When I woke up there were all these holes in my knee...

 Swelling is much reduced on post-op day three

It is quite amazing, really. All the work is done with the arthroscope through the various holes poked in my leg. Five in front for the inspecting, cleaning and drilling, one in back for the hamstring collection.

The blue smudge above my left knee is what remains of the surgeon's initials. If there could be a "best part" to knee surgery, this was it. In the pre-op waiting room, just before going in, Dr. Korkola comes up to me, grasps my left leg with both hands, looks me right in the eye and says,

"So, do we agree that this is the leg we are working on?"

I look him in the eye and reply,

"Yes, we agree."

It was April Fools Day, after all.

Then he writes his initials on my leg with magic marker, in BIG letters.