It turns out that the injury to my meniscus was a false alarm and I actually only have some degeneration of the cartilage due to a fairly common muscular imbalance causing mis-alignment of my kneecap. An MRI (paid for privately to avoid the 5-month waiting list - horray for 2-tiered medical) showed the damage, which is somewhat fixable through rehab exercises rather than surgery. I can't repair the cartilage as such, since once it's gone it's gone for good, but I can at least halt it from progressing further and make my kneecap track properly in its groove. Yay!

I'm thrilled that I won't have to have my knee cut up but in a way I'm sad because it means I'm going to have to do the work myself to get it better. Stupid work! My symptoms are still much closer to that of a torn meniscus - pain location, functional problems - but everyone knows that machines don't lie.

Or do they..?

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I saw the gyno today and it looks like I'm going to get three surgeries for the price of one (free, 'cuz I live in Canada) to deal with my polyps and (hopefully) my cramps. I'm going to get a laparoscopy, a hysteroscopy and a D&C all at the same time, since they've got to put me under a general anaesthetic to do any of them individually. The whole general anaesthetic thing is kind of freaky, mostly because the last time I had one, I puked for 2 days following the operation for my wisdom teeth. I wasn't worried about my tooth pain at all but I sure wasn't having a good time with the vomiting.

Let's hope all this can happen soon and go well so I can move forward and get back on track with my health.

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I watched a bird hierarchy in action from my work window the other day. There was a loaf of bread on the roof of the autobody shop that I look over and a bunch of pigeons were pecking away at it. Next thing a crow shows up and starts menacing the pigeons, who back off but keep trying to get little pecks in without getting too close to the crow. Next thing a seagull arrives forcing the crow to back off but at this point the pigeons get a little bolder and peck on the other side of the loaf from the seagull. The seagull was trying to drag the enormous loaf away but had to make do with dragging it across the roof. The crow kept menacing the pigeons but wouldn't get anywhere near the loaf until the seagull was gone. The pigeons out-waited them all and ate their fill quite happily.

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It turns out I've got polyps in my uterus. That could definitely explain some of the issues I've been having regarding menstruation. I had a pelvic ultrasound yesterday - both externally and - jinkies! - internally. I was somewhat traumatized that during the internal ultrasound (as if it isn't traumatic enough as it is), the ultrasound gal (tech?) decided she wanted to bring a colleage in to have a poke around as well. I felt like at least one of them should have bought me dinner first.

Anyway, I'm seeing the gyno on Friday - apparently it's National Poke Around in Kate's Bits Week - and will find out more from there. From the info I've looked at online today, it looks like surgery is in my future for this, too. For a gal that works to be as healthy as I do, needing to have two different parts of me operated on isn't what I expected. I think I need a new lifestyle involving the couch, soap operas and bon-bons.

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I've got a torn medial meniscus in my right knee and boy does it suck! I'd been ignoring the general knee pain I was experiencing due to activity for the past couple years (except for when I was running at the park and it couldn't be ignored). Recently, it flared up again when Theovis and I returned to our exercise program. I couldn't ignore it anymore so I got an x-ray (normal) and a bunch of functional tests at the doctor and the physio. Meniscus, dammit! And I know what the signs and symptoms of a tear are too, but just didn't figure it would happen to me.

Anyway, I'm waiting to get an MRI and an appointment with an Orthopaedic Surgeon to find out what my options are. Bad news, most likely surgery. Good news, surgery is relatively minor and quick to heal up from.

So, because I'm used to eating for an active person, I've started the South Beach Diet to get my eating habits under control for someone doing almost no exercise (on Physio's orders). It was my first day today and it wasn't bad. I was off work, though, and had time to do the required cooking. I'm not as confident as to how easily tomorrow is going to come off while I'm working. I can make it happen, though. If I could do that Body for Life exercise 6 days a week for years, I can do this.

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