I had the surgery to repair the torn meniscus this morning and everything went great! The surgery was at the Orthopedic Associates of Portland and the staff there were very professional and down to earth. I came in with my friend Kate, and they prepped me in the back room which included shaving the hair around my knee and putting in the IV. Once I was ready to go, I was then wheeled into the surgery room where the anethesiolgist and I talked about running while I breathed in air from an oxygen mask as the drugs to put me under were pumped into my IV. He told me I'd feel a burning sensation around the IV, and the last thing I remember was commenting that I could feel it and then I must have went under immediately after that.
The next thing I knew I was waking up about an hour and fifteen minutes later and seeing a nurse at the bed. I said hello and asked what time it was. Apparently I asked her what time it was four or five times, and also asked her if this was what smoking crack felt like. I also allegedly commented a little too loudly that a young woman who was also in the recovery room with her mother was cute. I guess I was feeling pretty good.
After I came to a little more, Dr. Brown came in and gave me details. They shaved down the meniscus, as it was indeed pretty torn. It was showing up funny on the MRI because it was also folded inward! No wonder it was bothering me. I got some cool pictures of it, and will post them once they're scanned in.
I'll be on crutches until Saturday and also have to wear a water cast until then. I'm in no pain whatsoever, other than the headache I have from not having my morning coffee (I'm playing catch-up now). Follow-up appointment is in one week, and I could very well be running in just two weeks. I asked the doctor if running the Sugarloaf Marathon on May 20th would be okay, and he said as long as there wasn't much swelling in the next few weeks, that would be fine. I obviously won't be running it fast, but just will do so more as a training run for the Vermont 100.
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes along the way. Also, if you're into ultramarathoning, I've started a new forum at www.theultrapage.com . It's brand spanking new, and hopefully if all goes well it'll take off. So, check it out and feel free to register!
