In less than 12 hours I will be laying on the operating table getting my knee fixed. Right now I'm nervous and a little bit scared but also excited. Having my knee fixed up will mean that I can start biking, running, swimming, training they way I want to. My knee problems started over a year ago. I triped in a parking lot and then decided it would be fun to go running the same night thinking that I could just work thru the pain. Not something I recommend you try. From personal experience, listen to your body. If it hurts in a bad way then just stop, don't keep pushing thru the pain (unless it's a good pain).
I pushed thru the pain for about 8 months waiting for it to go away. I tried going to the chiropractor to get it set back straight. I tried stretching at home but it just wasn't working. After college started I became extreamly frustrated. My athletic plans for college included racing on the triathlon team, breaking horses, and rock climbing. No of those have happened yet, (except for the horse part). At this point I decided that it was time to seek the help of a certified professional and got a referral to an orthopedic surgeon.
My first appointment was with the surgeons Physicians Assistant. They took x-rays did an exam and didn't find anything "abnormal". I was sent off with a slip for an MRI. After the MRI I went back to the Dr.'s office and the PA came in, told me nothing was wrong with me and hurried me along my way with a prescription for Physical Therapy. I tried PT for about 8 weeks, this probably helped the most. It wasn't curing the problem but it made it pretty obvious that there was something wrong with my knee. After much hard work in PT, continued days ending in a swollen knee and emotional pain, I returned to the surgeon.
This time I finally saw the surgeon. He took time to talk to me about my life first and then about my knee. Finally, a dr. who actually cared about how much pain and frustration I had been going thru! He told me that MRI's usually don't show everything. I left that day with a diagnosis of a possible torn meniscus and other torn cartlidge in my knee. Tomorrow morning I will undergo a video arthroscopy to determine the exact source of the problem and to repair it.
I'm nervous but my mom is here to help me. It's great to have her here and get to spend some time together. It's going to be a long week ahead but I'm prepared. I have one of the best surgeons I could ask for and the highest chance of a full recover. Word of advice? seek help with injuries sooner than later.
Tomorrows a day,
Kyia
No comments:
Post a Comment