09/26/11: Do these crutches make my a** look fat?

I ran with my sister in her first ever half marathon this weekend (race report to come soon). She rocked it, and we both had a blast!

About 8-9 miles into the run, my knee started to catch. With each step, I could feel it pop. Nothing huge, nothing audible....but just a catching feeling on each step. It didn't hurt, but it was annoying.

Mainly it hurt because I knew that chances were it was GOING to start hurting.

It DID start hurting at about mile 11. We were running our 1:1 intervals, and the first 5 to 10 steps of each running interval hurt...then the pain would go away and I'd finish the minute without another thought about it. I babied it on for the last couple of miles, and by the time we hit the finish line, I'd stopped noticing it at all.

As we were standing around after the finish, I could feel my knee getting tight. Again, I really didn't think too much about it. I run put it through 13.1 miles....and, sure, there was a slight "hitch in my giddy-up" ***** for the last 4 or so of them, but it wasn't bad enough to make me think I should stop.

My tune changed later that evening. Being able to bend it at all was a thing of the past.

There was one point in the evening where Mot was grabbing his keys and wallet for a trip to the ER.

I decided against it....took some pain meds from from the medicine cabinet....and tried to go to bed.

Tried being the key word. Every little move hurt my knee. Pulled on my knee. Pushed on my knee.

And I want you all to take a second out of your day today, and try to sit on a toilet, then stand back up...while not bending your left knee at all.

At all!!!!

Thank goodness I've been taking quite a few yoga classes lately.....

Mot called the doctor first thing this morning. Doc had me lay down on the table and started manipulating my leg and knee a little....when "POP"!

I could hear it, I could feel like, the doc knew it immediately. He put my leg down and said "it's time for an MRI....you might have a torn meniscus".

Well hell.

I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to not cry. My silence must have spoke volumes. Mot asked if I was OK. I said "yes, but St Louis is in 4 weeks."

"Oh" says doc "you won't be running."

Double hell.

They scheduled an MRI appointment for me later that afternoon, recommended crutches and we went home.

The MRI appointment was intense. Not only was it loud (louder than any other MRI I've ever had)....but about half way through, I had a total anxiety/vertigo attack. I actually had my thumb ON the call button at one time....but then my absolute stubbornness kicked in.

My nerves were frazzled. I've been dealing with this mysterious pain in both of my legs for months. I finally get rid of it...and BAM! I'm confident enough that I sign up for my first full marathon (for the second time)...and WHAM!

I took many deep breaths. I opened my eyes and looked around the room as much as I could without moving my body.

I was NOT going to puke, I was NOT going to pass out, I was NOT going to call someone in for help. I toughed the rest of it out....and then we went home again.

The doctor office called home a few hours later.

No rips, no tears (no surgery!!!)....but a definite bone contusion.

I didn't fall, I didn't hit it, and I didn't get hit.....but I have a mega bad deep knee contusion (bruise).

I have an appointment with the knee specialist tomorrow, and we'll see what happens next.

But I'm going to go everything I can to show my "you won't be running" doc that it's not that easy to keep me down! :-)


***** That reference was for you Liz!!! :-)