Knee Surgery

For about a year and a half, Grant has been complaining of knee pain. It seemed to come and go, and was often at its worst right at the moment he was asked to do something hard, which resulted in little (or no) sympathy from us. He received an unofficial diagnosis last year of Osgood Schlatter, which causes inflammation of the knee during adolescence. He couldn't finish his cross country season last year and opted not to play basketball for the first time in his life this past winter because his knee was bothering him so much.

Fast forward to the first of March this year and his knee was giving him so much trouble that he walked with a limp most of the time. With high school sports looming in the future, we decided maybe it was time to get it looked at. His pediatrician immediately knew something was off with just an examination. She ordered x-rays, then called us the next day saying the x-rays showed an "osteochondral defect" (bone & cartilage) and ordered an MRI. He got an MRI on March 15, and we got a call the next day telling us that the MRI showed osteochondritis dessicans...he had a large, unstable fracture in the bone and cartilage on the front of his knee. Our doctor referred him to Shriner's Hospital in Sacramento for further evaluation.

And then COVID-19 really hit and it became virtually impossible to get medical treatment of any sort! We had to wait over a month to get into Shriner's, and were first seen there on April 17. At our initial appointment, we were given the news that surgery was needed to repair the injury and that recovery was going to be long—anywhere from 6-18 months. He was given crutches and told not to put any weight on his leg and surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.

The night before surgery, our home teacher Steve Alston came over and gave Grant a priesthood blessing. In the blessing, he told Grant that this injury would be "inconsequential" in his life. He told him his pain would be minimal in recovery and blessed him to be "exactly obedient" in his rehabilitation and that he would have a positive attitude through it all.

Due to the pandemic, Grant had to be tested for COVID 48 hours prior to surgery. He was a trooper. 

We got to Shriner's about 11am on the day of surgery. The child-life specialist took some time with Grant going over everything that was going to happen that day, all while the hospital therapy dog laid on Grant's lap :) He was in heaven.

Waiting to be taken back to the OR.

He finally was wheeled back for surgery around 3:30pm. About 90 minutes later, Dr. Haus came out and said surgery had been a success. He said that the fracture was not as unstable as it had appeared in the MRI and no pins or screws were needed. They used a technique called "microfracture" and drilled several small holes in the bone and cartilage surrounding the fracture. This technique stimulates blood circulation to the area and helps the body heal itself. It is a slow process, but Dr. Haus said it was the best-case scenario and was hopeful that no further surgery will be required. We spent a couple of hours in recovery before coming home that evening. His pain following surgery was minimal, he only needed pain meds the first day and then managed fine with Tylenol.

The markings on his leg resembled a very sad face, haha!

He was in a locked knee brace for the first two weeks, unable to bend his knee or put any weight on it at all.

We took the boat out for the first time just a few days after surgery and Grant was a trooper. He enjoyed fishing and didn't even complain about not being able to get in the water!

Mother's Day 2020

For the last month, he has been doing physical therapy working primarily on strengthening his core and his supporting leg.

We are now at the six-week post-op mark. As of this week, he is out of the brace and slowly beginning the process of putting weight on the leg. He is not out of the woods yet, he will need to be very careful over the next several months to ensure that he does not overuse the joint...that means no sports for at least the fall, but we are hopeful that he will make a full recovery and be able to resume his active lifestyle.

He and I have done some fun things together...including sewing a pair of pajama shorts.

And experimenting with watercolor!

Through it all, the words of the blessing keep coming back to me. At his initial appointment, the doctor believed Grant would need a bone graft, perhaps a cartilage implant, and that his healing would be closer to 18 months to 2 years. This was devastating news for all of us, but especially Grant, who was eager to join his brother in sports at Del Oro this fall. The word "inconsequential" keeps coming back to me. Although it has certainly been a challenge, I am confident that this will be just a little bump in the road for Grant, but will not have a lasting impact on his life. He has been cheerful, cooperative, and grateful for the help he has received. I am grateful for access to top-notch medical treatment, and equally grateful for the power of the priesthood!