Adrian is selling his T206 MURR'Y

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Hi Eddie.

I had ACL reconstruction in December of 2011, as I'd blown out my knee in college playing basketball. Well, over the years, the knee got progressively worse to the point where it started going out on me. And the last thing a guy on disability with a bad back needs is to fall. So, the orthopedic surgeon that fixed my knee in 1992 did an ACL reconstruct, using a cadaver ligament. About a week after the surgery, I fell asleep in the CPM machine used to stretch the ligament out. I woke up, jerked the leg badly, and got a stress fracture (as I was strapped into the machine). The screw you see in the lower part of the pic is a titanium screw for that rebuild.

As for this break, I was stepping over my black lab Brewster, who was sleeping on the landing of the stairs. I had socks on (which I never wear. I don't know why I did this time). Well, my foot slipped right off the edge of the landing, and I felt the entire knee go out. I came crashing down, and the left leg above the knee looked like it had an elbow. I knew I couldn't move, so we had to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I thought I'd blown out the ligaments in my knee. When the emergency room attending physician showed me the xray of my leg, the femur was just destroyed. I almost threw up, I was so horrified. I was born with a congenital bone disease called osteogenesis imperfecta, so I am susceptible to broken bones. But this one was bad, even for me. I had surgery to rebuild the leg the next day, and after I got out of post op, and upstairs to my room, I immediately started developing a fever. They couldn't find the cause, so they started me on some really powerful antibiotics. When they didn't work, the hospital's infectious disease doc said I was septic, and they began all sorts of tests, as well as chest x-rays, galium scans, ultrasound to look for blood clots, etc. I got shots in my abdomen to prevent clots. My vitals started getting better, so two weeks after surgery, they sent me to the rehab hospital. Within 24 hours, I was back at the first hospital by ambulance. My fever was 103, and my white blood cell count was over 19,000. So overall, a very long, unfun, and expensive stay.

I am ordering a plastic bubble to live in now.

I also went with the cadaver ligament for my ACL reconstruction. I had done a ton of reading about torn ACLs when it happened to me, and I found a couple of really great online forums dedicated to recovering from ACL reconstructions.

My orthopaedist is also the ortho doctor for the AA baseball Reading (Pa.) Phillies and the ECHL's Reading Royals. He reccommended the cadaver ligament as opposed to a graft from my own hamstring because i was 38 years old at the time and didn't play any serious sports.

I never had a machine for stretching my ligament or even had the doctor/therapists suggest that to me. The online forums I found were very helpful for getting feedback as to what I was experiencing, although it was somewhat disconcerting to read multiple stories from people who tore their ACL (or multiple knee ligaments) playing high school or low level college sports, rehabbed like a fiend for 9-10 months, then tore the new ACL again on the first day of practice or something awful like that.

On my first doctor appointment following the ACL reconstruction, the doctor put my x-ray on the screen to show me his work. I wasn't really expecting that, or I would have averted my eyes. I didn't really want to see the screw in my leg. I know your most recent injury is worse than torn knee ligaments, but I went through several months of feeling like I was the unluckiest person in the world.

I wish you the best of luck with your latest injury. That really sounds like a terrible thing to experience.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I also went with the cadaver ligament for my ACL reconstruction. I had done a ton of reading about torn ACLs when it happened to me, and I found a couple of really great online forums dedicated to recovering from ACL reconstructions.

My orthopaedist is also the ortho doctor for the AA baseball Reading (Pa.) Phillies and the ECHL's Reading Royals. He reccommended the cadaver ligament as opposed to a graft from my own hamstring because i was 38 years old at the time and didn't play any serious sports.

I never had a machine for stretching my ligament or even had the doctor/therapists suggest that to me. The online forums I found were very helpful for getting feedback as to what I was experiencing, although it was somewhat disconcerting to read multiple stories from people who tore their ACL (or multiple knee ligaments) playing high school or low level college sports, rehabbed like a fiend for 9-10 months, then tore the new ACL again on the first day of practice or something awful like that.

On my first doctor appointment following the ACL reconstruction, the doctor put my x-ray on the screen to show me his work. I wasn't really expecting that, or I would have averted my eyes. I didn't really want to see the screw in my leg. I know your most recent injury is worse than torn knee ligaments, but I went through several months of feeling like I was the unluckiest person in the world.

I wish you the best of luck with your latest injury. That really sounds like a terrible thing to experience.

