I got back from Riga, where I talked to a surgeon. There is some news.
1. The bad: the surgery costs 1280 lats + 100 already spent + paying for 3 days in the hospital. Probably, more expenses will pile up (rehab?), so I should count on at least 1500 lats, which is $3000. If anyone has extra cash, send it over.
2. The good: the doctor expects the possibility of walking without a limp 2 months after the surgery, and the ability to lead a fully active lifestyle in 6. Funny enough, while I was there, another guy from Daugavpils showed up about the exact same problem with his sister. He started unloading details on the doctor, but the doc said he couldn't care less about the details of his patients' personal lives, and only cares about their condition and chances of recovery. As a somewhat antisocial geek, this straightforward and honest approach actually makes me happy.
The doctor kept joking that I'm not the only one from Daugavpils with such a case, and so far no one has complained. That's encouraging.
3. The medium: I have to wait 3 weeks before the surgery for the medial ligament to heal up a bit on its own. During this time, activity must be strictly limited, and the knee kept braced. Fortunately, not in an uncomfortable plaster splint, but in an advanced adjustable harness for some dough. And I won't have to lie in a hospital and pay money for every day.
Overall, the situation seems tolerable. I wouldn't have been able to pull off this amount on my own, but with the relatives we'll manage somehow, though it'll take a long time to pay them back. No need to offer loans just yet, if you suddenly had such a weird thought for these times. If I need it, you'll find out firsthand, haha.
Unresolved issues:
1. With work. For now, if I work at all, it'll be just a little — I'm afraid of damaging my leg sitting in an awkward position. Plus, the leg still hurts quite a lot sometimes, especially in the calf for some reason, apparently due to swelling. After the surgery, I will most likely be working.
2. With insurance. They no longer sell it to private individuals here, and my company probably won't be able to buy just one separately, I need a company that can buy insurance for me, if that's even possible. They say there are chances. I don't know how much insurance will help with the surgery (unlikely), but it will definitely come in handy for rehab, and for life going forward. If you know anything about buying insurance in such a case, absolutely write me. And ask around if there's anyone to ask. For me, this is a matter of an extra year of living on savings.
Unfortunately, even though the doctor talked sensibly about everything, he moved pretty fast — he had a line of patients halfway down the hall, despite the fact that a consultation costs 30 Ls ($60) per visit. Attempts to ask detailed questions failed, at least for now. In principle, this makes sense, given the following point (2).
I only managed to find out (from the doctor and from the internet) the following:
1. The surgery is laparoscopic, meaning it's done using probes with a video camera through small incisions. This is good because the scars are small and it will heal faster.
2. The doctor specializes in knee injuries among other things, as far as I could gather, and performs surgeries like mine very often. He is experienced and well-known, gives talks and holds memberships. I won't post his first and last name just yet, because the internet is too public a place. If everything goes successfully, then yeah. If unsuccessfully — we'll look at the reasons.
3. The doctor is Latvian, but he spoke to me in Russian. It didn't cause any visible inconvenience for either of us. He was assisted by what looked like a male nurse (or an intern), who played the silent type. At the reception desk, the girl spoke with a heavy accent, but also without any problems.
A few more thoughts on the topic:
If you pay, our medicine works. And by Western standards, the money probably isn't much. By mine — it's very substantial.
The state doesn't pay for this surgery because it allows you to not just recover, but lead an active lifestyle. You can manage without a cruciate ligament, but then you'll only be able to walk without problems, or you'll have issues with active sports. It would be interesting to know if such surgeries are free in Russia, and if bribes are required. I haven't given any bribes yet, although I was told that in my hometown I would have had to — to speed things up and get more attention from the doctors. In Riga, I hope I won't have to, it's an expensive surgery as it is.