I'm Down on Carly's Knees

So, an update on the biological status of the project.

Carly has busted her knee. Again. I warned her, if she busted her knee again, I'd trade her in for a newer model. I have not done that just yet, but she is on notice!

About 15 years ago, Carly wrecked her knee in a skiing accident. Her doctor told her then that she should get surgery. She didn't. So every few years, she's knock her knee out one way or another, including at least one memorable moment, flying kites in a cemetery. The last time she blew it out, almost exactly 2 years ago, she was training for the FBI. True story.

MRI scans revealed that Carly had mangled all the ligaments around her left knee, and the ACL was totally ripped. Surgery was scheduled, small scars produced, crutches bought, and physical therapy ensued. After about 6 months, Carly was allowed to run again, and things were pretty good.

Then she went to North Carolina for a family vacation (I was wise to avoid it), and walked out into the surf when there was a riptide warning. Warning unheeded, she was knocked down by the water, and rrrRRRRIIIIIiiipppp! New ACL is torn.

She saw the orthopaedic doctor today, and he told her that she's going to need surgery again. This time, they're going to use corpse tendons, so she'll be part zombie (I warned her! I have a shotgun!). And this presents a dilemma.

Knee surgery, hell--any surgery--is a pretty intense, traumatic event. Should she get the surgery before she gets pregnant, or after? I mean, we are somewhat on a clock here. Our chances of getting pregnant naturally drop off every year after 30, and if we want to have a kid the old fashioned way, we need to think about timing. On top of that, would she be in danger of greater injury if she walks around, fatted and with calf, on a busted knee? It turns out, there have been a number of studies about this.*

Pregnancy hormones actually make a woman's body more pliable and flexible, and lots of pregnant ladies suffer knee injuries when they're With Parasite.* Carly would actually be in slightly increased danger if she were to get heavy with spawn on a bum knee. So yeah, she should have her surgery before.

But the drugs and therapy and bodily stress will push out our eventual pregnancy date for a bit. And, let's face it, sex with a busted knee is quite limited in the kinds of twisting and flipping that can be done. If you flop one way or the other during a roll in the hay, you could twist that corpse tendon right out of its graft. And then, zombies are running loose--it'll be anarchy!

For a final verdict, the doctor called human nature into the fray: "If you don't do it before you get pregnant, you'll never do it." And he's right. It took Carly 15 years to get the damned thing fixed in the first place, so better do it now.

* I am leaving these unattributed. I am too lazy, today, to find the links again, and I didn't save them. Anyway, google "ACL surgery pregnant before after" and see what comes up. There are a bunch of useless, un-scientific forum posts, but if you sort through it, you'll find the Canadian study I read.