After returning from the Canadian Championships this year, I was feeling good about my season and getting ready for my next event “Wrangle the Chute”, at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. I was skiing a line that I frequently ski on Blackcomb Glacier, and blew my knee. I skied down immediately, thanks to the lovely and forgiving Glacier Rd, went to hospital, and was informed my season was over.
I tore my ACL completely and if that’s not enough I also tore my meniscus. “ACL reconstruction surgery uses a graft to replace the ligament. The most common grafts are autografts using part of your own body, such as the tendon of the kneecap (patellar tendon) or one of the hamstring tendons. Other good choices include allograft tissue, which is donor material.” (Yahoo Health). I received a hamstring graft, by Dr. JP MD McConkey. He is one of the best surgeons in Canada. Famed for his flawless record, and his work with many sports figures such as; BC Alpine ski teams Toria Whitney in February 2010 just before the Vancouver Olympics.
In the next few months I will be dedicating my blog to the long process of recovery.
Check out this You Tube Video from a patient receiving a similar surgery to my own.
Here are some photos from the day of my surgery.
All Smiles at 8am at Squamish General Hospital. Papers in hand and ready to go under the knife.
This is about 4 hours after I went under. First the they prepped me for surgery. Gave me a choice of either spinal freezing and a light sedative or a general anestetic. I chose the general anestetic because the Squamish General Hospital is not equiped with a plasma for me to watch the surgery. They inserted an IV, gave me oxygen and injected the Anestetic. I was out like a light.
When I woke up, I was on my side on a gerny in and out from morphine and spouts of pain. When I came to a little bit more. I was asking for pillows to support my leg and water from thirts. The nurse was also kind enough to give me another morphine injection. Swwweeeetttttt! and then sleep. When I was finally sober enough to sit up, about 2-3 hours in recovery, I was helped into the wheel chair, unhooked from my trusty cryo cuff, and wheeled to the front door by my nurse. Followed by Dr. McKonkey who introuced himself to Captain Michael Sullivan (my dad) and Shaun Stroshin (my boyfriend) who were my escorts for the day.
Forcing a smile. Yea ride home! I slept the whole way…
I spent most of the remainder of the day sleeping.
