In the last few weeks my vocabulary has expanded. Dramatically. But not in a way I would have planned for...it's been of necessity as we've educated ourselves and prepared for Daughter's upcoming surgery.
Some jargon: MRI (ok, that's kind of intuitive.); medial meniscus; anterior cruciate ligament; rupture; tear; soft tissue vs patellar tendon; CPM (continuous passive motion) machine; Game Day (cool, compression sleeve/ circulating ice water device that's applied immediately after surgery to prevent swelling and keep the knee comfy); knee immobilizer; sports brace, etc. There's a lot more stuff..but these are high points, in my non-medical opin. They all play into this equation as either actions taken, tests given to assess damage, elements of the surgery itself, or support for post surgery recovery.
There is a whole lot of stuff that goes on well before a knee surgery, to say nothing of what happens during and later.
Prep= modest activity to keep the leg mobile, MRI, assessment and consultation with surgeon, keeping spirits up in spite of impending downtime and rehab, managing equipment acquisition, scheduling...surgery, hospital, preop, cryo machine, CPM machine, knee immobilizer, prescriptions, etc.
Surgery itself= surgeon doing what he does best. We trust in this. We must trust in this. I'm just going to be happy when he comes out to the parents afterwards with his assessment of the procedure.
Recovery/rehab=Who knows at this point? I'm worried about the immediate, comfort-related stuff, the emotional support my Daughter is going to need which will require us, her friends, and a bunch of recorded seasons of favorite shows , movies, card games, sleep, ice, to give her. Physical comfort+ emotional support, you know? That's our immediate goal.
After that, it's all about healing. Being patient. Slowly discovering the needs of the repaired knee as it learns to do what it needs to do for her. And her learning her new limits, knowing when and how to push them as appropriate, and being dedicated to the end goal of complete healing over time.
Easy stuff, right?
Right.
Some jargon: MRI (ok, that's kind of intuitive.); medial meniscus; anterior cruciate ligament; rupture; tear; soft tissue vs patellar tendon; CPM (continuous passive motion) machine; Game Day (cool, compression sleeve/ circulating ice water device that's applied immediately after surgery to prevent swelling and keep the knee comfy); knee immobilizer; sports brace, etc. There's a lot more stuff..but these are high points, in my non-medical opin. They all play into this equation as either actions taken, tests given to assess damage, elements of the surgery itself, or support for post surgery recovery.
There is a whole lot of stuff that goes on well before a knee surgery, to say nothing of what happens during and later.
Prep= modest activity to keep the leg mobile, MRI, assessment and consultation with surgeon, keeping spirits up in spite of impending downtime and rehab, managing equipment acquisition, scheduling...surgery, hospital, preop, cryo machine, CPM machine, knee immobilizer, prescriptions, etc.
Surgery itself= surgeon doing what he does best. We trust in this. We must trust in this. I'm just going to be happy when he comes out to the parents afterwards with his assessment of the procedure.
Recovery/rehab=Who knows at this point? I'm worried about the immediate, comfort-related stuff, the emotional support my Daughter is going to need which will require us, her friends, and a bunch of recorded seasons of favorite shows , movies, card games, sleep, ice, to give her. Physical comfort+ emotional support, you know? That's our immediate goal.
After that, it's all about healing. Being patient. Slowly discovering the needs of the repaired knee as it learns to do what it needs to do for her. And her learning her new limits, knowing when and how to push them as appropriate, and being dedicated to the end goal of complete healing over time.
Easy stuff, right?
Right.
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