Knee Stuff

Don't forget to read the Model, Assist, Watch and Leave blog before you read this one. It is much more important and I had hoped it would show up first.
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John and I met with the surgeon and my patient advocate doctor today for about 45 minutes. I am much more at peace with the surgery now that I have more information. All 3 of the doctors here feel this is definitely the best route for me. The surgeon said if I don't have this done the problem will not correct itself (or it would've improved already with conservative treatments)and I might possibly run one day but he doesn't want to say either way just in case I can't. This is not a common surgery, but they felt that if it needed to be done I am definitely the candidate for it.

The surgery will be like this: the doctor will cut open about 2 inches of my leg along the lateral right side. He will then cut my Illiotibial band that runs from my hip to my knee about 60%. This will help the band to release, thus relieving the pressure it is constantly putting on my knee and hip joints. In a few weeks time, as the band heals, it will reattach itself through the help of scar tissue and blood-cells back to my joint. But when it reattaches, it will be much loser and without the inflammation and pain - Lord willing.

The doctor said he has done this surgery about 20-25 times and all of his patients have responded well. He said that in general, 80% of patients are pain-free after recovery, but then there are a percentage that still have the same problems. Please pray I am not in that category.

Recovery will look like this:
7 days on crutches
A taxi to and from school
Stitches out at 10 days
Therapy to begin after stitches
Therapy for 3-4 weeks for 2 times a week

Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns. I'm sure it will all go very well! Love to you all.