle slopes again and maybe scuba diving from boats to avoid need to walk around with loads of heavy gear but anything above about 5k at jogging pace is unlikely. I don't ever want to have to have knee replaced, the maci is the only chance of this not happening and I have no intention of wearing out my new knee by expecting too much (btw I'm 48 years old).

Its a bit of a rant but really saying that you need to be careful and perhaps question your doctors a bit more about what is realistic given the extent of the damage you have.

I hear you. I was running about  2  halfs per year and a few 10ks before I started getting the problem with my knee and they discovered the issue around May this year (football injury in the mid 90s). So yes, agreed, I know what level of training is expected to get back to that type of running and I also know it might not be possible, I just have to hope that everything goes well. Dr Skinner feels positive about the knee, and that I will be "pretty active" within 12 months, but the physio is great, he keeps on keeping a lid on my expectations.  But two consultants I have seen believe I can run again on the knee if the operation is successful.

The most important thing I am being told is to be patient and not to rush back, and I will be following to the letter the surgeon and physio in that regard to give myself the best chance of running again at some point in 2012.

First of all though , I need to get through the op and just recover over the next year. I am not looking forward to it at all, but I am sure that no-one does. Its been good to read peoples positive stories on here but also a little unnerving to read the posts where there have been difficulties post-op.

[KartBoy]

At seven weeks my recovery from the MACI is going really well and tonight I actually managed my first shower since the operation which has really cheered me up. It really is going well and I thinking really positively about my recovery but Prof Briggs and my physio have made it clear that long distance running and karate could never be goals for me which is important.

After the accident, the Dr's in St Thomas' thought it best to tell me very little about how serious my injury was and how well I was likely to recover and they only began being honest with me months after I was weight bearing again and still in pain with limited mobility. This did me no favours at all because I learned not to trust anything they had told me. The people treating me now have been honest and supportive from the start and its a far better place to start from.

Don't worry about the operation, its really not that bad,here is a link to my post-op diary http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=52704. The only thing is my defect is larger at 2 x 2.5cm than I have written about in other post, to me that makes the story of my recovery even better.

[Melissa S]

Kartboy:
If you don't mind my asking, if you are at 7 weeks post op and just took your first shower, how have you been bathing?  I have a stand up walk in shower and a deep set jacuzzi bathtub.  Just wondering how I will manage.

Melissa

[mlashmar]

Melissa

If it makes you feel better, I managed a walk on shower at 2 weeks, albeit with the aid of a spare leg brace from which I removed most of the padding. I learnt a few tricks to position my crutches and towel carefully and use the toilet seat as a base station,  but all went pretty well. Ideally, someone cam supervise the first couple of rubs but after that it's plain sailing.

It was absolutely brilliant to have a shower after 2 weeks! Hope that helps.

[KartBoy]

Melissa

In the first two weeks when I still had staples in and was in brace 24 x 7, we encased the operated leg in a large plastic bin bag using surgical tap to seal it and ankle and top of thigh, My wife then helped me get into the bath. There was some leakage but it kept the operation site dry enough to get by. we drained the water out of the bath before attempting to get me out.

Once the staples were out I took the brace off before getting into the bath (wife lifted leg into bath while supported my weight with good leg and arms. I had one about every three days and just washed as well as possible in between. In weeks five to seven I only needed help getting out and could bend the knee enough to wash my own feet.

Hope I haven't bored you with all the detail, the trick is to move slowly and make sure you hang onto solid things when moving around with no sudden movements. I didn't try the shower until I week full weight bearing because before then I wasn't confident enough to stand unsupported for long enough, it is down a great to deal to confidence but you also need to work hard and do all the physio exercises so that wasted muscle comes back as quickly as possible.

Regards

Andrew

[Rennschnecke]

It's quite safe to take a shower as early as you're comfortable with if you can keep the wound dry (e.g. cover with a plastic bag) and you can use some garden chairs perhaps (e.g. plastic chairs).  You will find you need one to sit in and another to keep your leg supported.

The most vulnerable part of the process is getting up to get dried.  When I was in hospital I nearly slipped again on a wet floor.  Good job I've got strong arms and quick reflexes still!

[Melissa S]

Thanks Renn, Andrew and Mlash, it is kind of embarrassing to have to ask these questions, but I am glad I can ask you guys who have been through it and not have to ask my doctor.
This board is an invaluable resource.   

[Youthist]

Eek. So its getting close now, my operation is on Saturday at Bushey. I just got myself an aircast knee cuff with cooler, after recommendations on here. Tried it last night, seems pretty good. Getting nervous now about what to expect in the first few  / early days post op.

[Melissa S]

Tony, good luck with your operation.  Make sure and keep us posted on how everything goes.  Myself and one other person on this board are right after you in a few weeks, so we can go through this recovery together.