The picture on the right is of my kneecap... it is placed as if you are sitting in a chair looking down at it... obviously there is something fishy... it's like a bad game of Tetris...
So my poor knee will never be the same. It all started about five years ago when I was dancing with a guy... let's call him Nick Noble... and he twisted me and my foot caught in the middle of the dip and by body went one way and my leg went the other way... witnesses say they heard a pop, I just felt extreme pain. This has continued through multiple events throughout my life... ice-skating with Pablo (that one was my favorite because the worker that helped me was really cute and nice... mmm)... dancing at the institute with Mishka... jumping off the tower during Flashdance performance with Jacqueline... dancing at the institute with Mishka... a couple others.... but the most recent being playing catch with Jessie in front of the Sigma Chi house. That was the last straw... I had to go get it checked out.
So I went to the hospital in Logan where they sent me to get an MRI at Logan Regional where they discovered a "complex full-thickness chondral fissure along the patellar apex. There is an unstable underminded cartilaginous flap, as well, along the patellar apex..." etc. Simply... as a result of the multiple dislocations throughout the years my cartilage under my knee cap is completely screwed up... cracked and flappy... ew.
IT GETS BETTER FOLKS!
So I was headed home to California for the summer thinking... "a knee scope... not bad... that will only put me out for a couple months and they can do it orthoscopically (without cutting me open) sweet" OOOOHHHH NO. I went to an orthopedic surgeon here in Simi Valley, CA... let's call him Dr. Littoff... and he moved me around some... pulled me... pushed me... measured me... had me squat (i did a plie and he was confused and had me do a "catchers squat"... i like plie's better)... and decided he wanted to do some more x-rays on me in different positions. TURNS OUT... there was a reason for all my dislocations... a birth defect.... my kneecap is out of it's socked naturally so when i do extreme movements with my let... twisting and bending at the same time... it doesn't fall into the socket like normal knee's... it goes off to the side scraping the cartilage on the bone causing severe damage.
EXCITING HUH???
Ya... not really. He game me three options of surgical procedures... i didn't like any of them... 1. to cut the tendons and muscles that are holding it to one side "hoping" it will readjust itself back into the socket. 2. drilling a hole in the kneecap and looping a tendon through it to get a "tether" effect... meaning if the kneecap wants to dislocate again the tendon will hold it back, though over time it will stretch. ew. or 3. brake the shin bone and screw it back into place so that the kneecap is back in the proper alignment. ALL THREE SUCK!
So, my dad and I went to discuss at a sushi restaurant... yes, I was distressed... and I needed sushi. He remembered his cousin (my second cousin) Dr. Hugh West is an orthopedic surgeon in Salt Lake right by the University of Utah. okay, this blog is getting long... long story short... Dr. West's tactics were a lot better and his surgery was a lot more stable and made the most sense, and most importantly... THE SCAR WOULD BE HALF AS LONG!!!! (though still 4 inches)... but this is opposed to 8 that Littoff wanted to cut here in Cali.
So I am having surgery on Tuesday July 8th, 2008. Dr. West is performing the operation. It will be at the new hospital they built in Murray, Utah. I will need to do a variation on option #3 Littoff gave me... but Dr. West's variation has a higher success rate and a faster recovery time. He will break my shin bone and screw it back so that my kneecap falls into the proper alignment. After Tuesday I will stay the night in the hospital... then I will need to be flat on my back for 7 days. Complete bed rest. I will be at my Nana and Papa's house just across the street from the Salt Lake Temple. I will be there till the 20th... then I am going to Boise to be with my Mom and completely recover. (HA! i really just want to see my sisters new baby!)
MORAL OF THE STORY!!!! COME VISIT ME!!! I hate being bored... lying down for an entire week scares me! MEH! so I'm going to give you the addresses where i will be and you will come see me and i will kill you in some card games and talk your ear off and ask you a million questions... sound like fun??? i thought so too!!!!
July 8th-9th (Surgery)
Hospital...
5848 S. 300 E. (Fashion Blvd.)
Murray, UT 84107
July 9th-20th (Bed-rest-of-death)
Nana and Papa's House
171 3rd Ave. #103
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
WISH ME LUCK!!! ...I've never had surgery before and have never been checked into a hospital! I'm scared!!! Pray for me! and COME VISIT ME!!!!
