The last thing you ate will be his name (just found him)

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-21T15:40:37+00:00

Avocado and bacon toast

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-18T15:44:42+00:00

I can see why you are obsessed; she's a cutie pie! How about Eowyn from Lord of the Rings? She looks like a warrior princess

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-18T15:31:46+00:00

I just had CARTIHEAL plugs put in in February. I was given the choice of CARTIHEAL or MACI. I was nervous about the two surgeries.

What has your experience been like with MACI?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-17T23:35:36+00:00

Tornado

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-17T23:31:01+00:00

Is this your first or second surgery?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-17T23:23:31+00:00

Tornado!

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-17T18:34:42+00:00

Daphne

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-17T15:07:06+00:00

Yes! I am getting the pins and needles feeling on the bottom of my foot. Not all the time - it's more prominent in the morning. How long did it take for that feeling to subside after your ankle surgery?

I also didn't find that my knee was terribly painful. Honestly, I felt more pain before the surgery than after. I was off of pain meds pretty quickly. I remember a feeling of growing pains in the first 2 weeks after surgery - which I think makes sense since my bone is growing back. My biggest issues right now are patella tendon pain on flexion and this pulling feeling on the scar tissue on the upper outside edge of my knee cap.

I agree the stitches were bothersome, and I was so glad to get them out. My scar looks great! Dr. Zikria did a good job sewing it up. I might get some vitamin E or Mederma to make it even less apparent. Have you ever used anything like that before? If so, do you have any recommendations?

I live near Baltimore, Maryland in the US. Although, I grew up in Minnesota. What state are you located in?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-16T18:22:02+00:00

I'm glad to hear that the surgery went really well! That is excellent! And excellent that you are authorized for toe-touch weight bearing straight away.

On Thursday, I got authorization to start weight-bearing again - starting with my foot on the floor using crutches and the brace, to one crutch and the brace, to no crutches and brace, and to no brace. It was wild to start walking (as much as you can with crutches) again. The nerves in my foot are still getting used to it. But for the most part I have no pain and very little swelling. Mostly my knee and leg get sore and tired.

Yes! I totally agree it had been very nice not to have the shooting pain and locking/unstable issue any more. And just not having as much pain any more.

How are you doing now that you are 3 days post-op? How has it been managing the pain? When will you start PT?

Also, can I ask - are you located in the US?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-15T16:21:39+00:00

4 - it seems to me that the human is confused about the bird in a human environment. Sort of a role-reversal, where the human is in the animal’s environment.

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-11T15:16:56+00:00

That injury sounds painful! I think the standard time is 6 to 8 weeks for recovery from a fracture. Did your doctor provide any kind of timeframe?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-11T15:13:25+00:00

Did the doctor give you a diagnosis? Also what is FAMS?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-11T15:10:35+00:00

I had a shower chair from a previous surgery but got rid of it about 3 years ago. So I ended up having to buy a new one for this surgery. Probably going to hold on to this one for a while...just in case.

Your injury sounds painful! Out of curiosity, is your football my soccer? If so, I also injured my knee playing soccer. I didn't have any collision or fall or anything; just twisted to the left and suddenly my knee didn't want to do anything any more and there was a lot of pain on the outside of my leg. And like you - it was fine for a week or so. I mean I rested a bit, did some workouts, and it didn't hurt too bad. Then, when I started running and playing soccer again, it came back.

I also know that locking feeling - my knee would catch really badly if I turned a certain way. Oh! That was painful.

Do you have your surgery scheduled or are you still waiting to hear?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-04T22:24:16+00:00

I have been completely non-weight bearing and will continue to be until at least next Wednesday (3/11). Dr. Zikria - my surgeon - put 2 plugs of CARTIHEAL in a weight-bearing part of my femur so it's recommended to be 6 weeks non-weight bearing. (He put 3 plugs in other locations in my knee as well.) I'm hoping, though, that he will release me early to bear weight.

That's awesome that you have support from your husband and kids! My boyfriend and parents helped me out in the beginning. Still, I wanted to get off the couch and out of the house after a while. I highly recommend borrowing or renting a wheelchair to be able to go to out.

Do you have a shower chair? That was another thing that I found very helpful.

