A while back, my dog Jester took me down on a walk. He saw a cat and decided to tear after it, not realizing he was attached to me by a leash. He pulled hard and got away, leaving me in a writhing heap on the ground. I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize how bad until I visited my orthopedic surgeon. I had torn the ACL and meniscus of my left knee. I would require surgery.
"Do you want to use cadaver tissue or your own for the repair?" he asked.
"Huh?" I responded. I felt a little dizzy and even a bit nauseous.
I would've thought by now they had come up with bionic ligaments. But no. I was either using my own hamstring or tissue from a cadaver- someone who had donated his or her body to science.
"I gotta Google this," I said. I really needed more information before making a decision.
There are pros and cons to both sides. Risk of rejection of foreign tissue. Risk of infection, risk of this, risk of that. Ultimately, I decided to use cadaver tissue because the recovery is shorter. I was all about getting back on my feet as soon as possible.
So far, so good after two days post surgery. I can only hope that my donor was strong, healthy and athletic. For sure, the donor was generous enough to share a body part with me. For that I am grateful.
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