Thanks to everyone for the support and messages. It is no fun waiting a month to see if you need surgery and I appreciated everyone's support more than you will know.
I had the "day of reckoning" at the Sports Science Institute today with the ultrasound and full exam on my knee, now that the swelling has gone down. Our Olympic team train and get their support there and the facilities were unbelievable. I had a half hour exam by the top guy in the country and a complete MRI exam from four perspectives. I am amazed at the detail they can assemble. He even picked out that I had had a small episode with patella tendonitis lasting about a week in 1995!
The bottom line is that I have a Grade II MCL and stress fractures in both the tibia and the femur. That sounds like bad news but the stress fractures are relatively localized and minor and they and the MCL are healing nicely.
I should be able to jog slowly in about four weeks, beginning with small runs of about two miles.
The great news is that the cartliage involvement that appeared to be a problem at first has now been ruled out. It looked really quite good. So, it's onto light anti-inflammatories for two more weeks (ibuprofen), icing, work in the gym, and then back to running.
There was some bad news. The stress fractures were indicative of injury that did not occur in the fall. Rather, the earlier meniscus work may have produced some bone on bone contact and that may be the cause of the niggliing leg pains I have had sporadically in recent months.
So, no more cross-country mountain racing (a real bummer) and I am strongly advised to cut down to about 1000 kilometers a year (about 33% down) and to no more than three runs a week. I also have to get my weight down 5 lbs in order to get below 180lbs. Ideally, down to 175lbs would be best.
But, the future is going to have to involve some cycling, which I hate, but otherwise I am unlikely to be running much past 60. I want to be one of those buggers doing the half marathons at 80, so I need to start making changes now if I want to be there thirty years hence.
Nevertheless, a great day! The surgery that seemed certain is now no longer a threat and I am appreciative of all of your support and encouragement!