Knees

I recall posting recently about boomers busting future records for knee and hip replacements because we created the exercise boom and now we're paying the price.

May I add myself to this category?

While playing tennis with my son today, I went left to return a serve and the top of my leg went with me, while the bottom somehow stayed where it was. I hit the dirt knowing I had done something seriously wrong to my knee.

Sonny boy came to the rescue, took me to the ER, and I am now on the couch with my leg elevated, ice pack under my knee, leg brace the size of Florida next to me, and a prescription to have an MRI by my favorite orthopod this week.

I am an orthopaedic nightmare. I've already torn my other ACL playing soccer with the kids at a church function, popped my achilese (spelled way wrong) while playing tennis, and now have done who knows what to this knee.

Ross and I have all kinds of plans for our empty nest (second child leaves this week, third one shortly thereafter), but God must have something else in store. I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and did I mention we're having company for dinner? This should be interesting.

Hopefully you have considered takeout for dinner. Take care of yourself and hope you feel better soon.
Anno

Dotsie, you are sooooo right about our generation paying the price for the fittness boom. About 7 years ago, I was living in an apartment temporarily as we prepared to relocate to TN. There was a group of ladies that met twice a week in the clubhouse for aerobics. Well, since my apt. was on the 2nd floor, I didn't want to do my usual workout tapes as I had done when I was a 'homeowner.' I had visions of the neighbor below banging the ceiling with a broom handle!! I have worked out since my 30's and so I didn't think anything of joining the class. I'm not a fan of group exercise classes although I taught one for time. I thought - what the heck, I'd give it a try. Well, I was old enough to be their mother. I managed to keep up with them which was no easy feat - but truth be told it about killed me. On the last night of class - for reasons unknown - I landed on my right leg in an odd position - and the pain shot thru my knee like a knife. I have not been the same since. I believe I did some real damage - but, chicken that I am - have not seen a doctor. It will no doubt have to be addressed one day. I still work out and try to 'baby' it, but it will wake me in the night with that searing, shooting pain on the inner knee. I think it's tendon damage - but, did I mention that 'chicken little' thing about seeing the doctor?!? I do know several gals my age that have had knee and hip replacements and hope I won't be needing anything that drastic for a long time.

You poor thing...a bad sprain can be really terrible. A few years back I broke one ankle and sprained the other one really bad, and the sprain took longer to heal than the break plus it still bothers me at times...Give it plenty of time to heal and wear that brace whatever else you do. Saying a prayer for you.

Oh Lordy....you poor souls...if you would just follow my example and sit on the couch, watch some mindless TV and eat Oreo's, you'd be much better off...pain-wise, that is.

Course, you'd be fluffy, too. Hmm...

God's speed Dots!

JJ

Oh Dotsie, sure wish we could be there to help in some way...hubby's homemade soup? some fresh baked cookies? Watermelon? Earl Grey tea, hot?

Take it easy...good thing you have a laptop! (you DO have a laptop, I seem to remember, don't you?) I'll be keeping you close in prayer as well. All things work together for good - can't wait to see what this one's all about!

Sorry to hear about the misadventure, Dotsie. Try not to be loadbearing on the leg until you have had the MRI just to make sure you don't cause further injury to it. Borrow the crown from JJ for the time being, put your feet up and delegate.

Dotsie, so sorry to hear about your knee. Hope you have some kind of pain reliever too.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Funny thing is, I'm not in much pain. Thank God. I took the brace off and am heading to church. I can't fit in the pew with the brace on. We have goofy theater seating. But I am going to be oh so careful. I definitely did something here. The knee can't twist so I think it's the tendon/ligament related.

I am going to smack the brace on, go shopping for the last time with my daughter to ready her for college (she leaves Thursday), then hit the Queen's couch. I just have to get some Oreo's while I'm out!

browser, I have a friend who has a knee similar to yours. A bunch of us played basketball in high school so we decided to try a grown up league for fun. Liitle did we know they had young 20 something college grads who subbed on occasion. She injured her knee, never went to the doctor, and limps to this day. You should get an MRI just so you know what's going on.

Dotsie,I have you in my prayers for quick healing.Your right to be very careful and not push it too much.
Luv,
chick

A lesson to learn poor Dotsie,
Is without a knee, you're tipsy-topsy.
In church you need it to kneel,
Without it you start to keel.
Tennis and housekeeping must wait,
Dust bunnies have their own fate.
Spraining a joint,
A picnic it "oint." (cringe)
Thank God you can still type to us mates.

