Right Knee ACL Repair Day 0

I’m documenting my right ACL operation and recovery. Perhaps it will be amusing to read about one day, or perahps useful for someone else to refer to. I won't be going anywhere much for awhile, so why not.

33 minutes until midnight, when I have been instructed to cease consuming any fluids or food.

5 cancellations over many months later, I am FINALLY going to have my ACL surgery. I am both anxious and ready to get this over with. It’s been a battle. My cancellations have mostly all been health related, from burns to infections to my nervous system being such a wreck, I was deemed unsafe for procedure. Ironically, my knee is the part that has been the most ready. The rest of me has been an epic mess. But more about that in another post.

This is my second ACL tear and second surgery (both legs). The first time took 10 years to get surgery and effectively changed my body and life. This time, while the tear was also from a ski accident on Whistler, I was able to get an MRI very soon after. The folx at Whistler hospital took my injury seriously and handled my care well. I 'm pretty impressed with how well they took care of me.

This time, I was able to have a plan for the surgery. It was suggested I let the other tissue injuries heal and strengthen before ACL surgery. This included my MCL, LCL and other smaller tissue. It was unknown if my meniscus had a tear but it didn't seem so.

Pre-op, I’ve done a good amount of prehab that has allowed the other damaged tissue to recover and strengthen around my ACL. I've worked with the physio and kinesio team at Fall Line Fitness to train and work on my getting injuries stable and healed. I also lifted weights to try and bulk up supporting muscle around my knee. My left ankle, left knee, ribs and head already had issues with balance and stablity so this work was important to help me stablize and not incur more injuries...which unfortunately I did anyways. But perhaps there would have been more without training. The training also allowed me to hike and run over the last few months before surgery, which has been nice.

What has been challenging has been the effects of stress and I’m noting that my mental/emotional health has been the largest barrier to my healing. My n

I’ve taken measurements of my legs to track any muscle loss over time. My left knee has had a previous ACL surgery in 2018 and my left ankle currently is suffering from the aftermath of a bad ankle ligament tear from the previous summer. I’ve actually been having more pain and issues with my left ankle, which also sometimes aggravates the left knee too. My talus seems to get stuck and it’s painful and causes me to trip. My right leg is actually measuring larger than my left in thigh and calf. Perhaps because it’s still used to being the “strong” side longer or my left ankle is affecting my quad.

Right quad 43 cm
Right thigh 48.6 cm
Right calf 39.3 cm

Left quad 43.5 cm
Left thigh 48 cm
Left calf 37.2 cm

I’m scheduled to get in for 7 am tomorrow at the Squamish hospital with Dr. Brookshill from Sea to Sky Orthopaedics. I hear she is one of the best knee surgeons here so I feel good about her operating on me. Hope to get some sleep tonight before my 6 am wakeup!