17 Sept 2010 - Back Surgery

Yesterday, I (Rick) had minor back surgery procedure called Laminectomy to fix a pinched nerve on the l4-5 dis that has caused pain in my right hip and lower calf muscle for a lot of years. This is the same successful procedure had in June that correct a nagging problem with her back.

We got a family discount (hahahaha) by using same doctor.

I came home after the surgery, took two Percocets before going to bed and couple 6 hours later. Now only taking one. Hopefully none tomorrow.

Now I can schedule physical therapy for my knee and back at the same time and be ready for powder when it starts falling.

21 Jul 2010 - Microfracture

On May29th,while playing tennis, I felt a pull in the back of my left knee.  Felt like a muscle pull.  I continued to play but had to stretch it out.  That weekend I did a 9 mile hike and my left leg gave me some issue while coming back down the trail.  I played tennis again the next Monday and Thursday but  found it difficult and had to really stretch to be able to play.  I did another 7 mile hike and my leg was sore.   I stopped playing tennis for a couple weeks.  Went to the Dr. when my left knee was double the size of my right.  After an xray, I had a steroid injection in my knee cap.  I started  playing tennis again but after a few times my left leg continued to hurt.

On Jul 20th, I had an MRI.  What I thought was a muscle issue was now a torn cartilage.  On Jul 21, I had "microfracture" surgery and will be in a "peg leg" position for 6 weeks.  Then another 6 weeks of PT.  Then ski season.

Discription of: Microfracture is a surgical procedure aimed at cartilage regeneration. The arthroscopic technique involves clearing damaged tissue from the knee joint and creating tiny holes ("microfractures") in the bone area where the cartilage is defective. The underlying bone marrow seeps out through the holes and becomes part of a blood clot that forms over the area. The marrow contains stem cells, which have the ability to form replacement cartilage between the bare-bone surfaces of the knee. Appropriate rehabilitation of the knee after surgery is critical to the success of the operation. Continuous Passive Motion (CPM), where the knee is moved gently by a machine for 5-8 hours a day for several weeks, keeping weight off of the joint for a period of 6-8 weeks, and strict adherence to an aggressive physical therapy program following surgery all appear to enhance the success of the procedure.

8 May 2008 - Shoulder Reconstruction Surgery

On April 18th, I had reconstruction surgery on my right shoulder to repair the damage I received from a bicycle accident on Nov 10, 2007. Photo on the left shows my clavicle bone sticking up and my shoulder drooping. The photo below was taken a few days after the surgery and really shows the difference.

My surgery was performed by Dr. Hatzidakis of Denver and took about 2hrs. Click Here if you like to read Dr. Hatzidakis's operation report. Since I was not awake during the procedure, I found it very interesting. Since most of the surgery was done arthroscopic, Dr. Hatzidakis provided photos take internally. Click Here if you want to view them.

It has been about 3 wks since the surgery and I now just getting back to working on the computer. I will be in a sling until the June and then start the long recover process of getting use of my shoulder. I currently don't have any pain and have been able take walks with out my arm or shoulder hurting as before the surgery.

Hopefully by the end of the summer I will have pretty good use my shoulder and be able to ski this next season.