This Old Man, He Played Three, He Played Knick Knack On My Knee

Back when I was learning to be a nurse we were trained in body mechanics.  This training was to help us safely lift and move patients in a way that minimized trauma to our backs.  "Lift with your knees"  we were told.  I'd known nurses with back injuries incurred at work and have been determined that I would protect mine.  My knees, however, are shot.

I tore a ligament in my knee at a roller disco back in the 1980's.  My orthopedist was pretty impressed that I tore my posterior cruciate ligament because he said it was really hard to do that. Apparently an ACL injury is much more common than a PCL.  Later on another orthopedist asked me if I'd had an MRI at the time of that injury.  I laughed and reminded him that roller disco's did not exist in the same decade as MRI's.

Years of working on my feet, being overweight and "protecting my back" finally resulted in a torn meniscus.  I had arthroscopic surgery on that same knee in the late 1990's.  Since then I've had several episodes when my knee locked up presumably from debris present in the joint capsule.  I've had relief though from injections of synthetic joint fluid.  Before my weight loss surgery this was my best option.  I was so heavy that the orthopedist would not risk knee replacement surgery.  My xrays and MRI's had showed arthritis and worn cartilage.  I really needed weight loss and I was less and less active because of my knees as well as my other, more serious, health issues.

I hadn't needed any of the "Synvisc" injections since before my gastric bypass.  My knees have been much better without the extra baggage.  I have been sticking to the stationary bike rather than more high impact exercises.  I was holding up pretty well until yesterday.  All of a sudden when I went to stand up I had a severe sharp pain in my knee.  It was a spot that never hurt before.  I could barely put weight on the leg and my husband brought me to the ER.

I had hoped for a steroid injection in the knee but, not surprisingly, there was no orthopedist handy on a Sunday night.  Narcotic pain medication was my only option for relief.  I had xrays that showed no acute bony injury but severe osteoarthritis.  No surprise there.  I was sent home and referred to ortho for the next day.

So today I did see Dr. Brand, my orthopedist, and he was able to do the injection.  I'm starting to feel better already.  He was amazed to see how much weight I'd lost.  (I still love showing off).  He had suggested in the past that I get a handicapped parking permit.  I'd avoided it before. I didn't want to admit I was handicapped because I was too fat.  There are so many people who have handicaps that are not self-induced that I felt ashamed to get one.  He still feels that I should get the permit because of the severe osteoarthritis.  I have very little cartilage left in my knees.  We did not talk about surgery today but I expect that subject will arise sooner or later.

This whole episode worries me because I don't want to stop exercising!  I need to stick with my quest for better health.  I can still go to the gym and do my upper body weight training.  Dr. Brand said that with the steroids I may be able to get back on the bike in a couple of days.  I hope so.

Love to all,
Marlena of Mohegan