doctor's orders

Due to this incident back in high school, I've been suffering from joint pain in the knees ever since. But it doesn't stop me from being active. I run on the treadmill. I run on a track. I play badminton (even tried raquetball!). I climb stairs (which hurts more than running). I used to take spin classes and even step classes (if you can imagine that especially if you know I have no rhythm). And if the pain is particularly bad on a certain day, I will either do the elliptical or not exercise at all. I just tend to ignore the pain that results every time I bend my knees.

However, there is this nagging pain that has been radiating from the corner of my left knee for the last two weeks. I have stopped running on a treadmill or around a track. I even stopped using the elliptical. This pain is worse because it tends to grow in intensity at night, when I'm trying to go to bed and all I can think about is this throbbing pain on my left knee that shoots stabbing pains up to my hips and down to my ankles. How can a person sleep through that?

So I finally went to the doctor today. She ordered x-rays and referred me to an orthopaedist, who I will probably see after Spring Break. I wanted her to order an MRI since I don't think the x-ray will show anything. But hey, whatever she needs to do to get my insurance to cover the costs is fine with me. Hopefully the orthopaedist will eventually order the MRI (and I really really really hope this will not involve surgery--vicodin will numb the pain right?).

The doctor did, however, order me to stay off my feet as much as possible and to stop all activity that would cause undue stress to my knees. i.e. no more exercise involving the legs. This is one doctor's order I will faithfully follow!

However, the only reason I exercise is to help curb the effects of all the eating that I do. So I can't exercise, it means I *shouldn't* eat as much as I normally would like to. I guess I won't be pigging out during my spring break in San Francisco.

Ha, that was funny. Like I have the will power to refrain from eating. The doctor just said lay off the feet, not lay off the food. =)