"Be oblong and have your knees removed..."

[ellid]

Went to the doctor this morning and learned that the pain, locking, and popping in my knee may well be due to arthritis. She's sending me in for x-rays when I get back from K'zoo to see exactly what is going on, but this probably means physical therapy for me. There's a chance it's some shredded cartilage, which might need to be cleaned out, but we'll see.

Other than that, I seem to be in reasonable health. This is an official Good Thing.

Comments

[canellaphile.livejournal.com]

WHEW!! Except for the knees...may the docs take good care of them.

[lherelenfeline.livejournal.com]

Would brace help meanwhile?

[aunty_marion]

If that's 'all' it is, that is indeed a Good Thing. Arthritis is very manageable - physiotherapy will help, and will give you exercises you can do to maintain the joint in as good condition as possible as well as helping if it flares up again; I expect they'll also tell you what anti-inflammatories are best for it, and how much to take and when. I've had mildly arthritic knees myself for well over 25 years now, and don't expect to need a replacement for at least another 20 (barring any unexpected accidents or a severe flare-up!).

As I understand them, cartilage clean-out operations are generally very successful, but will need a bit more after-care until fully healed.

and put a live chicken in your underwear!

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

Subject Line Love!

Good luck with the arthritis! With all the other things I see my Dr about and all the meds he already has me on to stabilize my totally unstable life, I've yet to actually even *mention* my arthritis to him.

It's gotten to the point that if I ever climbed the stairs withOUT the sound of a ratchet issuing forth from my knees, I'd be spooked.

Re: and put a live chicken in your underwear!

[ellid.livejournal.com]

My knee has made these weird crunching noises when I go *down* stairs for years. It also sometimes locks when I go *up*.

This was a major reason why I did not pay 6 euros to climb to the top of Giotto's campanile. It's over 400 steps to what is purportedly the most spectacular view in Florence, but I didn't want the headlines the next day to read "STUPID AMERICAN TOURIST UNABLE TO CLIMB BELOVED LOCAL LANDMARK BECAUSE OF KNEES" or something like that.