upon learning that i had photographs of my surgery, a good and dear friend of mine succintly told me that he was boycotting my site until i made them available for viewing. this does seem to be my week for getting slapped about content wise. i've been planning on sharing them but have only recently become mobile enough to work at my desk and reach my scanner. but i am now able and ready to freak you all out. actually, aside from one pic, they're more awe-inspiring than gag-reflex inducing. but, to be kind, i'm hiding them and you have to click to expose each one. additionally, i'm including a gore-meter with each set so you can control your experience, seeing as much or as little of my insides as you'd like. something interesting to note is all of these pictures were taken underwater because that's just how they roll these days. to achieve this they put a turniquit above and below my knee, and then pump it full of water. i guess, this helps them get around a bit easier. it also explains why the images are so crisp.
click on the below headings to display the corresponding image.
i have no idea what this is. it more resembles one of the creatures from jeff smith's graphical novel BONE than anything i'd expect to find in my leg.
if the first shot was of my uterus i think these might be my fallopian tubes. i believe the doc said this was what was left of my original acl.
not sure what's up with the top, left image but the other two are my new acl which was bolted and screwed into my leg bones. they cut this section of ligament from my hamstring which is why it looks all sinewy and raw. in time, it should get nice rounded edges and look more like a piece of corded rope.
while bobbing for apples in my knee the surgeon noticed this gash in the cartilage covering the bone of my upper leg. to fix it he had to go in and cut/chip away at the damaged area in that it was loose, like flaking paint. in doing so, you'll notice he's got some of the most ominous looking scissors ever made. the resultant hole he made is about the size of a quarter.
the saying you have to break some eggs to make an omelete applies here. after the surgery, marty refused to let me see this particular picture. it wasn't until i went back for my post-op visit that the super-doc showed it to me. he was keen to point out that the reason there is no blood in the top, left image is that he had the water pressure turned way up, so the blood would not get in the way of him hammering holes in my bone with an ice pick. after he wreaked his mayhem he reduced the water pressure so the bone could do the last thing i ever thought a bone would do, bleed. i think he may have rubbed some magic salve on there to stimulate the development of scar tissue which is meant to create a layer between my bone and the female reproductive organs that seem reside in my knee.
