When I was in eight grade one of our science assignments was to draw and label a human skeleton. Each of us layed down on a large piece of paper and then one of the other students would draw an outline around us. (Not unlike a murder scene chalk drawning.) We then took our respective outlines home and drew the skeleton. We were given two or three weeks to complete the project.
This is not my drawing (it was more than likely throw away years ago) but you get the idea. There is a part in Dr. Strange when he first meets The Ancient One and she talks to him about “maps” of the human body.
The human body is a miraculous thing and it sucks.
When I was five I had HIB. It is a form of meningitis. I had sinus problems and earaches when I was a child. I had an ulcer when I was eight. I had viral meningitis when I was in high-school. Not to mention the fact that I am allergic to first line antibiotics: penicillin, Amoxicillin, ethromycin, sulfa. Also benzoyl peroxide and formaldehyde. Which I am planning on being a tree when I die anyway, so no big deal.
This is only summarizing my physical past issues. More on the mental side in a later post. The listing above does not include my eyesight (I had zero peripheral vision up until I was 8 years old) or my broken ankle.
The latest news is a torn meniscus.
I am 38 years old and overweight. The orthopedic doctor I saw yesterday informed me I had way more arthritis in my knees, particularly my right one, then most people my age. The inside of my right knee is basically bone on bone and is squishing and tearing my meniscus. The only way to fix it is a complete knee replacement.
Which we are not going to do now. But which I will have to have done sooner than most people.
I am relieved about not having to do surgery right away. I cannot afford it on many levels. So course of action is pain meds, a brace (that has to be custom made because there is a huge fat lump on/below the inside of the right knee) and physical therapy. If I have a flare up that oral pain meds aren’t helping then steroid injections.
Plus lose weight. Separate post about how I feel about that later. Every one pound lost is five pounds of pressure off the knee.
My own Google research has found suggestions of certain foods and green tea to help with slowing down or rebuilding cartilage and fighting inflammation. I figured out heat therapy works to help ease the pain. Cold therapy makes the pain worse. Cold in general makes it worse. Yay living in Missouri in winter.
This is where I am at. It is better than it could be. For that I am grateful.
Still sucks.