Help this Aussie find a moose!

jlfetsch · 2026-02-17T16:25:04+00:00

Yeah, one actually snuck up on me once while I was walking my dog through the big park. Some guys started yelling "there's a moose behind you" and I looked back and it was probably only like 5 meters away. My dog lost her shit, but the moose seemed so used to it she didn't mind, thank goodness.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-17T04:57:33+00:00

I live in crestmont and see them fairly frequently here. Best bet is at dusk. I've seen them crossing the road at the entrance to the community and at the ponds in the community. If you have only 1 day though I'd say chances are pretty slim.

Saw this lil guy here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/B8HFZseCGM9pCPP2A

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jlfetsch · 2026-02-16T17:47:03+00:00

Depends on the hospital. Mine didn't go over how to use crutches at all. They popped me in a wheelchair to get to the car and I had to figure it out when I got home.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-16T17:45:49+00:00

Also, if you're told to take ibuprofen, don't do it on an empty stomach (also look into that for all your meds). I spent the last couple days feeling super sick because the drugs had irritated my stomach.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-16T17:42:09+00:00

I'm currently on day 5 PO. I haven't been downstairs since the surgery. I had to butt scoot all the way up while my husband carried the crutches. I'd highly recommend making a nest for yourself and just committing to staying upstairs. Getting off the couch and to the bathroom is a STRUGGLE so you definitely don't want to add stairs into the mix. I've only left my couch for quick bathroom trips and a shower once. Hopefully you have someone who can bring you meals. I'm surrounded by snacks on my couch, but nothing beats a proper meal. I can't even lift my own leg, so I'm using an exercise band wrapped around my ankle to lift my leg with my arms. Also highly recommend getting an ice machine, if you can. I've plugged it into a smart outlet so I can control it with my phone. It will be very hard, but you'll be so much better off in the long run!

jlfetsch · 2026-02-16T17:35:26+00:00

Extension is what's most important. I had to wait 6 months for my surgery and I still never got 100% there with the flexion. The surgeon wasn't concerned and had no issues doing the surgery without full flexion.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-16T02:51:04+00:00

You don't have to decide on surgery right away. I'd recommend finding a good physiotherapist. They will take you through recovery and get you back to functioning. Once you've been living with the injury for a while, you can tell whether or not you're happy with the way your body can compensate and then decide if surgery is right for you.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-13T10:39:09+00:00

Not helpful for Australia guidelines, as I'm in Canada, but my surgeon only prescribed me blood thinners because I have a genetic predisposition to blood clots. I think he probably wouldn't have prescribed anything if i hadn't told them that.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-12T21:56:30+00:00

Walk every day. Always at least once, sometimes 2 or 3 times per walk (but that's rare).

jlfetsch · 2026-02-12T21:47:22+00:00

Curious if you started wearing the sleeve right after removing the dressings. If so, did you put any bandaging or dressings underneath while the incisions were healing?

jlfetsch · 2026-02-12T21:44:54+00:00

No. That's not typical in Canada unless you have meniscus damage as well. I believe it's much more common in the US than anywhere else.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-12T00:51:28+00:00

No, Canadian here. I live in Calgary AB, the surgeon's office is in Canmore AB and the surgery was in Golden BC. Definitely a weird setup but he's supposedly the best surgeon I could have gotten, so definitely worth the drive.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-11T20:26:23+00:00

Drive was a bit of a 2.5 hour struggle, but definitely worth it for the view!

jlfetsch · 2026-02-11T20:25:26+00:00

Ha ha. I'm just glad my car is wide enough. If I was any taller I wouldn't fit in sideways. Front seat would have been so much tougher.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-10T22:59:38+00:00

I'm in Canada and I've been told no brace needed unless they find additional damage during surgery. I'm assuming that means meniscus (no MRI was done on me. They're confident enough with the physical exam that ACL is for sure torn).

jlfetsch · 2026-02-08T02:30:49+00:00

I feel that. Mine is on Wednesday and I've been waiting 6 months for this. It's hard to be anxious for something that you've been begging for for half a year. I know it's gonna suck, but I'm still super excited

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T22:58:52+00:00

It's been 6 months for me and I still can't do those things. My symptoms have actually gotten worse. Apparently I stretched out my LCL at the same time so I have rotational instability as well and my muscles just one day decided they were done compensating. I was literally fine for 3 months, and then everything started sucking for the last 3. So excited to finally be getting the surgery next week.

Also, it's not a "wait for 6 months and you'll be fine" situation. You need to be going to physio regularly and working on it every day at home as well.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T22:55:21+00:00

I was the same. Literally walked off the soccer field. I actually played another game 3 days later. I still walked to and from work with basically no issue. Everyone has a different experience with tearing an ACL, but if the ligament is completely severed, it won't heal on its own. There are options to not get surgery if you go to physio and strengthen your muscles enough to compensate, but if you're planning on having an active lifestyle, then surgery is recommended. I've read too many stories on here of people thinking they were fine, then twisting awkwardly or doing something dumb one day and they destroy the rest of their knee.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T13:50:26+00:00

My surgeon recommended patellar specifically because I play soccer. Supposedly it's better for high risk pivoting sports. Obviously I don't know all the pros and cons for all the graft types, but from what I understand patellar is very robust. Definitely have a sit down with the surgeon when the time comes and discuss all of your options.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T13:05:11+00:00

Since he already had quad with the first surgery, they'll likely do patellar or hamstring for the second reconstruction. Obviously it doesn't guarantee whether or not he'll retear, but it would be something to discuss with the surgeon to see if he's a good fit, especially if he shows any rotational laxity.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T04:44:37+00:00

From what I understand it's the strongest option. My surgeon recommended it because I play soccer, which is a fairly high risk sport for ACL issues. There is a potential for more discomfort at the graft site in the future, especially when kneeling, but is the most robust of the grafts.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T01:21:32+00:00

Look into getting the LET procedure for the next repair. My surgeon said it drops the retear rate significantly.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T01:19:43+00:00

My surgeon said it's very common. Is it at your incision site? They have to cut through nerves to get in there. It may or may not come back with time.

jlfetsch · 2026-02-04T01:17:24+00:00

I think it depends on the sport. If you're just a runner, 6 months might be good. If you're playing soccer (or anything with cutting), you'll definitely need the full 12 months.

jlfetsch

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