ARN - Re:Robert's knee surgery

[Michael Tucker]

Robert,

I've also had knee surgery, to repair damage to my Anterior Cruciate Ligament
(ACL) sustained in the shield wall at Gulf Wars two years ago. I put off having
the surgery for a year (thought I could just "stubborn" it into healing; yeah,
right). Then I had the surgery in May of last year. I had all kinds of fantasies
about just jumping right back into armor. Well, the reality is that it has taken
me about a year of steadily increasing my use of the knee, to get back into
armor and be regularly attending fighter practice. (Oh, sure, I was off crutches
within a few weeks. But that's a far cry from fighting.) I tried about 6 months
ago, but it just hurt too much. So I didn't push it. As somebody else advised,
*you* have to be the judge. If you don't push enough, you'll never regain full
mobility or full strength. If you push too much, you may reinjure the knee and
have to start over.

So, do what your doctor says, do what your physical therapist says (they often
know more about recovery than your doctor), work the knee (hard, but not too
hard), and above all: BE PATIENT. It WILL get better, but it will take some
time. As my doctor told me after my surgery: "Do what you normally do. Have fun!
If it hurts a little, or swells a little: TOUGH! It's going to. If it hurts a
lot, or swells a lot: STOP! You're trying to do too much, too soon." (I found
this frank advice quite refreshing, and took it readily to heart.)

For what it's worth, I know someone in the Society who has had _5_
reconstructive knee surgeries. His name is Sir Barn Silveraxe. He went on to win
Crown tourney.

Good luck, and get well soon!

Yours,
Michael Silverhands
Baron of Stargate
-- 
It's the action, not the fruit of the action that's important.  You have
to do the right thing...  You may never know what results come from your
action.  But if you do nothing, there will be no result. (Gandhi)
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