Thursday, February 28, 2013

A quick update on my knee...

For those who are wondering and haven't heard yet, I saw the doctor this morning to get the results of my MRI following my unfortunate snowboarding accident a couple weeks ago.

First of all, have you ever had an MRI before? It's very strange, and I still don't quite understand how it can see the inside of my body. They roll you into this tube (luckily feet first for me since I'm extremely claustrophobic, but I still almost flipped out as my head approached the opening, even though the guy had assured me my head would not be going in) and then you lie there for about 20 minutes. The room is darkened, and in my case I had been given headphones tuned to the local country music station to drown out the noise of the machine. It didn't really help. For between two to four minutes at a time I listened to an extremely loud jackhammering noise as electromagnetic pulses streamed into my leg (I'm making that part up; I'm not sure that's exactly what happens, but it's what I picture in my head). I got 30 second rests in between to listen to Taylor Swift's whining, and it didn't hurt at all, but it was very... weird.

Anyway, that was on Tuesday and today the doctor informed me, "Well, I have good news and I have bad news."  Thanks buddy. I've been perpetually stressed out this week about needing surgery and never being able to function normally again / having a wooden leg like a pirate, and that's how you start our conversation? Cue anxiety attack.

"The bad news is I'm not going to get to operate on you."  JERK.

Phew! Apparently I have a partially torn MCL, and it should heal up on it's own in about four weeks with the aid of physical therapy and a stylish knee brace. I should be able to ditch the crutches in a week or so, but I may keep using them on the bus so people will feel sorry for me and let me have a seat. I feel no guilt about this.

So I'll gimp along in life for a bit longer, it seems. My biggest disappointment is that Stewart and I are registered to run the St. Patrick's Day Dash, which is obviously now out of the question (although Stew did offer to push me through in a wheelchair). Which reminds me, have you ever gotten the opportunity to ride around the grocery store in one of those motorized scooters for the physically challenged? It's sort of fun humiliating.

Thank you, everyone, for all your kind words and thoughts... here's hoping for a quick and permanent recovery!

9 comments :

  1. I had an MRI once in 6th grade, or maybe it was a CT scan? Not sure but I was fully in a tube, even my head! You're lucky you got to listen to music, they just gave me earplugs! Glad to hear you won't need surgery but that is so lame you have to wear a brace for so long and go through PT. Crutches are so uncomfortable! Hope the healing process goes quickly!!

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  2. Glad to hear you won't need surgery! One less thing to worry about before moving into your new home!

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  3. Good news about no surgery! I had the opposite news about my shoulder after falling snowboarding :/ but luckily it's almost healed a year later :)

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  4. whew! glad they won't be cutting you open!! heal quickly and let us know how we can help pack/move!

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  5. So glad you don't have to have surgery. Hope it heals quickly for you.

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  6. well, I'm so glad that you don't need surgery and I think i would SLAP the doctor if he made the joke. I think doctor's often forget that while this may be routine for them, it's like SERIOUS for you.

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  7. so glad you don't have to have surgery!!! that sucks you can't do the st. patty's day run but i'm sure you two will find something else fun to do! funny that you had to listen to country music, every time you hear that song, you'll think of the MRI!

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  8. What a relief you don't need surgery!! I'm thinking of you!!! Take it easy over there!

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Talk to me, Goose!