The Results Are In!

Now that you've met my full cast of characters, lets get back to the results of the second MRI. I spent the whole night trying to figure out what I wanted them to be. Because, you know, I can control things like that. I certainly don't want the results to show some massive problem that sends me back to the operating room. That would be devastating. But if the results come in and show there is nothing wrong, and this is just the amount of pain I'm expected to live in for the rest of my life, I'm going to drive out to the country, dig a hole, and live in that. So I'm sitting in Dr. McGorgeous's office again, looking for red flags. How long have I been waiting? Not too long..... How many doctors are here to tell me the news? Just one..... He's here and he has things to show me. He pulls up my MRI on the computer and shows me the osteochondral fracture. It's still visible, it's healing slowly, but that's what bone does. See this empty circle in your fibula? That's the bone screw that hasn't finished dissolving yet, give it another 18 months. The ligament looks GOOD, blah blah blah. I'm tuning him out. Until he gets to THE PROBLEM. Duh duh duh....I have.........................................................INFLAMMATION AND SCAR TISSUE in the ligament and all the surrounding tendons! Um, I know. I have inflammation and scar tissue BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND ON A SCREWED UP ANKLE FOR 10 MONTHS! THAT'S YOUR CONCLUSION???? THAT'S NOT A DIAGNOSIS! THOSE ARE MY SYMPTOMS! COULD YOU BE MORE VAGUE?! Anyways, I'm obviously not saying any of this to him, because he's adorable and it would be awful if he thought I was crazy. So I just ask him what we are going to do about it. And he tells me about a new procedure that's still experimental, but has shown some promising early results. Now, I have a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I DO research. This intrigues me. So he explains Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, or PRP for short. My surgeon, unbeknownst to me, is one of the pioneers in his field, and has won numerous awards and honors. I knew I liked him for his mind, and not just his looks ;) Here's the Cliff's Notes version: When you cut yourself, you form a scab. The cells in the scab (the platelets) tell your body "HEY! LOOK OVER HERE! WE HAVE A PROBLEM! FIX IT!". And your body kicks into action and repairs the injury. So we are going to draw my blood, take out the platelets (and the plasma, the juice your blood cells sit in) and inject them directly into my problem ligament and all the tendons showing inflammation. This should trigger my body to go fix it. I will be under anesthesia, no knives or cutting, just a couple needles. It's a short procedure, and I should only be out of work for a couple days. He says that I may only need one treatment, or I may need two treatments. Regardless, we are going to get pre-approval from the insurance for 3 treatments, just to be on the safe side, although he's never done 3 treatments on anyone. I'm beyond excited! In just two shorts weeks, I go through ANOTHER pre-op physical (they're only good for 30 days) and find myself back in the pre-op room waiting to see if this experimental treatment is the key to my recovery!