Saturday, June 30, 2012

Tenosynovitis

It finally happened. I was sitting on the couch, softly complaining about how it hurts too much to run, when Super Awesome Wife turned to me and said, "Here. Here is your primary care doctor's number. Call it. Now. Tell them.""But, I..."
"It's hurt since the Honu." This was not a question.
"Well...yeah."
"You've been resting it and doing all the rehab things you know how to do." Also, not a question.
"...yeah."
"It still hurts."
"...yeah..."
"Here. Call."
I called and the guy on the phone said the next open appointment with my doc was July 16. Exsqeeze me? I turned to Super Awesome Wife. She said, "Stop downplaying it. You need to tell them how it feels or they are going to run you around." I should mention we are insured through Tri Care, the military medical, because Super Awesome Wife was once upon a time Super Awesome Specialist in Intelligence until the Army gave her the Anthrax vaccine, which gave her pneumonia and asthma, which gave her medical retirement and insurance hook-up for life. She knows how to deal with these people. And she was right, I may not have been properly expressing how much the tendons behind me knee hurt when I try to run, and when I ride for too long. I tried again. They told me to go in to the Urgent Care on base and they might be able to tell me something, and they would order a Physical Therapy consult.
For some reason the waiting room at Schofield Urgent Care is always on the Disney channel. We spent an hour trying not to watch Jesse. I'm old, because I spent the entire time wondering why all these children were hanging out in a giant penthouse with a slightly older child and a butler. Where are their parents? How did they get into this situation? Why are the Indian kid and the little black girl such HUUUGE stereotypes?
Seriously, mini-black girl stereotype
 Anyway, we finally got called back, the doctor did some voodoo, and decided that in her opinion I have a case of tenosynovitis. From the link:
The synovium is a lining of the protective sheath that covers tendons. Tenosynovitis is inflammation of this sheath. The cause of the inflammation may be unknown, or it may result from:
  • Infection
  • Injury
  • Overuse
  • Strain
 Since it started right after the 70.3, I think we can all guess which if the four caused it. The frustrating part is I've been resting. I spent two weeks not doing anything strenuous, and since then haven't worked out at full speed at all. I rested properly. I've been icing. I've been stretching. I want to get back out on the road, damnit!
Anyway, she suggested compression, so we went out and got a neoprene knee wrap which I'll be wearing most of the time. She also put in a consult for the Physical Therapy people, so I'm waiting for a call from them. This is very frustrating because I was in fine shape going into the race. I need to relax, keep doing rehab things, and hope it gets better. I'd like to do the Tinman tri at the end of July, but if I can't run 500m without pain, 6.2mi is probably asking a lot. At least it doesn't hurt in the water.
Sporting my new knee wrap
On the plus side, right now I get to watch the X-Games, the Tour de France, and the Olympic Trials! (And the Dodgers but they have started to suck really hard for some reason so I'm clinging to the other three for now). I love the Trials, but I think I'll save a uber-gushy post for when the Games actually start.

4 comments:

  1. Your team's misfortune is my team's chance to move closer to 1st place. Do you think my Mets will sweep the Dodgers with another shutout today?

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  2. I had the same injury last year. It took a very long time for it to go away. Listen to your wife and doctor so you don't have to wait so long.

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  3. Pink again? Do you also have Little Mermaid Band-aids in your medicine cabinet?

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  4. So how is your leg? Did you do the tin man?

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