Post-Op Appointment

Well, It's been a week since my knee surgery, and time for my post-operation appointment with Dr. Marshall. I thought that when they took off my bandages, I would look terrible under them. It didn't look to bad at all. In fact, I was surprised at how good it did look. Anyway, they took off my bandages and cleaned up the area a little and sent me to get X-Rays. After that, they took out my stitches, which kinda hurt, and covered the spots with tape. They gave me a cool new brace that bends and makes me feel like Robo-Matt. Anyway, after my appointment I had to go get an ultrasound because the Dr. thought I may have had a blood clot. I don't have one thank goodness. So now, I am able to drive, work, shower, etc... but I will still be on crutches for 2 more weeks.

Dinner With David

So my Mom and I got the rare opportunity to have dinner with David Archuleta. To make this post a lot quicker to write, I am using my Mom's version of the story that she wrote up for her David Archuleta fan site (fansofdavid.com). She's a big DA fan..

Last Monday, on President’s Day, I had a very choice opportunity to have dinner with David! This was billed as an exclusive dinner with David with only twelve guest and then David and whoever he chose to bring. It sounded too good to be true! The Boys and Girls Club sponsored the charity dinner to benefit their club. I was one of the VERY FORTUNATE ones who won a bid for the dinner! I don’t know how I got that lucky but I did. And I am so grateful for it because it was a very special evening, one that I will treasure for the rest of my life!

We arrived (my son, Matt, went with me) about 6:30 and were taken into a semi-private area of Carver’s restaurant in Sandy, Utah. The tables were arranged in a rectangular pattern. Most everybody was already there and seated except for the guest of honor, DAVID, and his family. There were three chairs for them on one of the short sides of the table and then three more chairs on the other short side where Kim from the Boys and Girls Club was sitting, along with her sister and a photographer. Along the long sides were six chairs on each side where TWELVE VERY LUCKY people were seated. YES! Only twelve fans vying for David’s attention! And about two and a half hours time to talk to him and LOOK at him! Larissa was there from Singapore, and the lady who bought the shirt and the bracelet from the Bonnie Hunt Show Auction. A woman was there with her fifteen year old daughter from New York, some people were from California, a woman there with her grand-daughter was local, as were we.

We had not been there too long before David entered along with Lupe and Jeff. I wanted to clap, scream, whistle and WOOT! WOOT! but nobody else did so I thought I had better show some restraint - and besides, my son was with me!!! Jeff and David kind of just stood by the chairs where they were to be sitting smiling, acknowledging people and such! But sweet Lupe walked around the whole table and shook hands with and spoke to everybody! She is a very kind, warm, genuine person! I told her that I had met her at intermission during the final AI Tour show in Tulsa. She seemed to remember that!

After that the waiter went into a rather lengthy spiel about the menu and all our choices and described each choice at length in a rather flowery, theatrical manner! By the way, when he finished we did all clap!!! David was the first to order and in spite of the waiter’s explanation of everything David had many questions about EVERYTHING! So cute! Finally Lupe leaned over to him and said, “David, they are all waiting! ” As if we weren’t just hanging on his every word and delighting in just being there with him and being able to observe him in a rather cozy, homey setting! Finally, David did order and the waiter moved on! This is what my son observed about the ordering process for David. Too funny!

David ordered: The stuffed portobello, but he asked if he could get it w/o shrimp. The spinach and apple salad, because he was in the mood for something healthy, and decided on that after much debate. He thought about getting the Filet, but after asking “Prime rib? Wait… what was that again?” He went with the Prime Rib. After he got the meal, and saw the mashed potatoes he asked, “Are these mashed potatoes?” The waiter replied, “Garlic Mashed Potatoes sir.” “Oh, okay” David replied, “Why is garlic good for you again?” The Bailey’s Cream pie. David’s comment: “Mmm, this tastes like Oreos or something…” The server’s reply: “That’s because it is an Oreo crust.”

After ordering and while we were waiting for our food to arrive David said he wanted to get to know everybody so we went around the table introducing ourselves and telling him a few things about us and asking him a few things. I thought I would clam up or start stuttering and not be able to think of anything to say but I think I did OK. I don’t think I embarrassed myself or made a fool of myself in any way. I guess I should ask Matt (my son) about that as he did warn me as we were walking in not to say anything stupid, or something like that! David and his family are so easy to talk to. They have an ability to put one at ease and it’s truly amazing. In Larissa’s story she talks about how David was looking over at her a lot and all. I had the same feeling. He seemed to be looking at me a lot and smiling and I thought maybe it was because I was staring at him! I simply could not take my eyes off of him! Maybe he kept looking my direction because of the pretty fifteen year old girl sitting next to her Mom who was sitting next to me. No, I’m sure that wasn’t it! David did seem to text a lot/some throughout dinner in typical 18 y/o fashion! And David did eat EVERYTHING on his plate with gusto! I think if he could have had more he would have. A typical teenage boy!

