So I suppose an update was long overdue. Sorry for the delay, I have been impatiently awaiting my MPFLr + LPFLr surgery in Banff with Dr. Hiemstra. Now it's less than two weeks away and I am terrified! Let's just say that the last MPFL repair (tightening of my own MPFL, not a reconstruction with donor grafts) was pretty rotten and I swore I would never have another knee surgery again. Look how long that lasted hey?

Anyways, I have finally found the right patellar stabilizing brace after several years of trying all different ones. most of them are fabric, and pull on. I found that my patella would just glide around underneath and never sat in the opening the way the braces were designed for. The new brace I have, is excellent. it actually holds my patella in place and prevents it from moving around during regular activities like sitting, walking, driving etc. I still sublux frequently but not nearly as often as before. The brace is called a DonJoy Reaction. Don Joy is one of the top 3 orthodic companies in NA and their quality is amazing. I am very happy with mine!

So one week after I saw Dr. Hiemstra for my consult in January, I dislocated my right (good) knee, and since then it has been unstable as well. She had clinically diagnosed me with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hypermobility) due to my 7/9 Beighton score, history of GERD, very elastic skin, and slow healing of scars. I routinely get subluxations in my right shoulder, left hip, both elbows, both knees,  and my TMJ's. There is no genetic test for EDS, however my neice who is 10 has hypermobility in her joints as well and other symptoms. This diagnosis finally makes everything a little clearer for me. It's why my hip pops out of joint when I put on pants, or hang from monkey bars. My ligaments are all very lax and don't hold my bones in their joints as normal peoples do.

So, my surgery is performed on May 25 in Banff Mineral Springs Hospital, and I am to stay two extra nights. Most patients leave the same day or the morning after if they require further pain control, but because I am going alone, taking the Greyhound there and back (8 hour drive each way from Kamloops) Dr. Hiemstra wanted to keep me for a little longer to be sure I was ok before I left.

Did I post these photos yet? Banff Sports Med Clinic (where Dr Hiemstra practices) has a couple walls of photos sent in by all the professional athletes they have helped get back to sport. Inspiring. 

She told me due to the nature of my repair, riding horses after the surgery is absolutely out of the question as it will cause the grafts to stretch out again and ruin the surgery like I did the first time. I should have stopped riding back then but I didn't, and hence the failed MPFL repair. It is likely she will have to reconstruct my right knee as well once I have recovered from the left one, as it's already unstable. Dang...these are not fun surgeries to recover from. ACL and TKR (Total Knee Replacement) are much more rehab-friendly, they are up walking within 24-48 hours, fully weight bearing and allowed to bend the knee. With this procedure, I am non-wt bearing for 3 weeks and locked straight in an immobiliser (the Ossur Rehab brace) until I see Dr. Hughes (my local, regular sports medicine orthopedic surgeon) on Jun 20th.

Thanks for reading and I will be more active as the day is getting closer!

(on a side note, I was in for a steroid injection for my shoulder with Dr. Hughes a month ago, and it had no effect. Still cannot throw the ball, or sleep on my right shoulder. It's been that way for over a year now. I've fallen on it off of horses multiple times and had my AC joint separated now at least 4 times in 6 years, but he isn't sure why I have prolonged trouble as there isn't any pathology in it.)