Results of the MRI

I'm going to  make this straightforward.

My knees are crap.

According to my doctor, they are so bad (both of them) they should have started hurting years ago.

So there are two non-surgical medical treatments that could be tried. My research shows both are only marginally better than a placebo.

Anyway, I'm going for a second opinion, to see if I can find someone who will recommend physical therapy rather than shots and pills.

Fortunately, the knees feel enough better after a month plus of rest and anti-inflammatory pills that I'm going to try going on ice again, one more time. I've done some research and I need to apply some ice packs and that might help.  Also, getting back in the habit of doing leg exercises may help me as well.

So, I'll try and keep you amused until I'm back on ice!

Happy skating!

Me and the MRI

Well, the imaging center did both knees today. Just in case you ever need an MRI, let me make some comments.

First off, it wouldn't hurt to wear some socks. Even though they gave me some paper foot covers and wrapped me in a heated sheet, after a while my feet were freezing (probably because I couldn't move my legs.

They're really particular about what you wear.  Nothing can have any ferrous metal in it. I was permitted to wear my stretch pants, but not the bra since it had metal in it. If this happens again, I'll wear one of those all stretch bras without any underwires.

An MRI is really loud---and then it gets much, MUCH louder. After the first go round on the right knee, I asked for ear plugs. The second time around with the earplugs, it was much better. Rather like going to a boring early Philip Glass concert. The technicians offered me music to listen to, but loud music on top of loud MRI sounds was just too much. I was better off with the ear plugs.

When they asked me if I was claustrophobic, I said 'no' on the paperwork. Then I met the machine. I don't think I could have stood it if I had to put my whole body in there. However, only my legs went in, and  I was okay.  So, really, really confining space. Far more confining than I expected.

Before I had the MRI I had to list all my surgeries and implants in case I had stainless steel  in me. I read up on this last night, and even if they don't explicitly ask about a particular body part it's important to list every single possible clip, stent, implant etc. Mine turned out to all be titanium (as most are after 1995). I had some surgical clips from the 80's so there was a little frisson of worry, but I'm here to write about it so obviously nothing happened.

A slice of an MRI of somebody's knee
(not mine)

So after the MRI (took about an hour all told), they gave me a CD of my images. I give that to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday and find out what's wrong with me.

And then maybe I'll find out if I'll skate again.