We proceeded through dinner and we were able to ask him questions all throughout the meal which he graciously answered, along with Jeff and Lupe! There were some things they could not share but were very open to answering any and all questions. After dinner the photographer took a picture of each one of us with David and he signed a CD for each of us. We were able to give him gifts we had brought and did I mention the HUG? I asked him if I could get one of those famous hugs I had heard about. He said, “What? They’re famous?” And I said, “Oh, yes!” and got a hug that was rated as a ten - by me!!! They were in a rush at that point because they were going back to rehearse with the band and they were already 40 minutes late. And he had the get up at 4:30 AM the next morning to catch a plane to Los Angeles. What a hectic schedule - I hope he has a chance to get some rest now and then! Matt offered to help them out with some of the gifts. In fact he already had an armload of gifts. But David wouldn’t let him. He kept saying, “That’s OK - I’m used to it!” (I’ll bet he is!!!) and “I have to help with all the band stuff at rehearsal, too!” Anyway, they had parked in back of the restaurant and arrived and left through he kitchen, just like in the movies, huh?

I know I am leaving out details of the conversations, some of which I already shared commenting on FOD. But this is getting rather lengthy, sorry, so I had better end it now! I just want say that in was an AMAZING experience to be able to meet David that way, where it was so relaxed and casual. He is everything we all say he is. He is genuine and humble. He's funny and engaging. He is gorgeous with beautiful eyes and a melt-your-heart smile! He seems to really care about people and is able to show that through his actions and his words. I am a DAVID ARCHULETA fan for now and forever! I am no longer SLTMD (Still Longing to Meet David) but I am definitely LTMDA (Longing to Meet David Again). I hope all who have never met DAVID will get the chance someday. It is an experience that I will never forget and will hold close to my heart!

Well I don't know if I agree with that last part about him being so cute and all, but it was a pretty cool experience.

Surgery (First time ever!)

Friday morning at 9 AM, we checked in at the hospital. I was nervous, but I knew that surgery, in the long run would be the best thing to do for my knee. After getting checked in, we were walked down to the waiting area, and then immediately called into the pre-op room. The nurse gave me a gown which was about 6" too short, and so Marci decided it would be funny to take a picture. The nurse then put in my IV, which if you've never had one, is like the worst thing in the world. Then my knee was shaved and marked with a purple marker. Marci went to wait in the waiting room, as my bed and I were wheeled into the operating room. The room was pretty big, and white, with a lot of lights and tables. I laid down and they strapped my arms down, one taking my blood pressure and the other with the IV. The anesthesiologist, without much delay, gave me some oxygen to breathe, and and then said to give him about 6 deep breaths. On breath 4, he said that I'll be out in about 10 seconds. I could actually feel the goo entering my arm and making its way to my heart. As things started getting dark, I remember saying, "Goodnight!".

Next thing I remember is waking up in the post-op room, and feeling my leg in a LOT of pain! I told the nurse and she gave me a muscle relaxer, though she did put it in my right leg, which wasn't the leg that hurt.... Marci came in and showed me some love, while I dozed in and out of consciousness. We made our way out to the car, and eventually home. Since then I've been laying around on the couch, only getting up to go to the restroom. My pain levels aren't too high, but every once in a while, I will jolt in my sleep and stretch my leg really bad. My mom was gracious enough to take Cosmo for the weekend, so that does make things a little easier.

Come and visit us, we'll be here all week! (Bring goodies...)

That Darned Knee

I hate getting injured! Especially when it means no basketball, bowling, golf or climbing for a year! Here's the scoop:

I was playing ball last Tuesday (as I normally do), when I came down from a jump and felt my knee pop sideways, which is not a good feeling, just so you know. After an intense minute of pain, it started feeling a little better and I was able to put some weight on it. I decided to drive myself home, though some good friends offered to do that for me. While stepping into my Jeep, I felt my knee pop out again! Dang that hurt. I was still okay, and started driving home. On my way home, I decided I'd better go to the ER, due to the fact that the pain and burning were reaching an 8 on the pain scale, and I was feeling sick and light-headed.

Once I got to the hospital, I found the ER, but the normal entrance was closed for construction, so I had to park about 200 yards away from the ambulance entrance and hop myself in on one leg (stopping about every 50 yards). The ER took about 2 hours total, and all I got from them was a referral to see a real doctor, and a prescription for 800mg of ibuprofen, which I would have done anyway without them prescribing it to me.

A few days of hobbling around go by, with improvements in mobility, pain and swelling. Now it was time to see the Orthopedic that I was referred to. The first visit, he seemed a little distant, and eager to pawn us off to the hospital for an MRI. So two days later.... I got an MRI. I'll have to say that keeping my leg absolutely strait and still was painful for a few seconds, and having to do it for 45 minutes was misery.

Two days later came the follow-up visit with the Ortho. He looked at the MRI and seemed to immediately know what had happened. "Your ACL is shredded, and you've torn your meniscus. I'd recommend reconstructive surgery." Oh boy, I thought that I might have pulled something, and that I could just rehab it back to full strength. After all, by this time, I was walking at about 75-80% of normal. I thought that if I got a second opinion, maybe the results could change, so I had my Dad take my MRI to his world-renowned Orthopedic Surgeon in Miami, and without any thought, he suggested reconstructive surgery.

So that settles it. Surgery it is. If you are interested in knowing how they reconstruct the ACL, you may want to Google it. It's pretty interesting. Anyway, here are my MRI images: