Another Door Opens When The Other Closes

Well last Thursday was my first appointment to see my surgeon after the surgery.  The lovely nurse took out my stitches and said that Dr. Leiung would be right with me.  He comes in, and my dad's with me, says hello etc etc the regular doctor introduction- short and sweet.  So he takes a hold of my knee and moves it around to check the strength and see if the graft has held thus far. Well he said its super tight, which is awesome. However, he had to take my medial meniscus out because it was damaged beyond repair.  Arthritis here I come :( Following that crappy news, was even CRAPPIER news.  He looked at me and said, "You shouldn't be playing volleyball at all anymore if you would like to keep a decent knee for the rest of your life." I was just struck with a stiff feeling and was completely torn.  He said that any high impact sports were just not in the books for me at this point.  Dr. Leiung also suggested that doctors are coming out with a artificial meniscus and that this could be an option but its only available in the states and that its also not 100% guaranteed.  Don't think that's for me being that I wouldn't have any medical coverage and the chances of it working are unknown.  So no high impact sports for Joelle anymore. :'(

However on the bright side of things, I asked the doctor what he thought about riding. He said that it would be great because its low impact so, maybe its just me, but I see it as the other door opening up.  I've always wanted to rodeo and always wanted to learn to team rope. I'm learning how to every Thursday out at one of the barns east of Camrose with a girlfriend of mine her dad, and the whole crew. So far so good, I'm just hazing right now and learning the placement etc and am real good on the dummy! So maybe one day, I'll be able to enter up in a rodeo.

Rockin It Redneck Style

I've been to an NHL game, been to a concert, and by far I thought this was the funnest show yet. It was so loud, the crowd was totally into it, and it was just the place to be that night. I bought my girlfriend and I a ticket and we headed out together. The highlight of my night was when Nikki nugges me in the arm and says,
"Joelle, take a look around you!"
So I did, and honestly, all I could see was...camo, skullet and mullet haircuts, jean jackets better known as the "Canadian Tuxedo", and the construction color orange toque and vests. I looked at Nikki and said
"My kinda crowd!!"
It was so much fun, we drank beer and ate pizza and enjoyed the show. I was cheering for Gravedigger of course! The other trucks weren't even worthy of looking Gravedigger in the grill. Gravedigger drank from the cup that night, we had such a blast, and went and celebrated his win later that night Nikki and I at The Ranch. Another memory made....

I thought this was pretty neat....
So this is how it works: The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. BUT, in order for you to leave a comment on my blog, you have to post this on your blog first. (That means that sometime during this year you will send a gift to 3 people as well.) Get it? So, the first 3 people to comment on this post will be the lucky ones! Good Luck....(with being creative ;)

Have fun!

Surgery # 3

Stuck on my back, 24 hours a day, definitely not my cup of tea. So on tuesday, March 3rd I had my third knee surgery. I had my ACL and meniscuss re done by Dr.Leiung and he said the surgery went really well and that it was all fixable. But this surgery by far has put the other two surgeries to shame when it comes to pain! I've never been in so much pain in my entire life, HOLY SHIZA!! Anyway, when I woke up, the whole left side of my body was numb. Couldn't feel a thing. You know when your foot falls asleep? Imagine that throughout the whole left side of your body, that's what I was feeling and the doctor nor the the surgeon knew what was wrong. So they kept me a few hours longer in my room, and the pain just seemed to get worse and worse! So after about 15 minutes of histerically crying and lashing out, the nurse walks by and says, "I'll come back when she is calmed down." And if you know me well enough, and could see the pain I was in, I hit rock bottom and lost it. So she gave me two needles full of morphine straught into the hip. I FELT A MILLION TIMES BETTER!!!! They finally released me to go home, the next day was brutal, if not worse than the day at the hospital. However finally, this morning (Thurs) the tingling was for the most part gone. What a relief, made everything so much more comfortable and less agonizing. So for the most part, that is my surgery story in a nut shell. I go back on Thursday for a follow up appt with Dr.Leiung and keep going from there.

I'm so relieved to have had the surgery done, now its just a matter of time to decide what I want to do with school etc. I'm hoping to move out maybe this year or the beginning of next year. One of my girlfriends that is teaching me how to rope is getting two roomates soon here, so I'm hoping that by the time im ready to move out, they are moving else where. Sounds kind of selfish I know, but Deb and I would get a long so well and it would just be a good environment for me to put myself into. Other than that, I've just been working like a buzzy bee, trying to get in touch with some old friends, and keep family and friends updated. Tis a full time job for a drugged up pup!