(Dupe of pugski post)
I think I have good news!
After the crazy pop, the sticking knee cap, the diagnosis of exacerbated chondromalacia, and lots of Graston technique - I was able to start riding my mountain bike again. And the more I ride, the better my knee feels. And the better my knee feels, the more I ride ... I'm even getting comfortable on technical stuff again.
With every ride, the knee is a bit achey for a while, then settles in. It's a little cranky that evening, but better the next day. I think I'm simply stretching out the patellar tendon (where he harvested the tissue for the graft).
I just tested my knee with squats and split squats, and while it's still not perfect - it's better than it was even a week ago. Like, a lot better!
I still have some limitations when riding, like I want to have my right leg forward, not back, when riding downhill - but it's a huge improvement from a month ago.
Trying not to feel like I'm waiting for something else to go wrong - and hopeful that I can stay functional through the skills camp I'm doing in late July.