Many of my friends have started blogging and really have honed their voice and allowed them to network, and I thought I might do the same. In this blog, I hope to accomplish a wide variety of goals: capture my thoughts on science and non-science, write about projects I work on or papers I read, document interesting tips and tricks I learn during my PhD, and muse about unresolved problems. Writing has always been a way for me to clarify and linearize my scientific thoughts, and I look forward to it elevating other aspects of my life.
As a med student around this time last year, I never expected I would soon be the one to be wheeled in the OR. But I guess life brings surprises when you least expect them. I was just days into my PhD in September when I went to my doc and asked him to take a look at my knee. I’d hurt it playing volleyball the summer before, and it had mostly healed but still felt a little off. He yanked it, wiggled it a little, and asked me “Have you heard of the unhappy triad?” Immediately I knew my worst fears had been confirmed: the combination of ACL tear, MCL sprain, and a meniscus tear. An MRI verified these findings (and suggested more damage to the meniscus than expected), and just like that my 2019 was about to be changed forever.
My surgery day looked like this:
- 10pm (the night before): can’t drink anything except water and apple juice
- 3am: wake up and drink some apple juice, try to get back to bed
- 4:30am: wake up, Uber to the surgery center
- 5:45am: we are the first ones there. it is lightly snowing outside.
- 6:20am: I get called in. they switch out my clothes for a hospital issued gown, let me try on crutches, and start me on some pain meds.
- 6:40am: Adductor nerve block. The anesthesiologist is super nice and knows I’m a med student, so she takes time to show me what she’s looking for on ultrasound. She also tells me how nice the anesthesia life is.
- 7:15am: Dad comes in for a quick hello, then I’m wheeled in. A little nervous but falling asleep is nice…
- ~10am: I wake up in the OR to someone asking me if I can move over to the stretcher. I say “of course not” to which everyone laughs. Groggy, sleeping on and off for the next hour.
- 11am: waking up more. Leg is completely numb and I am in no pain.
- 11:30am: first time on crutches. A little wobbly but I make it to the bathroom and back.
- 12pm: they discharge me. After a 30 minute uber ride where I am sprawled horizontally in the back seat because my leg brace is locked flat, I am home.
The rest of the day I watched Grey’s Anatomy and tried to elevate my leg. There was no pain whatsoever so I was quite comfortable. I’m sure this will change soon, and I will post updates!