Scoping things out

At long last yesterday, I entered Willamette Surgery Center at 1300 PST to have my knee scoped. The past few days have been eventful, beginning with our van breaking down last Sunday as I rode back from a short cache run. Turned out to be a "timing belt," which is Latin for "thirty dollar part that takes $500 worth of labor to get to."



The picture on the left is from the arthroscope, a view of the damaged area of the lateral epicondyle of my right femur. The "foreign body" noted in my previous entries was removed; a grisly little piece of bone and cartilage which may been seen in a mildly graphic photo here. (the scale is in centimeters) I wanted to encase it in lucite and make a travel bug out of it, but they wouldn't let me keep it.

I discussed foregoing general anesthesia in favor of just a local to shorten the recovery time, but the anesthesiologist assured me I'd come around in about an hour and everything would be fine. A few puffs of oxygen from the mask while they shot my IV with the knockout juice, and the next thing I knew I was startled awake in recovery. I've fought a headache and nausea ever since, so I kinda wish I'd opted for the local.

The doctor said he saw no significant damage other than the scraped bone noted above. The surgery went smoothly and the incisions (3) are small. I should be able to walk gingerly by tomorrow. I return for a followup visit in 10 days. Thanks to all who have prayed for us!