| 1) How many months post surgery are you? |
| Keelan: 6 months, 2 weeks |
| 2) How did you find out that your ACL was torn? And what
was its immediate impact on you? |
| Keelan: I Had an MRI done several days after the injury.
I was devastated when I found out. |
| 3) How did you injure your ACL? Doing what? Was
there contact or an abrupt change of direction? Were there
other injuries associated with the ACL? |
| Keelan: I collided with the goalie in the first soccer
game of the season. I had the ball at my feet ready to take a shot
when she came out and tackled me. I also tore my MCL, meniscus,
and chipped my knee-cap. |
| 4) What was the most frustrating aspect of the injury for you? |
| Keelan: Knowing that both my soccer and basketball seasons
were done. But also not being able to do things for myself, and
the challege I was going to have to face just to play again. |
| 5) How did you feel going into surgery for your ACL reconstruction? |
| Keelan: Since this was the most serious injury I've ever
experienced I was very nervous, but my doctor was very reassuring
and supportive which made me feel more comfortable. |
| 6) Did you do any extensive rehabilitation or strengthening
before the surgery? If so explain. |
| Keelan: I had 5 weeks pre-surgery rehab, just so that my
muscles were stronger coming out of surgery. |
| 7) Are you now having any particular problems or challenges? |
| Keelan: No problems, but I'm challeged every day I go into
rehab. |
| 8) How would you describe your rehabilitation experience?
What was the most rewarding? |
| Keelan: Rehab was the hardest thing I've ever gone through.
Not only is it serious physical pain, but it's also a mental battle.
You have to stay positve and believe in yourself and what others
are telling you, which sometimes gets frustrating because they're
not in your position. But through it all you have to work hard because
the pay off is that you get to play again. The most rewarding day
was the day I was cleared! |
| 9) What was the worst part of rehab for you and why? |
| Keelan: Besides what I mention in the previous answer,
the worst part had to be right after surgery. Just lifting
your leg is such a challenge. Sometimes it was hard to believe you
could do it, or that the exercises were only going to get harder,
but I set goals and once I acheived them, I knew I could always
move on. |
| 10) Have you found it difficult to "trust" your surgically
repaired knee? Explain. |
| Keelan: Trust is a big word. "Trusting" someone to perform
this operation right, "trusting" the person who will help you get
through rehab, and just "trusting" yourself that you'll make it
through was difficult. It was always one week at a time, which then
turned into months, and still now I'm skeptical, but I've trusted
everyone along the way so that when I do play my first game again
I will trust myself to be able to perform. |
| 11) Do you (did you) have any fears or concerns about returning
to play? |
| Keelan: There's always the fear, that one; you'll never
be who you were. And two; how will I not be scared of this
happening again? But that's part of the "rehab" process, this
way you will be ready when the time comes. But I think right now
my biggest fears are just getting all the firsts' out again...getting
hit (esp. in the knee), kicking, cutting, taking that fall. |
| 12) Do you think that being an athlete provided you any advantages
during rehabilitation? Explain. |
Keelan: I think as an athlete you face a lot of challenges,
so to me that is how I looked at this injury. You can't take it
back, so forget pondering on that. But you can look ahead,
and just like when you're on a team you set goals and objectives
and you strive for them, and that is how I approached this knee
injury. If you enjoy the challege, you'll go to rehab and sweat
and challenge yourself every day. You'll see the progress and it
makes you work harder, and as long as you stay positive, focused,
and know that in six to eight quick months you'll play again is
your personal
reward...nobody elses..is better than any game or championship you'll
ever win! |
| Short Questions: |
| 1) What kind of graft did you have to repair your ACL? Patellar
tendon. |
| 2) Were you in a CPM machine after surgery? No. |
| 3) Do you have any patches on your knee where sensation has not
returned? Where? Yes, on the scar, and on the side of my
outer leg. |
| 4) What kind of brace, if any, have you used in your rehabilitation?
A fitted brace just for women. |
| 5) Did you hear any distinct sounds when you injured your knee?
If so, what? No there was not any pop or snap. I had no
idea it was serious. |
| 6) How long after the surgery before you started to jog?
Two months. |
| 7) How many months before you were "cleared" to return to your
sport? Exactly six months!!! |