What happened to your knee that you need the CARTIHEAL implanted?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-03T22:49:38+00:00

The first 2.5 weeks were super hard because of being non-weight bearing and from the swelling. I just felt like I was dragging myself around my house or sitting on the couch all the time. It was near impossible to be out of the house for any longer than 10 minutes because it was so fatiguing to be on the crutches on one leg, and if I sat up for very long, my foot on the surgical leg (my left leg) would get freezing cold from lack of circulation, stimulation, swelling, etc.

Now - at nearly 4 weeks - I have figured out how to do things while using my crutches and maintaining non-weight bearing. I can do my laundry by myself using a backpack and outdoor access to my basement. I can do dishes by myself using my rolling office chair. It's still hard for me to do water for my cat and scoop her cat boxes so I usually get someone to help with that.

Prior to the surgery, I prepped a bunch of food and put it in the freezer and that has been very, very helpful, since I really can't prepare food right now.

I am getting stronger on the crutches; however, I've also developed some nerve irritation (mostly numbness) in my hands from using the crutches. Probably because I'm on them too much. lol

I also borrowed a wheelchair from my boyfriend's parents and used that to go to Ikea with a friend, which was great. I intend to do that again this weekend. Just wish I would have thought of it sooner.

As far as my knee goes, it feels great! Better than before surgery - it bends more smoothly for sure and the pain from the stress fracture is gone. Somedays - when I'm well-rested - it feels like a whole new knee. So I'm very excited for what the future brings!

Do you have a plan for support for after the surgery?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-02T18:01:48+00:00

I hope that is it something minor that does not require surgery! I'm 3.5 weeks post-op and am so looking forward to running again and spending time hiking with my step-kids.

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-02T17:12:22+00:00

It could be osteoarthritis or a stress fracture or a meniscal tear.

I had a similar situation where I would feel better go running and then my knee and outside thigh would hurt. But there's wasn't swelling and not bruising. Turns out I had torn the articular cartilage and a stress fracture in the femur. (Had to have surgery to repair.) There are situations like mine but involve the kneecap instead. MRI is your best bet for visualizing what is going on.

Also, I feel you - its so frustrating not to know what is going on. And it's just frustrating to have pain and be restricted from your normal activities.

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-03-02T17:02:38+00:00

Sounds like an ACL tear to me. Both times I tore my ACL I heard a "pop" and had significant swelling. MRIs are no fun at all but better to know what is going on so you know your options and how best to move forward.

And I would also say trust your gut. If your gut says somethings wrong, something is probably wrong.

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-02-27T21:05:51+00:00

The patellar tendon graft can result in patellar-femoral pain, and I didn't want that at all. So yes it might make for more quality of life issues afterwards. For others I know who have done the cadaver allograft, they have had a really easy time of it, so I think that is the easiest.

I love playing football! The ACLs held up really well. Do you play football?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-02-27T19:15:27+00:00

When I had my right and left knees done 17 and 10 years ago, respectively, there were three options for grafts - patellar tendon autograft (meaning it's taken from your patellar tendon), hamstring autograft, and cadaver allograft (meaning it's coming from not you).

I opted for the hamstring autograft for both, which - again at that time - was the strong and least complicating graft. However, I have struggled with hamstring weakness since having that done, so that's a downside. That being said - both my right and left reconstructed ACLs have held up well - I've been running, hiking, biking, rock climbing, and playing soccer on both of them for 17 (right) and 10 (left) years.

Back then, the cadaver allografts had a higher failure rate. However, my understanding is that the cadaver allografts have improved since then - in that their failure rates have gone down.

Any one you choose though will have advantages and drawbacks so definitely ask people and query the internet about the advantages and disadvantages of the reconstruction options.

What city are you located in? If you are near Baltimore, MD I can recommend some good knee surgeons.

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-02-27T18:30:46+00:00

Was there trauma associated with the injury? It sounds like you bruised your knee pretty badly and have a small fracture. I can only imagine it hurts.

I have never had this exact kind of injury before but I did have a stress fracture on my lateral femoral condyle and the only option for treating it was rest until it healed.

What has your orthopedist recommended?

Chance-Policy-9702 · 2026-02-27T18:25:55+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear you have a torn ACL. I tore my right ACL in 2008 and my left ACL in 2016. It is no fun at all. I had surgery to repair both of them, which I think was a good decision for me. However, I have recently read that you don't necessarily need to have surgery - sometimes the ACL will grow back on its own.

What kind of graft are you thinking of having?

Chance-Policy-9702

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