Author Topic: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis  (Read 7945 times)

Night Wing

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Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« on: October 19, 2018, 07:24:39 AM »
I always thought I would get an injury from one of my sups. Instead, my latest injury is from......yard work.

On September 22nd, I was working on my yard to pick up the fallen leaves from my sweetgum tree since Fall has arrived. Long story short, I was walking along and stepped into a mole tunnel with my left foot sideways and it got wedged in the mole tunnel with my upper body still going forward. This caused my left knee to twist violently to the right.

Since my forward momentum was still in force, I couldn't get my left foot out of the mole tunnel fast enough and I started to fall. I put my arms out in front of my face since I was in a free fall face down and so I avoided a "face plant".

With my left foot stuck in the mole tunnel, my whole body was falling like a felled tree. Even though I avoided the face plant, both of my knees hit the ground. Unfortunately, the right inside of my left knee hit a semi exposed sweetgum tree root since sweetgum trees have shallow roots and some of them are exposed on the surface of the ground.

This particular tree root was hidden by the fallen leaves. When my left knee hit the root, it hurt.....LOTS! I thought I a broken my patella. I was lucky I didn't. The right inside of my left knee swelled up and in 5 days, the swelling in the knee went down, but not all the way down.

After almost 4 weeks of having a slightly swollen knee and having one spot on the knee feel tender and if pressed down upon, it gave me a burning sensation so I decided to call up my orthopedic surgeon who repaired my left and right shoulders. I suspected a torn meniscus.

When I finally saw my surgeon yesterday on the Oct 18th, after looking at my still slightly swollen right inside of my left knee, he asked me when this injury occurred. After telling him on September 22, he felt the spot on my knee where it was giving me a slight burning sensation when pressed upon.

He told me unofficially his diagnosis was a torn meniscus and he was 95% sure of his of that. He told me he was going to send me for a MRI which would confirm it and with the MRI, he could tell if there is any damage to my Medial Collateral ligament as well as any cartilage damage.

My MRI is scheduled for Nov 6th at 8:15 am in the morning. But my surgeon's PA told me to call the MRI place everday to see if they have any cancellations. If they do, I might be able to get my MRI done sooner in the cancelled appointment slot. Once my MRI is done and the results are sent to my surgeon which usually takes 24 hours of time, I will get a surgery date.

I suspect the surgery will be done on Nov 28th since my surgeon is a very popular orthopedic surgeon in the Woodlands Sports Medicine Center. Since he is very popular with a stellar reputation as an orthopedic surgeon, he performs surgeries every Wednesday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm at the WSMC so this is why there is a long wait from an MRI result to a surgery date.

To keep the swelling down in my knee, he prescribed 120 tablets of Etodolac (500 mg per tablet) for me and I have to take two tablets twice a day. One tablet after breakfast and one tablet after supper (dinner). My surgeon also told me to "baby the knee" (stay off of it as much as possible) until I have my surgery.

BTW, the last time I took my 11'1" One World out for a leisurely flat water paddle was on Sept 21st. With the weather turning colder now; the water temperature is dropping and since I don't wear a wetsuit, with my present left knee injury, my sup paddling (flat water and surf) is over for the rest of 2018.

I just want to get my left knee surgically repaired so I can get back on the water with my sups during the last week of March or the first week of April in 2019 when the lake and beach water temperatures again returns to 66 degrees F which is my comfort zone since I don't wear a wetsuit.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2018, 07:26:49 AM by Night Wing »
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

SlatchJim

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2018, 08:21:31 AM »
Sorry to hear about the crash landing Nightwing.  I hope they can patch you up by next season. 

When I'm healthy, I take it for granted.  When I'm sick or injured, I'm totally consumed by my own pain.  Probably not alone in this mental state.

Time to get some landscaping help to keep you on the water more.  ;)

supthecreek

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2018, 11:48:06 AM »
Heal fast Night Wing, sucks to be laid up!
I hope it all turns out well and your back strong and ready to go in March.


Night Wing

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2018, 12:08:30 PM »
@ SlatchJim

The left knee exam was easy. First, three bone x-rays with the knee in various positions. Then second, the physical knee exam. This is about the only part of the knee exam process I didn't care for.

My orthopedic surgeon, after first looking at my slightly swollen knee where the swelling hadn't gone down in 4 weeks of time, guessed it was a torn meniscus from the get go. When I told him where the burning sensation was on the right inside of my left knee, it was then when he started to bend my knee with his hands in different positions gently, this was the painful part of the exam.

My surgeon told depending on what the MRI shows, the repair job would either be arthroscopy or "the long cut". It really doesn't matter to me what procedure he has to perform.

The long cut needs more time to heal, but if I have to have the long cut, I'll rehab the left knee at the WSMC for a few weeks and then I'll rehab it at my home so I'll be ready for the last week of March or the first week in April of 2019 when I'm back on the water again with my sups.

As for the landscaping help, I told my wife I'm out of grass mowing duties until January of 2019 so she'll have to "take over this job" until then. Her answer to me was........................"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"  :o

Our yard grass growth is starting to end with the advent of colder days and colder nights so my wife will only have to mow the grass for only two more times at the most before January of 2019. Our grass will start growing again in the second of week of February when the trees start to bud out. I told my wife, "The grass mowing will be good exercise for you".  ;D

Her answer to me was, "Don't push your luck or you're going to need more than left knee surgery".   ;)
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Wetstuff

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2018, 12:14:53 PM »
Ooooo - too bad man.  That sounds like a first run on the first day of a vacation in the Alps injury*.  At least you were at home.  Plus, you're in Texas where I gather there are plenty of folks who have verbal powers; 'Heal!'  'Hope it's not too bad. 