Thank you for the kind words, Eddie. I'm about to turn 42, and to be honest, I wish I had that machine again. I didn't get my full range of motion back after the ACL reconstruction (the stress fracture stopped my rehab cold. A month of bed rest caused me to lose all the gains I'd made), but I plan on getting there now. I can bend the knee to about 75 degrees currently, and I want to be able to touch my heel to my rear end. At least I slept without a brace for the first time in almost 11 weeks last night. Best night's sleep I've had since June 23rd!

I've been very lucky to have a wonderful family and a lot of great friends to help me through it. And this place has helped me pass the hours quite nicely. I've made a lot of new friends here that share my enthusiasm, and they've been very generous with their time, knowledge, and other things.

As for the x-ray, I'm used to seeing things that would freak most anybody else out. I've got a high pain threshold, and a tolerance for gore, for lack of a better word.

How is your knee doing now post rehab? Do you get soreness, or does it stiffen up at all when the weather changes?

[drcy]

I never had the feeling Stash was a troll, and still don't, though he definitely gets into certain topics i don't think one has to collect Pre-War cards to participate. Clearly, Stash is interested in baseball.

I already stated my feeling on the Adrian topic. At least at this time, I think it's a dead horse.

For the record, I don't consider Travis is a troll either. He just often takes the contrarian view, one that I often don't agree with. Being contrarian, opinionated or not taking my view doesn't make one a troll.

[the 'stache]

drcy,

I'm heavily into the vintage and pre-war cards, too, and if that's not apparent to some people now, it will be. It's completely natural for me because I collected as a kid, and learned about the history of the game at a young age as well. I am passionate about the game, and the hobby...all aspects of it.

The only reason I haven't bought them earlier is that I didn't know anything about them. The extent of my baseball card knowledge went back as far as 1952 Topps. I'd seen a few pictures of tobacco cards, and was intrigued, but I was really hesitant about buying them because I didn't want to spend my money on a card only to find out it was fake later. I have to have the knowledge before I will invest in anything, be it securities or a sports card. I think that it is wise because you protect yourself, and you also have the opportunity to learn what you like.

It's incredible to me these little things are over 100 years old. I think about the people that might have owned them before me. Kids that might have traded them. These are pieces of history, parts of Americana.

[Bpm0014]

the 'stache: For what it's worth, I never got the impression that you were a troll, and I've almost always found your threads/posts to be helpful, insightful, funny, and relevant. You also give off the impression that you are eager to learn and listen. I'm sure most members feel the same...

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by bpm0014

the 'stache: For what it's worth, i never got the impression that you were a troll, and i've almost always found your threads/posts to be helpful, insightful, funny, and relevant. You also give off the impression that you are eager to learn and listen. I'm sure most members feel the same...

+714

[Piratedogcardshows]

Im not sure about the troll reference yet but with 30 plus posts in one day I would say Stache is at least a good candidate for the next member with a post limit.Im just saying.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

the 'stache: For what it's worth, I never got the impression that you were a troll, and I've almost always found your threads/posts to be helpful, insightful, funny, and relevant. You also give off the impression that you are eager to learn and listen. I'm sure most members feel the same...

Thank you, Brendan. I appreciate it. It just blows my mind that anybody might think I'm on a power trip or something. I've always tried to be humble, helpful, and friendly.

[Sean1125]

ACL sucks I had mine done 1 year ago 1 week from today, exactly. Still go to therapy to strengthen 3-5 days a week. Used patellar tendon.... I was lucky I regained full range of motion within 2 months and was already in strengthening at about 3-4 months--- I was able to run at 5-6.... I suppose I will never be 100% as I still can only leg press about 1/8th what I used to be able to do but at least I can walk with little to no pain.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

How is your knee doing now post rehab? Do you get soreness, or does it stiffen up at all when the weather changes?

I don't notice any stiffness due to weather changes, but when I sit for a long time, my knee still swells up and gets stiff. My doctor told me the entire year of my recovery that my knee would get swollen for a long time. At the one year anniversary of my surgery, I was officially released by the doctor and he said that my knee might always get swollen.

For the most part, though, it feels fairly decent. It took me a good year and a half before I could go up and down steps reasonably. I bought a stability ball to use at home during my recovery and used that a ton during the first 6-9 months of my recovery, but steps were still a major issue for me.