In the Office with a Bum Leg

I had to go into the office today to deal with some immigration paperwork, but I also really properly needed to see my doctor about my knee.  When I'd called the day before requesting an appointment, the front desk staff told me they didn't have anything they could schedule for weeks, but if I showed up at 7 AM, they could give me a same-day appointment that morning.

So I got up early to dress and change for the office, and then went to my doctor's office to wait at 6:45 AM.  They got me in for an appointment at 8 AM with a random GP (not the one I normally see), but I figured I just really needed to see someone...

For the examination, she pressed all over my knee (like prodding the kneecap) and bent it in a few weird ways (inside, outside and down), but nothing hurt. I mean it was stiff, but no agonizing pain. Now, this could be due to the fact that it's so swollen that it just doesn't go that way (I've read that sometimes your muscles can try to tense up to compensate for the injury, and they DO feel tight lately), but at least initially, that I passed that test, that I could stand and put weight on it, that it didn't absolutely balloon up right away, and that I could get my heel all of the way to the floor were taken as good signs. Her initial thinking is that I might have sprained the ligaments, but not have torn them.

So she prescribed 250 mg Naproxen to be taken 3 times a day, to bring down the swelling (since I've already been taking ibuprofen without noticeable effect), and then we're going to see how I'm doing in a week.

I will admit I feel quite confident in it in a knee brace (just a glorified ace bandage, no side-supports), although when I don't have it in a brace, I can occasionally step wrong and then that hurts like hell. Not sure if that's really the knee "buckling" or just me over-extending on the swollen bits or something. But I'm definitely in a no-win circle, as I hate sitting still, but then when I move around too much and walk on the leg, it gets tired and starts hurting (and I do stupid stuff like step on it wrong).

At least I'm relieved that it doesn't seem to be as dire as first feared...how much I would love to find that it's just a sprain/strain! (i.e. No surgery!) Admittedly not out of the woods yet, but I'm at least encouraged by the results of my first exam.

Then went to the office, survived my day at my desk hobbling back and forth to the copier, and came home exhausted from a day out, but once again glad to escape sitting on my couch on my flat!