Quote:
Originally Posted by Robertb
Dear All:
My surgery is now definite. I have heavy fluid thruout my left knee and a miniscus tear that is significant. My surgery will be on Thursday, July 15, at 5:30 a.m. and I elected to stay awake during the surgery to prevent complications. The surgeon is a very good and caring person who feels that a piece of the tear is protruding and causing severe pain.
Thank you for all the great wishes. I will be off MR for about two weeks following July 15.
Bob
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When I had my foot surgeries 14 years ago, my surgeon and I had a huge argument over whether to knock me out or do a local. I kindasorta won out. She was afraid I would move my foot while she was injecting the local. I've had cortisone injetions which were worse than the injections she would be doing and never flinched but she didn't want to budge (picture two very strong minded women facing off!). We finally compomised by agreeing to have an anesthologist on hand in case I needed to go out completely and he would merely sedate me while she did the injection then let me wake up during the surgery. That worked out well; I was fully alert during and after the surgery (which ran longer than it was supposed to; they were amazed how well I handled it) and had no side effects. The second surgery was less extensive. They did the same thing but I wound up sleeping through the entire surgery since I had been up all night trying to finish the installation of a replacement central air uint on my home and was pooped. Again, no side effects and I even finished wiring up the thermostat afterwards while I could before the local wore off. The pain level afterwards wasn't too much; the strongest pain med I took was ibuprofen.
My surgeries were very invasive and extensive, especially the first one (I still have a titanium screw in my right foot), I came out alright. You'll probably have some physical therapy afterwards but that will keep the knee from freezing up and isn't bad. I was off work four weeks then back for four weeks of light duty; since I had a very physical job (warehousing), my surgeon and I agreed I didn't need pysical therapy. The second surgery didn't involve cutting any major bones so I was back to work full duty in four weeks.
Again, you should do just fine, especially since you have opted not to have a general anesthesia.