MRI Doctor's Appointment

Monday I went back to the knee doctor to find out the results of my MRI. Although I had the images on a CD, I did not have the radiologist's report so I didn't know what it found. I was honestly hoping it something was torn so that they could just go in and fix it. Although I really don't want to have another surgery, and I really have NO time for surgery or recovery this summer, I just want an actual fix to my knee pain. There was a day recently when I considered chopping off my knee... My pain has been bad!

The report basically said there were two places that are inflamed but nothing serious is wrong like a tear, etc. I'm really glad there's nothing serious wrong, but I was slightly disappointed there wasn't going to be an easy fix. The doctor gave me a prescription for 4 more weeks of physical therapy. He said I could be more aggressive than I have been and suggested I really focus on quad strength before my trip to Europe - which is only about 4 weeks away.

I feel so defeated over this. Physical therapy didn't work for the first eight weeks, so why would it suddenly work in four more? I don't believe it will. I just really hope more strengthening will help the pain, especially in time for walking through Europe. Ahh! But I have to trust if my doctor is good enough to be a Redskin's team physician, he knows what he's talking about... Now I'm just debating if I want to get back into physical therapy for a couple weeks, or I just want to start walking and exercises on my own.

MRI

Last week on Thursday I had my MRI on my knee. It was not fun. When I had the one for my ankle, I don't remember being upset by it. But when only your ankle has to go into the huge machine, you're far enough out of it that I guess you don't care. But when you think about it, your knee is quite a bit closer to your head than your ankle...

An MRI machine is a HUGE machine that you have to go into and it makes A TON of noise. So much so that you have to wear ear plugs. At times it sounds like an electronic version of a jack hammer, and then it changes to other insanely-loud noises. It's crazy. I also have a weird, irrational fear machinery, so although I am not claustrophobic, going into a noisy machine terrifies me. Last time, my entire upper body was out of the machine and I could see the timer counting down for each sound. This time my stomach was in, so I was closer and could not see the screen. And after the first scan the machine suddenly, and without warning, moved me a few inches closer in! It might as well have been a few feet. I was so anxious the rest of the time that I was going to have to move in further!!

After about 30 - 40 minutes in the machine it was finally over. The technician came in to get me and I got to take my ear plugs out and get out of the machine and the freezing cold room! I hope I never need an MRI again, and I REALLY hope I never need one of anything further up on my body!

This picture doesn't do justice to how large and scary MRI machines are.