Don't chop off my leg!

A couple months ago, I vowed to run a half-marathon every month this summer. And you might have noticed that I'm not blogging about all my successful half-marathon running.

My right knee objected to that promise. I haven't been able to run in weeks. The right knee doesn't just hurt or throb, it's piercing pain. It actually feels like somebody is sticking a knife into my kneecap, very quickly. It comes on suddenly and goes away fairly quickly as well. I literally scream, grunt and yell when it hurts. It's that bad.

You know it's really bad because I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I've had one doctor's appointment in the last five years, and that was for a routine physical. I know a number of medical professionals read this blog, so, closed-circuit to them, here's a description of the pain: The pain typically occurs when I'm going up or coming down stairs or inclines on trails. It's localized, non-radiating pain. It's a 10 on a 1-10 pain scale. It's located toward the interior of the knee, about an inch off the kneecap. No medical history of any problems on the knee, though I was tackled once in sixth grade ... no, that's a story for another time. The knee is stable, but I treat it gingerly because it hurts so damn much.

Now would be a good time to acknowledge that TW believes me to be dramatic in regard to health issues (though I was spot on predicting Duke's death ... the final time I predicted it ... out of three or four times). I am properly freaking out over this. I've done the WebMD thing and I think I know what it is because it specifically mentions one of my symptoms, pain while going up or down stairs.

Still, I'm freaked out. Due to the lack of running and the all-inclusive hotel staying and my general unwillingness to change my diet, my weight has ballooned. I do not want to get on the scale. Plus the knee thing. It could be knee cancer. That's a thing, right?

We're just going to have to amputate.

See how fast that happened? In 10 sentences, I cut my leg off. At least then I could get back to training for those not-gonna-happen half-marathons. On my prosthetic leg. Wish me luck.

Comments

  1. Granola MomJune 6, 2011 at 6:47 PM

    Torn meniscus:) Is that what you self-diagnosed it as? I have one- and that is the perfect description of what happens when one of the little flaps gets caught and then releases (folds back on itself). I hope you get some relief soon. Or maybe an rx that says you can't run anymore. Depending on if you want in out or not! Hope tomorrow goes ok!

    ReplyDelete
  2. BobJune 7, 2011 at 6:08 AM

    It could be one of those rare knee tumors.
    But it's not.
    See the doc. Worse case probably is some arthroscopic surgery, a quick recovery and back to activity. And, there's always bicycling and swimming.
    Prayin' for both you and your "wee" knee, as it were.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JillJune 7, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    Don't cut off your knee. 47-5-5.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CatherineJune 7, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    I was thinking meniscus, too. Not sure how you feel about wacko, weirdo Chinese medicine, but a dear friend of mine is a great acupuncturist in Portland. He and his wife fix a lot of people. And I'd be surprised if he made you get on a scale.
    http://www.downeastacupuncture.com/about_us.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. JPJune 8, 2011 at 1:55 AM

    Thanks, guys. Gretchen, I was definitely thinking about you when I wrote the closed loop to medical professionals. Torn meniscus was actually my No. 2 diagnosis. I thought it was a platellar thing, which I have totally forgotten the name of. Catherine, I don't mind Chinese meds at all but I'm going Western on this. It's not *that* big a deal, despite my ensuing blog post.

    ReplyDelete

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