Ice on...Ice off

 

 

You may remember in the spring of 2013, my youngest daughter Isabel tore her ACL playing basketball during the final game of her 8th grade season. She had surgery to repair it, and it was 6 months of recovery and physical therapy.

 

In the fall she came back full guns and played a successful soccer season. All seemed well. In the winter she played freshman basketball for her high school, and her entire season was bumpy and full of miner-ACL related injuries. She had some trouble with her right leg being stronger than her left, which resulted in her back going out of alignment. Eventually toward the end of the season all looked well and she was playing almost back to her former level.

 

Then at the LAST PRACTICE OF THE SEASON she injured the OTHER leg! She did not hear a "pop" this time (yes that is the ACL snapping! ew!) so we hoped beyond hope it was just a bad sprain.

 

It didn't seem as bad this time.

She was off crutches in 2 weeks.

We did an MRI, and the ACL seemed to be intact. There was no conclusive evidence of a tear-just a very bad bone bruise.

 

The doctor ordered more PT and we hoped that with strengthening it would be fine.

 

But, alas,

after 3 months of physical therapy, it was just not right. Lots of pain still and some unstable moments.

She tried to play kickball with her friends one day and her knee completely gave out. 

 

So the doctor recommended exploratory surgery.

 It was the only way to be able to know conclusively what was really going on in there. He would do a scope, and if there was damage he would fix it.

 

 Yesterday Isabel had that surgery.

There was absolutely NO ACL! It was gone. I'm not sure how long she has been walking around without an ACL, but I have a hunch it tore completely in June when she played kickball that time.

 

OOOOO!!! It just makes me cringe.

When I think of all she has done since then-hiking in the mountains in Colorado, bike riding, all that vacation WALKING!

 Oh goodness! 

 

So here we are again! 6 more months of rehab. This poor kid!

 

So I am back on nurse duty! Ice on...ice off!

LOL!

 

Blessings,

~Annie