Week 2

Well we all survived the second week. As many of you know I have had issues with my left knee.
It all started back in April of 2010 when I was carrying a crockpot and the rest of my body turned but that knee did not. It swelled and gave out on me. And then I fell a few weeks later on the wet floor. At that time I went to the ER because it swelled yet again and hurt to put weight on it. I was on crutches for almost 4 weeks. Still having pain after that time I went to my family dr. and saw his PA. She told me it would just take time to heal and upon pressing her, she sent me for an MRI. It came back "normal" she said, told me with my Lupus it may take a little longer for the joint to heal.

So I continue on with life, over the summer I notice when I walked any distance or tried to do stairs, it would swell again and hurt like all get out. Then the grinding and popping started. But for the most part I could deal with the pain everyday and take an occasional pain pill at night to help me sleep through the pain.
Well after getting into the meltdown and exercising nearly every day. WOW doggy did it really flare it's ugly head at me.  I tried to ice it after working it, I already take anti-inflammatory drugs daily to help with the other joint pain. Nothing was working and now it was hurting all the time not just when I was working it. It started to get stiff and hard to move. So I called the same PA and told her what was going on. She told me to ice it and put bio freeze on it. That it was probably just my Lupus reacting to all the extra exercise.

I was not happy with that answer. The last time I just went with the pain I ended up with major hip surgery in 2007. So I called the trainer that has been working with us at the healthplex and asked for a sports medicine doctor's name. He referred me to Mississippi Sport's Medicine and Orthopedics. I called and they got me in the next morning.
So I go see Dr. Barrett. I tell him all the history of the injury and he starts the exam, snap crackle, pop the knee goes as he bends it and pushes on it, literally making me cry.  I love how they say "oh does that hurt?" YEAH the tears should have been your first clue!!  But then he sits down in the chair and says ok there is something wrong with that knee, I am not sure what exactly, but it is not normal. They took x-rays yesterday and he said it showed a good amount of arthritis in that joint (really can any amount of arthritis be good?) but he doesn't think that is the only thing going on. So we are going to do a repeat MRI there at his facility and hopefully that will tell us something. I do the MRI on Monday, then go back on Wednesday for the results.

He did write on my discharge paper possible Tear of Medial Cartilage or Meniscus of Knee, I googled those terms and by golly that is my symptoms. Treatment can range from therapy to surgery. I told him Thank you for making me feel like I wasn't loosing my mind. He then said "Do your other joints hurt from the Lupus?" "yes they do" "Do they feel like your knee feels?" "well no it is a different pain" "Then it probably isn't just Lupus pain is it?" I wanted to hug the man. Too many times I feel like doctors write everything off to my Lupus. Yes it has a ton of adverse side effects on my body, but not everything can be explained away under that general umbrella.

Whew all of that to tell you about bootcamp today.......
Because he didn't want me to do anything straining or impact until we find out what is going on. Our trainer put me on a stationary bike for the 20 minutes of workout time. I rode it harder then I normally would, because I feel like these mornings are about pushing us. I felt guilty for not doing what the others were doing. They were walk/running the track then doing the stairs up and down, with stops at a ball for crunch's. By the end of the 20 minutes the sharp intense pain on the inside of my knee was back and it hurt to walk. But I was not about to complain. I know it could have been a lot worse if he wouldn't have been understanding and made me try to do the stairs etc.

Then we met with the dietitian again. I am learning new things from her each week. I love the fact that she is trying to teach us a lifestyle change not a diet. We talked about insulin and carbs today and why you need some carbs to keep your body going.

Then we weighed in....
I lost 3 more lbs. So I am at 8 total since I started 2 weeks ago, even if only these 3lbs will count toward the contest I still don't regret those first 5, it is all leading to me being a better me. One who can run around with my kids and enjoy life. That is why I signed up for this in the first place, not for prizes, but for the knowledge and encouragement to get me started. I can already tell I have more energy. I don't want to hit the snooze 50 times in the morning only twice. LOL I just feel my attitude is changing as I adjust to this and have a feeling of accomplishment.

I am so glad that I am writing about this and will be able to look back at the end of April when the meltdown is done and see how far I have come.