Jim

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Night Wing

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2018, 12:38:00 PM »
Heal fast Night Wing, sucks to be laid up!
I hope it all turns out well and your back strong and ready to go in March.

I'm not really laid up. I can walk around without too much discomfort. My surgeon just wants to me stay off of my left leg to minimize the swelling to the right inside of the left knee during the daytime.

As long I "don't" pivot to the right or left to change directions with my left foot still on the ground, I'm okay. I just have to be aware at all times I've got a left knee problem right now and I have to remember to lift my left foot off the ground to change directions right or left.

And if I don't remember to lift my left foot off the ground to change directions, the right inside of my left knee lets me know about it "real quick".  :o  As they say, "PAIN.......is an excellent teacher".  ;)
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Bean

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2018, 01:30:52 PM »
Pain is the best teacher for sure NW. Trouble is, the tuition is too damned high.  Best of luck!

eastbound

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2018, 04:59:42 AM »
tough casll abpout risk vs work--saw wisdom in a pono post where he said he wont lift anything heavy anymore--why risk injury/loss of time surfing?--otoh i look at stones, whose work is part of his lifeblood, where id bet he doesnt let the occasional heavy lift interfere with progress--

work and activity sustains us, but downtime and rehab consume precious time

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Wetstuff

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2018, 09:23:26 AM »
Winger... Does the advertisement for the Meniscus show up on your page - just below the last entry? (dog chew stuff is there now - I don't know what that means?)  Admin has some new bots working for him.  I have to look at 'hot chicks' to see if Hooters pops up...?

Jim   
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PonoBill

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2018, 09:26:57 AM »
tough casll abpout risk vs work--saw wisdom in a pono post where he said he wont lift anything heavy anymore--why risk injury/loss of time surfing?--otoh i look at stones, whose work is part of his lifeblood, where id bet he doesnt let the occasional heavy lift interfere with progress--

work and activity sustains us, but downtime and rehab consume precious time

I think that was Creek--I lift heavy stuff all the time. I'm stupid about it.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Night Wing

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2018, 09:02:21 PM »
Winger... Does the advertisement for the Meniscus show up on your page - just below the last entry? (dog chew stuff is there now - I don't know what that means?)  Admin has some new bots working for him.

No advertisement for "Meniscus" anywhere. Since I run the 64 bit linux Mint 19 (Tara) Xfce distro, this is with my linux Adblock Latitude adblocker disabled for the Zone since I use the linux 64 bit Pale Moon browser.

What does show is an advertisement for "John Daugherty Realtors" in The Woodlands, Texas.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Wetstuff

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2018, 06:27:32 AM »
...just underneath this post is a blue bar: "Recent Posts" ...the 'current one', for me, talks about a choice between 9mm, .40, or .45cal handguns.  Nice!   Add that with a promo for Perdue Pharma and you'll soon have enough vacant housing for those folks rushing the MEX border. 

Jim

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stoneaxe

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2018, 06:52:04 AM »
That sucks...heal well. Knees are so damn tricky. I've hurt myself doing yard work far more than I have on a SUP.

That response from your wife sounds like something my wife would say.....probably all wives would say....;)

I lift big things and I put them down....not like I used to though.... :P. I have to be far more careful of my back these days. I can feel the compression in my lower back. I will say though that I've found ignoring the pain and pushing past it is the key to getting better....or at least the key to keeping moving..... ::)
Bob

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eastbound

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2018, 08:29:08 AM »
i am swamped with subaru ads----bc ive been shopping ofr a new subaru


we have a computer card key for the bathroom in the office building my biz is in--guy joked the other day that he'd been out late, so was drinking much coffee and pissing often---next thing he's swamped with ads for prostate meds.....
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
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Night Wing

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Re: Left Knee Torn Meniscus Diagnosis
« Reply #14 on: October 30, 2018, 07:10:33 PM »
My MRI is scheduled for Nov 6th at 8:15 am in the morning. But my surgeon's PA told me to call the MRI place everyday to see if they have any cancellations. If they do, I might be able to get my MRI done sooner in the cancelled appointment slot. Once my MRI is done and the results are sent to my surgeon which usually takes 24 hours of time, I will get a surgery date.

Thought I would give an update from what I typed above in a previous message.

I have been calling the MRI place everyday at 5:00 pm hoping to get someone else's cancelled appointment. I got one for Nov 5th at 7:15 am, but I still kept calling even after I had the new one for Nov 5th.

Anyhow, I called today at 5:00 pm and I got lucky again. The MRI scheduling place told me they had another cancellation for Wed, Oct 31 at 2:30 pm. Looks like Halloween give me an early treat.  ;) After that, I will call the my surgeon's PA's phone later Wednesday afternoon to tell him I had the MRI done.

The MRI results should be back in my surgeon's office in 24 hours which is late Thursday afternoon. Hopefully, my surgeon will have had time during the end of his Thursday's working day to read the results.

Then on Friday, I'm hoping to get a phone call from the PA early Friday morning, before my surgeon's office opens before seeing patients, telling me what the MRI results showed and since I'm sure my left knee meniscus is torn since it still feels like it is, to set up a surgery date.

If I don't hear from my surgeon's office by Friday at 11:00 am, I'll call them. I need to stay on top of this.

 
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

 


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