It's good to see my knee.

Over the past several days the bandages had become increasingly intolerable ... as the swelling in my leg decreased, I noticed that there was some kind of hard, cast-like material surrounding my knee and down one side of my calf. And sleeping - as I laid off the Vicodin - was troubled and difficult.

Last night, in anticipation of having a proper wash today, I removed the bandages. It was not a cast-like substance, but a large amount of blood which had soaked the cotton underbandage and hardened into, well, a kind of a cast.

(Cue creeped-out shudder.)

I am still using crutches for long excursions. I see the doctor tomorrow for a check-up, and I am dearly hoping the news is good, or boring, or something like that. No surprises, please.

I think the weirdest thing about the photo above is not the incisions, or the swelling ... but the shaving.

Post-Op

The operation went without a hitch. They were precisely correct about what the problem was - I had a minor meniscus tear, like "a hang nail." They clipped it and sewed me back up. After a 9:30 operation I was back on the street with a pair of crutches by noon.

I am not happy about not being able to shower until Sunday, I have to keep my leg wrapped until then. And though I have been trying not to tax myself, I misjudged today and had a long hobble from the bus stop to my home. At least, as Ali points out, I am getting an upper body workout.

Pre-Op

"Left knee arthroscopy and partial lateral menisectomy and meniscus repair."