Zak's Knee Surgery

He returned home from Monterrey, Mexico on December 7th. Two days later we saw Dr. Biddolph who determined that the pain he was experiencing in his knees and hips from walking the hills of Monterrey was not fixable by anything other than, not climbing the hills of Monterrey. But as he discovered that since Zak's initial bilateral release surgery a year and a half ago, his left knee has dislocated about eight times, he said that is not acceptable. So he determined that surgery was necessary to stabilize that knee.

We were scheduled for surgery the following Saturday, but the insurance company denied the claim, saying they wanted him to try physical therapy and a cortisone shot first. After Dr. Biddolph talked to them and found out it was a "family practice" doctor that determined this course of action he wrote a letter explaining that this would not do anything to help Zak's knee. So luckily they changed their mind and we were able to go ahead with the surgery, since we had already paid our deductible for the year.

The doctor said that when Zak was under anesthesia the doctor could just flick the knee cap with his finger and it would slide off. Part of the reason for this is the groove that the knee cap sits in is shallow (another birth defect!) So the doctor cleaned up the roughness on the knee cap from being dislocated so many times. Then he pulled the muscle from the inner side of the knee toward the knee cap as well as the tendon from the outside of the knee. So now the knee is very stable. But as you can imagine it is also very tight.

Zak begrudgingly spent the night in the hospital so they could help manage his pain. He soon realized it was a good decision. He is home now and trying to figure out how to manage while wearing a full leg brace. He can't bend the knee at all. It makes for some interesting logistics in the bathroom!

He started physical therapy three days after the surgery. For the first two weeks he will only be able to bend it 30 degrees. Then the next two weeks 60 degrees and the next two weeks 90 degrees. The therapy will continue for three months and full recovery may take up to a year. I think I should make him go to therapy with Maynard so he can see how it should be done!

Zak has been approved to start school at BYU-I for the Winter semester. We just hope he will be able to get in the car and drive by then.

This was Zak's favorite part, getting shaved before surgery. They also wrote on his knee with a sharpy, "Yes, this one." and he had to put his initials next to it.

Zak spent the first few days after surgery in our room since we have a TV. Sitting in the recliner didn't work very well for him. This is his friend, Brooke, who has been very helpful in getting him to and from therapy. She is studying to become a physical therapist. So she has found it very interesting.
Zak was pretty excited to get the bandages off and check out his cool scar. The ladies love the scars you know.
It has been a group effort to get Zak through the first week after surgery. He has needed to use our shower since he can't bend his knee to get into the tub/shower in the kids bathroom. It took two of us to wrap his leg with "press n' seal" wrap, one person lifting the leg while the other wrapped. One day I was doing the wrapping and trying to get it tucked tight so it wouldn't leak. Evidently I got a little close to Zak's "junk", as he likes to call it. He had a little freak out and then he shared a little chant I had never heard before, but evidently it has been around, "forever." I guess I am just old. So just imagine this as like a cheerleader chant. "Stop! Don't touch me there, this is...my no-no square." I thought Layne was going to laugh until he was sick. I told Zak that since I didn't get to change any of his diapers that I was just trying to make up for lost time.

It has been 10 days since his surgery and he is getting around better every day. He is off the crutches but still has to wear the full leg brace. He is anxious to get a "real brace" and he is able to drive either the van or Layne's truck. I bet you can't guess which one he prefers.

A couple of days ago he had another fun experience. He put his left arm back to support him as he lowered himself to the couch and it partially dislocated. Luckily he was able to slip it back in by himself. So, it looks like he will eventually have another surgery in his future. Fantastic!