Knee effusion/cartlidge?

TextI'm 44 yr old woman whom has rheumatiod arthritis an lupus an suffers from a painful left knee. This all started about 4 yrs ago the pain in the knee an in the last few yrs it has swelled at diffrent times the right knee is the the exact same way its swollen to the size of a grapefruit an I have had that one right drained never the left. Almost a year the left knee has been giving me problems it would get locked when I would sit down whether it be in a car getting into the car its tried to (lock) on me 4 times,chair,bed,turning over in bed you name it once it did this when I was getting into my car an tg my hubby came home he had to help me get it straightned out an once it got to its point it (popped) an I could walk again. I've had RA since I was 17 but, recently I had to make a trip to the blasted er an I hate hate hospitals an er's aren't really the place to go but, I was in horrible horrible PAIN PAIN an I couldn't get into see my reg. doc as it was a t night,,,,,,,like I'd ever had with this knee ever!!!I was sitting on my bed an went to get up an the knee would not I mean not straighten I sat for like an hour trying to get it back an it was to painful so I had to make the trip by ambulance. UGH getting me on the stretcher was so bad I couldn't walk,crawl,or sit so here I go to the hospital holding my knee. Xrays were done showed nothing but, the er doc did say he thought it has to do with the cartlidge a peice possible poppin out of place? All I know is this the pain was taveling down my leg the from the knee down it felt all wobbly like it was just hangin there before he straightened it kinda up my thigh as well. On a scale from 1-10 it was over a 10 an with my RA I've taken alot of pain over the yrs. Anyhow the knee was put in a knee immobilizer/crutches an here I sit still in one waiting to see my Ortho doc. Once the idiot er doc relized hey! she really can't straighten her leg out he tried by doing it to fast idiot, he slowly slowly straightened it an it POPPED!!!! what relief! I couldn't get up an do a jig LOL but, I was no longer in ((((((excruitiating pain)))))). He also mentioned about a menicus tear? Just curious if anyone here has had or is having a problem such as mine. I was in a car accident but that was when I was 20 I really don't think that could have done all this it was the left knee too. He also said a MRI would be needed I've had them so I know the coffin effect. Im probably going to have surgery I kinda ify but, is there a diffrence in OS whom work on the upper body an the ones whom work on the lower the reason I'm askin is I have excellence OS whom did my right ulnar wrist fusion an then my left wrist arthroscopy so I'm hopping he will be able to do the knee as well.

Sel