19 and getting ready for my 4th knee surgery in the past two years
HI! I just turned 19 a week ago and I've had knee problems for the past 4 years. It all started when I played my second soccer game in h.s. my freshman year. I was tripped illegaly in the goal box and landed funny on my right knee. When i got up I noticed a popping feeling. I wanted to come out because the pain was so bad it made it painfull to stand on. I ended up playing to rest of the game because we had no subs. I got home and about 1hr after I had a hard time even walking on it. I iced it and went to bed the next morning I woke up and my knee had swelled so much I could not bend or straightin it from the position I slept in. I went to the my PCP the next day he said it was nothing and gave me that ooh so not helping RICE diagnosis. I went back in october when the pain did not subcide I was sent to a speacialist. I went and saw him and he did x-rays and saw no significant findings so he gave me P.T. for almost 3 months when that did do anything for me I went back and had my st surgery on Jan.23.2003. stupidly I went back 1 1/2 months later to play soccer again. this time I blew out my left knee. I went back to my doctor after using all other options (P.T.,RICE) and I had my 2nd surgery of the year on the left in Oct, 15.2003. Well somewere in having my left knee fixed in the process I distroyed my right knee in again but did not realize it as much because of the left ones issues. I went back Feb. of 2004 about the right knee again he put me through P.T.(not suprising)and in April I had my 2nd surgery. It has been 7 months and my right knee is worse off than beofre he fixed it in April. The pain started to get more intense in July but I waited until just recently to go back. Keep in mind I have been doing P.T. and everyother thing I could think of to fix the problem for the past 7 months. I went back in Oct. he gave me Celebrex and more P.T. I called back to weeks later like told and was sent to a different doctor. I just saw him yesturday and he gave me stretching exercises to do for my ITB. This totaly confussed me cause the problem is not with my ITB its my Knee Ligaments and the joint it's self. but o well. I am doing these exercises for two weeks and am supposed to go back on the 15th. I go to school and work as a Vet Tech full time I dont have the time to go and do P.t. twice a week or even once. I do what i can at home but I have a busy schedule. What really gets me is he told that when I go back in two weeks the stretching has not worked he wants to give me and cortizne shot!!ouch no!I do not like the fact of having steroids put into my body! I am very athletic and I need the function and reliability of my knees for work and right know I can't do what I would be able do. plus I know what they shot does and it is not going to fix the problem I want a permanent or more reliable fix not an temporary one that puts steroids in my body. I'm just trying to think of a way to tell him I don't feel comfortable of the shot I am aware of what it is what it does and the side effects. But then I don't want it to seem like I keep hurting myself to keep having surgery. Yeah I hate the fact of having reoccuring problems every 6 months .Like iI told my doc. if I could fix the problem by just PT amd rest w/ medication I would but obviously it has not worked.I don't want to rush back to surgery any more than he does but if it's between the cortizone shot, more P.T. and surgery. I am going to let him know that I'm more comfortable going in the surgery route the cortizone shot is on experiance I choose not to go in. I understand them wanting to explore other options before going back to the OR but honestly yeah it sucks that I'm going through this I feel like the are yanking me around by a chain and I don't like it. Htanks for reading this enormously longer reply and I would appreciate anyones feed back and advise.I would like to also know what you would do if you were in my situation.
From:
Lara Meloni - soccerqueen1928@yahoo.com
