For those who don't read my Twitter, or for those who need details, so I don't have to write them a hundred times.
On Sunday I was skiing at Sauleskalns. Or rather, I tried to. Almost immediately I "twisted" my leg and fell with severe pain. After I got up, the pain wasn't as strong anymore, but my leg was shifting from side to side at the knee, folding like a matchstick when I tried to stand on it.
I hobbled down to the bottom, returned my gear, drank some tea. I thought it was a dislocation or something like that. When we got back to Daugavpils, we went to the central hospital. There they took an X-ray, gave a preliminary diagnosis of a "torn ligament" and admitted me to the hospital, put a splint on (that's a fixation, like a half-"cast"). I laid in the hospital for two days, during which the doctor told me the following.
I have a torn medial ligament in my knee. With high probability, the cruciate one as well. The first one they can fix, the second one – no, they only do that in Riga. To establish an exact diagnosis, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is needed. Here they'll only do it in a week, because there's a queue.
The doctor advised going to Riga, where they can immediately do an MRI and surgery on both ligaments, if both are damaged. He recommended two clinics – www.ljmc.lv and www.tos.lv With some effort we arranged in Riga for a doctor to see me at tos, on Friday at 4 o'clock. The doctor specializes in sports medicine, so my case is no novelty to him.
The situation is somewhat complicated by the fact that the surgery cannot be delayed, it has to be done within 2 weeks. The surgery to stitch just the medial ligament in Daugavpils costs moderate money. Just the surgery itself to fix both ligaments in Riga costs from 600 to 1500 lats, plus accompanying expenses (multiply by 2 for dollars). The money, with partial help from my parents, fortunately, I have. 1500, of course, is the upper limit, that much can also be found, but I have to be sure it's necessary. I don't have insurance, I will buy it, but the benefit from it will only be after some time, it won't pay for the surgery.
Current prospects: even if both ligaments are torn, I will be able to walk after the surgery in any case. Actively doing sports – most likely, but much depends on luck and the surgery. The cruciate ligament isn't stitched, but replaced with an artificial one, which isn't always good, but if the tear is complete, there are no other options.
So far the exact diagnosis is unknown, so it's too early to panic. The period of treatment and rehabilitation will take at least 3-4 months. Full restoration of the knee's functions, if it happens – 6-9 months. Rehabilitation will be tough and painful, I am already partially mentally prepared for this. The trip to Iceland is cancelled for me for obvious reasons.
Physically I feel fine, not counting the fact that sometimes the leg aches, and sleeping at night or sitting is uncomfortable, it's only easy to lie down, but that gets boring and everything goes numb.
Mentally, my feelings are mixed. On one hand, ahead is so far the unknown and a long period of recovery, on the other – chances are high that I'll heal to such an extent that I can again lead an active lifestyle, go to the gym and ride my bike, without which I generally can't imagine life. I made a decision that I won't do the most dangerous kinds of sports anymore. I was, after all, thinking earlier about skydiving and rock climbing too. I don't consider the bicycle highly dangerous for now.
When I will be working again, it's hard to say for now. Sitting at the computer is very uncomfortable for me, and right now even dangerous. Plus, sitting all day at the computer, not even having the opportunity to go outside, let alone to the gym, is very hard for me. In any case, in a couple of weeks after the surgery this question can be thought over anew.
I try to think of my virtual and real-life acquaintances, who are sometimes in more difficult situations than I am right now, but do not despair. Thank you for serving as an example to follow.
Further news will be on Twitter, and will be copied from there to here, I hope. Detailed info - only when I get to a computer after the visit to the doctor on Friday, which might not be soon. You can ask questions here, so I don't have to answer many times: it's hard to type after all, and you get tired of saying the same thing.