4 summers…..3 surgeries

FasterSkierJune 30, 2004

Some people may refer to me as “Megan the Klutz” (I had a book with that title when I was a kid) and sometimes it couldn’t be more true! How many other cross country skiers (a non-contact sport I might add) have undergone 3 orthopedic surgeries in 4 summers (two ankles and now a knee)?? Well, I am the lucky one! My dad says I’m no longer allowed to do the following things:
Football, soccer, basketball, rugby, sahlu (Finnish road hockey), wrestling, orienteering, hiking without really good boots, running down stairs, walking on uneven ground barefoot, and cliff jumping………

My mom, however, just said I should stop acting like a boy! But really, if I wasn’t aggressive and didn’t enjoy running around playing stupid games, I may never have come as far as I have in sport (or I may have been further ahead since I wouldn’t be recovering from my 3rd surgery right now). I guess I’ll never know.

One week ago today I was up at 5am ready to go to the hospital for my 8am surgery. My mom came along as my moral support and once checking in the mandatory 2 hours ahead of time, we sat and waited. I knew what to expect since I had both my ankles fixed before, but this was a bit new, and as the surgeon said when he came to sign the correct knee (a precaution so that they do the right one!) I looked terrified! The surgery I was having was “patellar autograft anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction” ( this website tells a bit about it… http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp05018.htm ). So, I tried to relax a bit, met with the anesthesiologist and a nurse who led me into the OR. Being in an operating room is quite an experience. You go in, lie on a small table in the middle of a bright room with at least 6 doctors and nurses preparing to cut you open. Then you get a needle and the next thing you know its 3 hours later and in my case….you’re freezing! (some people are mad, others upset…it just depends).

FasterSkier

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