Medical Frustration

Knees; everyone has them … well, almost everyone. Mine have been with me since birth and they have gone every place that I have gone, climbed every hill, rode every bike trail, traversed every flight of stairs and sat on every chair, bench, log and fence. Unfortunately they do not always last as long as the other parts of the body. Oh, they last longer for some folks than for others, but it is not uncommon for them to wear out. My Dr. reaffirmed for me that mine are wearing out … again … today. It started 4 years ago when I stepped off a cinder block by my shed, down to ground level and crumpled to the ground. Long story short … arthroscopic surgery on the right knee and a period of therapy. Since then every four to 6 months a cocktail injection of steroids and cortisone. A little more than a year ago we added the left knee.

Got my shots today and am already feeling the positive effects … the shots work … so far. I will, says the Dr., have to consider replacement at some point and we could do it anytime I say so. I’m reluctant to do so given the current state of the medical/health arenas.

On top of that, both of my shoulders and neck area are problematic with chronic pain induced by certain motions. Been doing therapy for several months with little lasting/consistent results. Dr. says it’s in the rotator cuff and having done X-rays and therapy without resolution he wants to do an MRI to “get a better picture”. Guess we will be doing that in early December.

My frustration stems from the fact that there are no instant cures for these things and the dread that my mind may one day be the only fully functional part of me … at least I hope that will be the anticipated result. Not much good being able to run, climb and swing my arms if my mind is gone, now is there!

🙂