Closer But No Answer Yet

Well...not good but not bad so far! Hmmm...Ok, saw my knee doc today "Dr. T" and he checked out my knee. X-rays not bad some mild narrowing on side & bit more in the middle but he says no choice got to do an MRI. He is not totally convinced I didn't tear my meniscus and cartilidge. The best case scenario is it is just my knee cap problem - Chondromalacia - which is when my knee cap moves to the side where it shouldn't. I had a lateral release of my ligament on my left knee over the summer after my sophmore year in college. I really haven't had any problems since then. He told me today I saw him for the first (last also) time Dec 06 for this so I went a year & seven months without major problems. Then my knee would not straighten but no pain. I just remembered now kneeling to get a pot sometime in the winter & having horrible pain on the inside hollow part? Hmmm have to tell him. Well, this time HUGE pain. If it turns out this then it would just be how many episodes & how long they last & if I can put up with it. If it gets so bad then I can pick a convenient time (ya right) and get it done when I want. Only a 20 minute operation & he said the surgery has changed in the last 10 years, much less 20 since I had it. There are actually knee cap specialist now. They do a release, like I had, but they also tighten up the muscle on the opposite side now too. About 3 weeks recovery. Not too bad.

Ok, now what he wants to rule out is a meniscus problem. If I tore it & some cartilidge then he say I have no choice & have to have surgery. He said if I was 20 (Yes, I gave him a dirty look!) then I could wait until it is too painful, but with aging one gets narrowing & less cartilidge and my mom has had one knee done with this already a few years ago some genetic history here. He said it would makes a big difference to have one less problem causing pain. And I'm so active, man if this pain I have now was something I would have to live with without surgery...no way! He said recovery would be from maybe 3-6 weeks depending how bad. UGH!!! I told him I have 3 more weeks of school & then 2 1/2 off. He said ok, lets get going & I agreed. I scheduled the MRI for Monday afternoon already! He was great! Only the 2nd time I've seen him & he was great. Had his knee joint prop & explained everything to me...except his knee cap was not on right...I said, "Well that could explain my pain!" HA! He said what I'm doing in PT & home and the ice & 800mg of Motrin is exactly what I should do for my knee cap problem so?

My knee made considerable improvements overnight the first two nights but now it is holding & lingering the last couple of days! Ugh! Still feels like a rock & doesn't feel like it is working right. Hard to straighten when I have been sitting. So if you can think good thoughts for my knee...I really don't want to be missing school again. I was out 9 weeks with my foot surgery, I think that is going to be 3 yrs ago in Sept. And I'm just horrible not out & about & passionately living. Just sitting on my butt is not me. My spirit feels squashed. If I have no choice then I'll have to but I just hope I don't have to. I'll let you know when I know more next week. He is going to call me when he takes a look.