05/15/2026
Recoveries usually happen behind closed doors, but I thought it might be meaningful to share a little of mine.
Last Wednesday I underwent ACL repair surgery using the BEARยฎ Implant procedure, a newer technique designed to help the body heal its own ACL rather than requiring a graft harvest from elsewhere in the body.
These photos were taken about 6 hours post-op while navigating the pain meds, brace, swelling, and the reality of those first few recovery hours. I had already started some post-op exercises by then and was quickly learning that it feels very different being the patient instead of the PT.
One thing this experience has already reminded me is how much happens behind the scenes in patient care. Just days before surgery, insurance initially denied pre-authorization for the procedure. Thankfully, Ariel Turner, PA-C at Pacific Rim Orthopedic Surgeons participated in a peer-to-peer review with the insurance utilization management team and helped get approval so care could move forward.
At Bellingham Physical Therapy, we regularly advocate for patients in similar ways because continuity of care matters.
As both a physical therapist and now a patient, I thought it could be interesting to share parts of the recovery process from both perspectives. The challenges, milestones, rehab progression, and what physical therapy really looks like after surgery.
More recovery updates to come.
