The Knee

Yesterday I went running with a new-to-me group of bay area runners that I met when I did the Boggs Mt race, calling themselves BARF. A great group of people that I am totally psyched about, and which I will write more about later when I am NOT typing on this damn little phone keyboard. We went out for a 12-miler. In an effort to be really smart about my knee, I told myself I would only go out for the first three and if, at that point, I had any knee pain whatsoever, I would turn around and go back. Sadly, that's what I had to do, and walked/ran the three miles back. Boohoo.

When I got up for work in the evening, it STILL hurt, to the point I had to ace wrap it and then limp around for and hour or two. After it had a chance to stretch out a bit, the limp went away, but I was left with the conviction that now this is something to take a bit more seriously. I am not much of a wimp when it comes to pain, and this really doesn't hurt all that much, but instinctively I feel that if I ignore this (like I really, really want to) I will come to regret it. I don't want to screw myself up here at all!

Anyhow, I finished my night ER shift ok, and his morning was happy to see one of my favorite ER docs coming in for his day shift. I pulled him aside to ask his advice about what might be going on. I'm still thinking, IT band? because it's somewhat consistent with my overall symptoms, but he (acknowledging that he's no sports medicine specialist -- but IS a fellow runner, and, obviously, a doctor) didn't think so. His thought? I need an MRI.

Here's where the benefits of my job and the awesome people I work with kick in -- 45 minutes later, there I am getting my knee MRI'd. This is something that most folks have to wait weeks and weeks for, but there I am getting the damn thing first thing on a Sunday(!) morning.

I don't know the results yet, but might get a very preliminary report later today, and should get an official read by Monday or Tuesday. The differential diagnosis at this point is ITBS vs meniscal tear. Obviously I am hoping for the former, and am fearing the latter.

Keeping my fingers crossed!