third chrondoplasty by Elsa (2005)

I had my third knee arthroscopy due to an injury (the previous ones were back in 1992 when I fell down while skating with my kids and in 1993 when a little boy ran over me at a store). The last one happened on February 2005 when I fell on the same knee as I ran to answer the phone and tripped over a stack of empty cardboard boxes lined up for the trash. I didn't go to the doctor until last month when I put an end to this procastination and could not endure the knee pain I had, shame on me...I had another meniscus tear repaired and the chrondoplasty.

When I woke up at the recovery room I felt so thrilled because the pain was not as bad as the previous surgeries, however, as I got up to head home my knee started bleeding profusely. The ace bandage was pretty soaked but the nurse put another bandage on top of it and said I should elevate my leg and ice it... that it was normal, and that I shouldn't change the dressing until the next morning. At home we just applied more pressure and ice. The next day my husband helped me change the bandage and we were shocked to see the awful sight. I felt like an injured soldier. There was blood and clots all over my whole leg. One of the incisions was still bleeding for a while.

I called the doctors office and was told to continue with the pressure and ice and to call back if it didn't stop. It did, so I thought I was ready to walk but to my surprise I had this terrible pain in my calf, and swellness which I never felt in my previous surgeries. Two days later I woke up with a black and blue bruise all the way from the back of my knee to the ankle. Since the pain grew worse my doctor thought I could have a blood clot and sent me to the hospital for a doppler test. Thank God it came out negative. My frustration is that 11 days after the surgery, which was supposedly a very simple procedure, my calf muscle hurts so badly I cannot walk without the crutches, it is so swollen and bruised all the way down to my toes now that it is preventing me from ambulating as I should by now. Needless to say I was supposed to be back at work and I won't, at least for another 10 days.

I am starting therapy tomorrow and hope it helps but according to other stories I read, it goes very slowly. My doctor says maybe I bruise easily and that I have to be patient, but to tell you the truth this has been the first time I do, if so... I share with other patients my frustration and anxiety, although I am sure there are other stories which are really life threatening and I shouldn't complain.