Hello,
I am new to these forums, and would appreciate ANY help anyone may offer in form of advice.
Iam a 32 year old male and am a Paramedic. While working, I struck the inside of my right knee on a steel dumpster, knee "gave out", twisted, and then struck the patella on concrete when I went down. Immediately, Doctors state that I tore my ACL and Meniscus? Nothing showed on x-ray, and MRI showed what two orthos in my area state "the most severe bone bruise they have ever seen". This all happened on July 12, 2008. First ortho had me in a compression brace for my right knee and prescribed ice and motrin. 2 weeks later sent me to physical therapy, which increased my pain and swelling. Within 6 weeks, this doc cleared me for work? I could barely walk...still 10/10 pain with weightbearing and movement. I opted to see another Ortho in my area. Second MRI shows same. Bone Bruise. Again..."most severe ever seen by this doc"? This doc states that the compression brace and ice the first doc prescribed is hinderingmy recovery and to discontinue wearing brace and switch to heat. This did infact reduce my pain to a constant 6/10. This doc states that MRI only revealed bone bruise, and No ACL/Meniscus damage. He said bone bruising takes A LONG TIME TO HEAL, and I am just gonna have to deal with the pain until it is healed?
Okay...
Considering it was a work related injury...Workers Compensation sent me to thier doctor...
A Knee specialist.
Now, This is the wierd part, THIER doctor, looks at MRI, evaluates me, and states..."you have severe cartilage damage, as well as the bone bruise. I cannot guarentee that you will EVER return to your job as a paramedic again with carrying patients on a stretcher due too the poss. of your knee giving out?
Lil Scary...12 years as a medic and 4 kids to feed...what line of work can i poss. go into not requiring lifting/carrying?
Whatever...I will deal with whats to come when it comes.
Next doctors appt....
My ortho disagrees with comp ortho. My doc states he still only sees bone bruising. After many questions I have, and my s/s...he decides to do arthoscopy.
signs and symptoms I am experiencing: Pain with lateral mov't of leg, decreased mov't secondary to 6-7/10 pain, pain with weight bearing, swelling, extreme"clicking" in knee, and general "throbbing 24/7. Mind you....this is 6 months after injury at this point.
Doc does arthroscopy......
Comes back saying "knee is text book, NO INJURIES seen, follow up in 10 days"
Okay...
Yesterday was my appt...
Med student brings in my pics from proceedure...this was great, let me tell you...
She says "look here..".(points to scaley looking area on bone in pic) and says"this is where you had some pretty good cartilage damage, and they had to remove/repair.." I said "umm, honey, lok at my chart...doc said HE DID NOT REPAIR ANYTHING" She looked in my chart and looked very scared...lol...and then said "um..mark, the PA will be in to go over this with you. let me see how much you can bend right leg on your own?"" i bent it as much as tolerable with pain...."90 degrees she states"
In comes PA....first he says "nothing showing in knee" then when i pointed to what the med student showed me, he said "well, that is level 1 damage...basically arthritis" " your knee looks text book" "We dont understand why you have ANY pain, because there is nothing wrong with you"...he has me lay flat to evaluate my mobility...the med student tells him "He has about 90 degrees mobility" the PA says "no way, there is nothing wrong with him, he has more than that..." this guy grabbed my lower leg, lifted, and bent inwards...almost making my foot touch by buttocks...OUCH i scream...30/10 pain!!!!
He lowers my leg to the table and says "see, i told you...he has about 130 degrees".
I was VERY upset with him and used a few "choice" words that i will not post..lol
He again states "i dont know why you are having ANY pain...There is NOTHING wrong with your knee?"...I then said, "is there still a bone bruise?"..he replied with "yeah, your pain is coming from your bone bruise, they take longer than we want to heal, that is where your pain is coming from"....?
I said.."thought I shouldn't be in pain? you say there is NOTHING wrong with me?" He didnt like that...
He then prescribed me 1 physical therapy session to "learn" some exercises to prevent atrophy in the leg and told me that in less than 4 weeks I will be 100% and ready to return to work...full duty.
Dont get me wrong..I WANT and NEED to return to work. But in my line of work, with carrying 200+ lbs patients down multiple flights of stairs on a 110 lbs stretcher going backwards..i kinda depend on my knees to hold all the weight. He says there will be no issues.
I dont wanna jeopordize a patients safety.
All I am asking for is a little advice on what I should do next.
Please feel free to email me at crazy_m3d1c@yahoo.com and I will send you a pic of what the arthroscpy showed.
any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanx
-Tim
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