GET WELL SOON !

Cute poem Hannalore!
Sorry to hear of your injury Dotsie! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
How'd dinner go?

Hannelore too cute, how about saying:

spraining a joint,
isn't making a point.

You ladies truly never cease to impress me with your gift for poetry!

Oh Dotsie, another thing we have in common! I hope it feels better soon.

Bad knees run in my family. My mom has horrible knees and won't do the knee replacement thing, no real reason. Her sister had it done and is doing awesome - she bowls, walks, everything.

I can walk for miles, but I can't run, and I have to be careful with stairs in case my knee goes out. I'm sure I'll be a replacement candidate within 10 years or so. I feel like an old lady going down the stairs so slow.

I used to love playing racquetball, but the fast twisting and turning of the knees just killed me. I miss that competitive high speed sport. Walking gets boring!

When you age, the healing process is so much slower. I had dental surgery last week and I'm still in pain! Drugs don't help...I can't eat solid foods. It's a mess!

Hannelore, you should be submitting to BWS for publication!
And you're right, I do need me knees to kneel. I told my husband last night that if I had to have surgery, I wouldn't be able to kneel again. I tore my left ACL and had surgery for that several years ago.

Kathy, sounds like we have similar knee issues, but I haven't learned my lesson yet. You have!

My MRI was at 11:00 pm last night. I had a 45 minute meeting today and missed the doctor's call. When I returned the call, they said HE had to discuss my results with me. I joked with her and wanted to pay her off just to hear the results sooner, but I have to wait for him to be free...which means it must be something, or don't you think she could have told me if it was nothing?

W a i t i n g ...

Oh Dotsie, don't think it's bad! I had a chest xray to check for pulmonary fibrosis, since my dad suffered from it before he died.

I was on vacation when the results came in and the nurses wouldn't tell me anything. I had to wait until I got back to see the doctor, and it turned out I was fine.

I worried that whole time for nothing!

Thanks Kathy. Fortunately, I'm not worried. I've had ACL surgery before, so if I have to have it again, at least I know I've lived through it before and I will live through it again. I'm not really in pain. I'm walking without my brace, just VERY carefully. I can bend the knee. I can't twist ot turn without feeling soemthing mve so it isn't all that bad.

Still waiting ...

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Kathy, do you have to be tested for that occasionally?

Dotsie, no, not really. I am a participant in a medical study through Duke University regarding pulmonary fibrosis.

My dad and three of his brothers all died from complications of lung disease (not cancer), so they are trying to find out if there is a genetic link.

All of them smoked - and grew up on a tobacco farm in North Carolina, and my dad worked at a cement plant for years breathing cement dust. Those conditions probably made it worse.

I have never smoked, but was surrounded by second-hand smoke during my childhood, as well as lived in smoggy Riverside, CA for my first 17 years. Now I live in the mountains with lots of clean fresh air and try to expose myself to as little bad air as possible.

I do wonder, sometimes, if it will affect me someday. I have never had good lung capacity for endurance. But, time will tell.

Good luck on your meeting with your doctor!

Dotsie,

Hope you're feeling all better now. Orthopedic pain is something else--I've had natural childbirth and a frozen shoulder--I'll take natural childbirth, it's over a lot sooner and they let you scream if you want to!

Dotsie, I hope you're feeling better! Please don't aggravate the condition by trying to get back to "normal" too soon.

I busted both my knees pretty bad when I was about 30. Took a gymnastics class. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I had very strong legs but poor depth perception, and vaulted right INTO the pommel horse. And because I refuse to quit, I did it again. And a third time. By then the instructor told me to stop, because both knees were swelling rapidly.

The machismo of youth is the bad knees and back of middle (an older) age. OUCH.

Dotsie it isn't necessary to be able to kneel, haven't been on my knees for years. Got backed up into by a car when only 19 and had one bad knee ever since, now I can't get down on either one, too painful and getting back up is a real project. Anyone have a crane??? LOL

Just realized I never updated you after seeing the doctor.

Looks like I tore my ACL and meniscus. Knee surgery is in my future. Lucky me. I am putting it off until after we take our youngest to college. After surgery I will be on crutches for at least three weeks and in PT for at least eight weeks. I am so grateful I work form home and have a lap top!

Keep us posted! It will be so much better after the surgery. I used to swear that my therapists could work for the CIA...I would have told them anything to get them to stop! But I am so grateful to have my range of motion back...it was worth it!