Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

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Last Thursday, I found out that I have severed my ACL, and damaged my medial collateral ligament (MCL) with either a tear or a strain, by the looks of the MRI. Apparently, MCL tears and strains are known to repair themselves over time, and the level of injury I sustained here is still mild enough to repair itself. The ACL on the other hand is not known to repair itself. The treatment is pre-surgery rehab to strengthen my quadriceps and eventually surgery that requires removing tendons from my hamstring and fashioning an artificial ACL that will be held in by screws drilled into my tibia and femur. The post-opp recuperation will involve two months of complete immobilisation if I am to do the operation locally. Also, my doctor, who is said to be the best orthopaedic specialist in the country, is leaving the country for a month, and would schedule this operation for January, which would mean an estimated rehab completion of March.

At the moment I am praying about the option of going to seek medical attention back in the UK. Apparently, my Trinidadian doctor is using a more "tried and true" method - one he's very comfortable with, that he's been doing since the eighties. There is, however, a more modern method utilising keyhole surgery, where they make a very small incision and run a tube of sorts into the leg and the surgery is done somewhat remotely through the use of the small tube, which is equipped with a cutting apparatus. The first method will involve holding the flesh of my leg back and removing the tendons, and placing them in the new position as my artificial ACL, i.e., highly invasive.

I am taking a moment to put this out there, because I know that my most faithful blog supporters are my friends - people I love, whose opinions I value and whose prayers I covet. I need you now. I need your prayers, your kind words and your good counsel. I am praying to know which way to go with this surgery, I am nervous about the prospect of surgery under general anaesthetic (in any country!) but I am very serious about getting the best care. All loving input is welcome.

Great in the Process

http://xkcd.com/896/

(Originally Published on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011) 
I am going to keep it short today because I have had visitors and I guess a lot of activity, considering. Just to update, I've had an MRI, the results of which haven't come in yet, and the orthopaedic specialist has called for sick leave until the end of the month, with a metal hinged removable knee brace. I am ok.

Anyway, back to my current musings - being great is something that I think most people would strive for. What does that look like for you? The author at xkcd.com raises an interesting suggestion, that people become great by wanting to do something so much that their sheer effort makes them great. Is there something that you really work hard at?

I think there is something really special about hard work. I think we even find actualisation in the act of working hard at something because we either a.) believe that we can do it better, b.) need to feel useful or c.) understand that working hard at this thing will produce a favourable result for our life. My theory is that if there is nothing a person can identify as their reason to work hard then that can be a dangerous place for them to be. Believing that you could work hard and change the future is something inspirational.

For me, I work hard at being a people support. My blog is written in the hopes of encouraging others, my relationships are infused with moments I try to create to say how much I appreciate what the other has done and how I've seen us grow together. I know I'll come across as massively naive here, but maybe that's just what I am sometimes - my deepest desire is to love. I just see so many facets to love, and it is the only thing in this world that I think you can carry with you both in every earthly circumstance and when you leave it.

Today I would like to request from readers that they post their deepest desire. I just want to know what drives other people, what gets you headed towards your personal greatness?