Kelly's World

Approximately 4th September:

Playing netball for my Thursday night Mix team, running to my left and step forward on my right leg. As I do so, I decide I need to go back to my right so twist my body to the right to go in that direction, however my right knee decides to continue going to the left, I feel a crack and fall onto my butt. Call time immediately so play is stopped.

Now it wasn’t painful, it just felt like something wasn’t right. It felt strange, and like a dull ache on the back of my knee. I was assisted off court by the guys and immediately applied ice to the back and right hand side of my knee, and the game went on without me. When I got home I continued icing it on and off for 20mins, and that night I slept with my leg elevated.

I can’t remember what week this happened, but I think the following day Mat had an RDO and came with me to the doctors. There, I was criticised and told it was just a sprain. For the full story click here.

18th September:

I had been using crutches for the first few days of my injury, but eventually tossed them away (being stubborn and all) and was just limping around on my leg. Every time it accidentally straightened, I would scream in pain. Something definitely wasn’t right. I decided I wanted a second opinion about my “so called sprained knee”, and starting hunting around for a sports doctor. The first few I tried were booked out for weeks in advance. I’m an impatient person, so I kept hunting. I finally found a sports doctor who was coincidentally working in the same practise as the a-hole I had last dealt with. I read the profile on this doctor, and he sounded OK so I decided to call up. They had a spot available so I took it.

I went and saw him, and he immediately knew something was up. The fact there was so much fluid in my knee still after 2 weeks of doing it told him something more serious had occured. I sat on the bed in his room, and he felt around my knee (made me cry a few times with the prodding) and told me he suspected I had done my ACL ligament (anterior cruciate ligament). Basically, that ligament is responsible for the stability of the knee, and pretty common for injuries. Hence the reason you’ll hear a lot of people talking about knee reconstructions for a lot of sporting stars (including myself *cough*).

He wanted to send me for an MRI scan so they could examine the ligaments in detail and find out for sure. It was then I was told that if I’d done it there would be a possibility I would need a knee reconstruction. Either way, I wasn’t going to be playing netball for a long time. That sent a shock through me as I really understood the seriousness of the situation. A knee recon? No netball? Fark.

This week – week of the 22nd September

Well this week started with the MRI scan on the Tuesday, which was quite the experience (full story here). The results from that confirmed my doctor’s suspicions, but not only had I torn my ACL ligament, I’d also managed a small tear on the meniscus – the cartilage underneath. Damn…I injured myself good! None of these stuffing around pansy injuries. I met with the physio for the first time on Wednesday and was taught a few exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the knee. He also showed me a few that would help to get the fluid moving around my knee and eventually enable me to bend and straighten my leg like normal. After 2 days I can already feel the difference, can’t wait to see what a few weeks bring.

My doctor has put through a referral on my behalf for a meeting with an orthapedic surgeon at Nambour hospital. I should be hearing from them over the next few weeks, and upon meeting with him we’ll discuss the surgery, what’s involved all that jazz. That’s when we really get down to business and plan the nitty gritty. Unfortunately I chose not to take out hospital cover when I got health insurance so everything will be handled by the public hospital system and Medicare. As I have top extras though, all my physio and rehabilitation work will be covered by my health insurance – I’ll just have to pay a small extra for my appointments. e.g. my initial consultation with the physio should have cost $80, but due to the health insurance I only had to pay $24. So grateful I have that insurance!!

I’ll keep you posted as it all progresses, detail everything of the process. Wish me luck!!

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