Kneedful Things

Wednesdays are fast becoming my favorite day of the week not just for getting over the hump of the work week.  This is the day I get to have lunch with a very stalwart son who works about 20 miles east of me.  Yesterday was no exception and I truly enjoyed the lunch as we conspired on how to make Mother’s Day special for his mom.

The Son Yesterday

That was the good part of the day.  I had to hurry back to Worcester for my appointment with the orthopedic doctor.  I injured my right knee back in 1992 when an overzealous young troop hit me too low during a game of combat soccer.  I had the meniscus trimmed in an operation at the time where they also discovered I tore the ACL.  I didn’t get that repaired until 2001 but it felt great after that – I even ran a marathon a year and a half later.  A couple weeks ago the right knee gave out on me a couple times and the left one felt like I was kneeling in broken glass.

I am very impressed with the professionalism and speed of the medical care I get at UMASS Memorial - just top notch.  I was whisked into the X-ray room upon arrival where I then had to perform some truly acrobatic poses for the X-rays wearing my two patient gowns (front and back).  I’m amazed at the progress of technology as the X-rays are now directly loaded onto the computer and sent to the doctor’s examining room. 

The New X-Ray System Showing my Knees

I just wish the news had been better when I got to that place.  Today the butcher’s bill came due.  Apparently all those years jumping out of airplanes and road marching with rucksacks were not conducive to knee health, who knew?  The doc reported that my right knee was bone on bone and drifting (yep – drifting).  That, combined with the attendant arthritis, was causing the discomfort and failure episodes.  He was even kind enough to demonstrate by manipulating my then pain free knee in a couple of weird positions until I literally yelled out in pain. 

I was kind of expecting some bad news but when he launched into telling me the steps I needed to take to push knee replacement surgery further down the road he had my undivided attention.  He offered options of steroid shots, gel injections, or leg strengthening exercises.  I, of course, took option #3 (which I’m sure was the point of the offer menu) as the pain is not constant or bad, yet.  The most devastating news was that I am no longer allowed to do my daily runs and must convert my exercise program to bike riding.  I’ve run regularly since joining the Army in 1978 and that news, more than anything else, shocked the hell out of me. 

The Offending Knee
Apparently the Ball Joint on the Right Should Have the Same Space Below it as That on the Left

I’ve come to really enjoy running and the contemplative solitude it offers.  To think that is permanently gone now and the piddling ass little run I took on Tuesday would be the last mile out of the tens of thousands I’ve journeyed left me feeling really down. 

The doctor also told me I shouldn’t dance anymore but I told him my marriage probably wouldn’t survive that injunction.  He told me that I should use extreme caution when I do dance (he doesn’t know my wife). 

So yesterday, despite the best efforts of my son, really sucked as a larger than expected portion of joy was excised out of my life.  I know it’s dumb but I feel diminished. I was surprised at the amount of angst this created.  I was in such a bad mood that I picked a fight with the wife when I got home and spent the evening watching an old movie and the Bruins win by myself.

Glad Someone Felt Like a Winner Last Night