My audacious dudes

[donnakebab]

At the heel left is pretty even but right is more worn down on the outside edge. It's the right knee I'm having trouble with. At the front of the sole both shoes are worn on the outside edge. When I was a nipper I was knot kneed and had to have built up insteps in my shoes. I've had back pain on and off since my early 20's but there is a history of that with both my brother and sister.

My youngest has suffered from Sever's disease in the past (She was very athletic and went to dance classes), and gets a lot of back pain now at 22. She copes with this by doing a lot of stretching exercises. She had orthotics fitted too.

Food for thought!

[Mikey]

I over pronate on both sides, which means the outside edges of your shoes wear more than the inside, it causes quite a lot of stress on the knees, not helped if like me you carry a little too much around the middle.

[donnakebab]

I saw my doctor this morning and she has agreed to send me to a specialist rather than an MRI scan. I'm going to carry on with the Physio appointment next month. I can't stay on the Naproxen for too long because of diabetes so when I've finished this course I'll see how it goes.

I phoned work and asked if I can come to work with my crutch and just stand on the till for my 5 hour shift. It's a very busy local Co-op convenience store. My boss said I would have to get a note from my doctor stating that I am fit to work. Called the surgery and they told me to call back tomorrow morning (surgery closed this afternoon for staff
training), so can't go to work.

Though my doc says my BMI is fine I'm planning to loose between half to one stone. This means reducing carbs which is fine but dificult to feel satisfied, so I reckon best bet is a big batch of veg based soup with some lentils or pearl barley to fill me up when I feel peckish. Reducing carbs will also mean I can reduce one of my insulins which is also a good thing.

[Mikey]

I would expect the specialist will want you to have an MRI anyway, so that they can get a really good look at what's going on.

Are you paid in full being of sick, or is it just statutory, I know when OH who's a teacher was off on crutches they refused point blank to allow her on the premises.

[donnakebab]

I've been there just over a year and am entitled to 1 week sick pay. I don't know what happens after that or even if as a part time worker I am entitled to statutory. Never been in this situation before.

Starting to get me down a bit now as always been pretty active. Lots of walking, gardening and so on. Up until the 4th of this month I was walking my daughters dog nearly every day. That weekend we helped her move in with her boyfriend in Warrington and we did a lot of walking together with the dog, getting to know where they now live. Since then my knee seems to have given up and all the plans I had for extra time on lottie, decorating and maybe even working more hours, (She and the dog were quite high maintenance), all seems to be going out the window.

Not about to give up though...I have seeds to sew!

[Hilary B]

As I understand it (but I might be wrong), you are entitled to some money if the reason you aren't working is illness, regardless of how many hours you normally work. Your employer is able to reclaim anything that is a government-rule entitlement, I believe by reducing the amount of PAYE he hands over from the other employees, but it might be more complicated than that!

[donnakebab]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I had some X rays done at my hospital appointment this morning and I have some bits of knee cap or something floating about in my knee joint. So I'm on the list for keyhole surgery to clean it all out and the consultant said it would be much less painful than my tattoo.

Just relieved it's not arthritis.

[julesapple]

It'll feel much better after they suck the bits out! My MinL has had two knee replacements on the same knee. First time they fitted the wrong size knee cap and, because it was too big, it was cutting into the ligaments etc and she hobbled around for three years, in agony, with that. They replaced it late December last year and she was up and about two days later, saying it felt great.

Jules

[Mikey]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I had some X rays done at my hospital appointment this morning and I have some bits of knee cap or something floating about in my knee joint. So I'm on the list for keyhole surgery to clean it all out and the consultant said it would be much less painful than my tattoo.

Just relieved it's not arthritis.

I had this op done when I was about 18, I was in and out on the same day so it is a very simple procedure. You are left with a couple of very tiny holes about 4 or 5mm in length, one above and one below the knee. I can't even see the scars anymore.

In my case the bits of kneecap used to get in the joint and knock the bones out of the sockets, I would be left with some swelling in the joint and hobbling around for a week or so.

I genuinely hope this cures it for you, and sees you on the mend DK, it was just the start for me as the number of occasions that this happened had occurred over the space of about 2 years and weakened the ligament that secured the kneecap in place while travelling along its groove. It just goes to show its always best to visit the doctor asap.

If you are on a list to see a knee specialist they will ensure that this is the only issue you have. They will manipulate the joint in a number of ways to see if there is any weakness with it, in my case I found they were very good at making you say GET OFF...

I'm not sure what your waiting lists are like around you, I think I had about a 4 month wait for the key hole. Good Luck.

[Hilary B]

It is probably pure co-incidence that the severe, chronic joint pain my son suffers from started in the knee where he had had this sort of operation, there was about a 6 year gap between op and the current problem. The seem to think it was caused by a virus, but it will never go away, and he has to take pain medication just to carry on working, it got really bad when he was 26, and while it has now stabilised at a slightly less severe point, real improvement is not envisaged.

[donnakebab]

The appointment I had was with a consultant and a physiotherapist. They did manipulate my knee and compared my ok knee to the bad one. They pinpointed the pain areas very successfully. Ouch!

There is an area of swelling at the front of my knee that is quite pronounced now. It looks a bit like there is half a cherry tomato under the skin. The physio thought it was a strange fatty lump and kept poking it. I said I thought it was fluid as I've only had it for about 6 weeks. So they shone a laser light through and confirmed it was fluid.

The consultant said there is a slight chance the surgery could make it worse but there is a much greater chance it will make it better. I enjoyed looking at the Xrays and even I could see the 'Floaters' quite clearly.

Just glad that I know what it is and that something can be done.

[donnakebab]

I went for my pre op assessment yesterday and I've just had a phone call from the hospital to say I can go in tomorrow!

I'm all of a tiswas!

Must go to lottie tonight and plant me parsnip loo rolls!

[veggiechicken]

All the best for tomorrow Donna

[donnakebab]

Thanks VC.

Wanted to pot on me toms this weekend. I'll try and do it with one leg in the air.

Although best not. Might do my other knee in!

[veggiechicken]

Thanks VC.
Wanted to pot on me toms this weekend. I'll try and do it with one leg in the air.
Although best not. Might do my other knee in!

The mind boggles DK