Worn out
That's essentially what's wrong with my knee - it's worn out. Specifically, it appears that I have a worn and/or torn lateral meniscus (semilunar cartilage) in my left knee. My theory is that it was worn down enough that smashing it with the car door caused it to tear. Just so you know, the lateral meniscus is the one on the outer edge of the knee. The one on the inner side is called the medial, either because it talks to reporters a lot or because it's closer to the median; I'm not sure which it is.
Not my actual knee. MY knee has a kneecap.
According to an online article, this sort of injury is common in very active, athletic individuals (oh, yeah - that is SO me!) but usually occurs in the other meniscus, the medial one. It figures I'd be the one to do it different, doesn't it?
So, in the near future I will be getting an MRI of my knee to verify the extent of the damage, although my orthopod (and former next-door neighbor) said that he doesn't think it will require surgery. (YAY!) Until we find out more, he gave me some samples of a new anti-inflammatory painkiller (you didn't think they were leaving that lucrative Vioxx/Celebrex market untapped, did you?) which hopefully won't destroy my heart or make me vomit blood while it eases my knee pain. I'll keep y'all in the loop as I endure the boredom of an MRI on my knee (I fell asleep during my last one 12 years ago) and my subsequent complete diagnosis and treatment regimen. Because I know everyone likes to hear about medical stuff.
Not my actual knee. MY knee has a kneecap.According to an online article, this sort of injury is common in very active, athletic individuals (oh, yeah - that is SO me!) but usually occurs in the other meniscus, the medial one. It figures I'd be the one to do it different, doesn't it?
So, in the near future I will be getting an MRI of my knee to verify the extent of the damage, although my orthopod (and former next-door neighbor) said that he doesn't think it will require surgery. (YAY!) Until we find out more, he gave me some samples of a new anti-inflammatory painkiller (you didn't think they were leaving that lucrative Vioxx/Celebrex market untapped, did you?) which hopefully won't destroy my heart or make me vomit blood while it eases my knee pain. I'll keep y'all in the loop as I endure the boredom of an MRI on my knee (I fell asleep during my last one 12 years ago) and my subsequent complete diagnosis and treatment regimen. Because I know everyone likes to hear about medical stuff.
On 4/29/2008 11:00 AM,
BOSSY said…
OWwwwwwwww-ch.
On 4/29/2008 12:13 PM,
none said…
I hope they are able to get in there and get you fixed up with minimal pain and inconvenience.
On 4/29/2008 2:18 PM,
cathouse teri said…
Oh my goodness. I don't like this. Not one bit. Now you can't do all those kinky positions we had planned for our first meeting!
On 4/29/2008 3:12 PM,
Jami said…
For you, my dear Teri, I will endeavor to work diligently on some of them in my recovery so that you won't be disappointed. How about these:
The REAL Hug With Prolonged Kiss
The Up-Close Coffee Chat
The Wine Sniff, Sip and Lick
The Big Bouncy Laugh
The Constant Touch
The Tantalizing Giggle
Eating The Delicious Meal
Finishing The Maximum Repeated Sweetness Dessert Together.
Are there any others I should try to regain my mastery of?
On 4/29/2008 7:45 PM,
Suzy said…
Jami, well I, FOR ONE love to hear about medical stuff because then I won't be alone in my misery. But I am glad you don't have to have surgery.
Before my surgery my internist put me on Celebrex. Then when I saw the surgeon 3 days later and told him I was on Celebrex he told me to stop it immediately as it was a blood thinner. Did the internist KNOW I was going in for surgery? Y.E.S.
Always get a 467th opinion.
On 4/29/2008 8:04 PM,
soccer mom in denial said…
Awwwww..... big HUGE hug!! Sitting down.
On 4/30/2008 8:01 AM,
Anonymous said…
I agree with Suzy. Not only do I love to hear about medical stuff, I also agree that there are too many idiot doctors out there. Not that yours will be, but there's always a chance. God knows how many mistakes I've caught that my doctor or a nurse made. It's quite scary. If you think something's amiss or they're going about something in the wrong way, chances are, they probably are.
Again, not saying this is the case with YOUR doctor but just don't be afraid to question things. *hugs*
On 4/30/2008 9:44 AM,
Jami said…
@SMID - HUG back! Thanks!
@Suzy & 1L1L - My orthopedic surgeon was also my next-door neighbor for about 15 years, and I have no problems asking him questions because he's a friend. He's also had a knee replaced so he knows what it's like to be both doctor and patient.
As for the drug I'm taking, it's Limbrel (flavocoxid). It's strictly an anti-inflammatory and is not a painkiller, per se. Although it is available only by prescription, it's technically a "medical food product" derived from plant bark and root extracts. Essentially, it's a very concentrated flavonoid (think soy, green tea, cocoa, etc.) that acts to disrupt the conversion of the excess arachidonic acid (AA) released into an injury into the COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes which ultimately cause pain and inflammation. Simulataneously, it acts as a powerful antioxidant to remove the excess free radicals at an injury site. It has no known drug interactions and and if you aren't allergic to flavanoids, it works as well as other anti-inflammatories, such as naproxen, without any more side effects than a placebo. It seems to be helping me and so far I haven't experienced any nastiness from it.
Is that enough medical info? For now?
On 4/30/2008 8:15 PM,
Jen said…
Ow, Jami! That sounds awful. I hope it feels much better quickly. Huge Hugs!
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