Stop doing those drugs and maybe these accidents won't happen. :D

Actually two of my granddaughters, aged 8 and 10 were at my house on a day off from school and wanted to play some baseball in the back yard. They asked if I could pitch and they could practice hitting and running the base line. I agreed and at some point picked up a grounder and tried to beat the 8 year old to 3rd base to tag her out. I tripped on some roots from a nearby cypress tree that have popped up in the lawn with all the flooding rain here in Houston this past year. I fell flat on my face, my knee was bruised and sore. The 8 year old ran over to see if I was ok and asked if she should call 911. :sniff:

I don't know, might have damaged the meniscus or one of the ligaments that hold the knee in place. I went to the local emergency clinic the day it happened and the Dr. did some xrays and said no breaks but normal osteoporosis for a man my age. :eek:

Had an appointment to see an orthopedic Dr. yesterday but he had to cancel as he went home sick. Now supposed to go tomorrow. So far I am just resting it, wearing one of those spandex/velcro knee braces and using the crutches. It actually feels better today but I'm still trying to rest it.

I'm having a hard time with all the people your age advice...

They gave me a CD with the X-rays in it. While X-rays don't show tissue damage or a torn meniscus because they generally only show bone, it does look like the space between the joint is still pretty good, not too worn down.

that's some good thigh gap

My dad was super active most of his life. He played tennis until he was 88 and loosing his vision to macular degeneration. But by the time he was 70 he had a lot of issues with one of his knees. It slowly got worse over the years and I remember seeing an X-ray when he was in his early 80's, he had literally worn down the cartilage to the point that bone was rubbing bone. He should have had a knee replacement but he was my mother's main caretaker as she had the onset of Alzheimer's. He was worried about the recovery time and who would take care of mom. I think he was also afraid of surgery like that.

Knee replacement is a sorry cure. No one seems to be in a rush to improve what is on the table. My wife slipped off the toilet on one knee. She went back to surgery to replace it all again. Poor thing can't go through it again, because of the arthritis there won't be anything to attach it to.

Just got back from the orthopedic Dr. A nice young guy, he checked the X-rays and inspected the knee. He felt I may have just bruised the bone and meniscus. Might even be some micro fractures that will heal over time. He suggested a shot of cortisone, continuing with the Meloxicam anti-inflammatory, ice packs as needed and just letting it heal. He said the shot should help reduce the swelling and get me back on my feet sooner. He said I could quit using the crutches and knee brace bandage as soon as I feel like it and bicycle ride for exercise for now as it is less stressful.

The shot felt weird, he spayed some kind of cold stuff on the spot where the injection was so I didn't feel much. Just some pressure and the first prick of the skin.

I reckon that cortisone shot hurts like the dickens. Popdigr got one for his shoulder. I asked him how it went, and he looked me directly in the eye and said "It was not a pleasant experience." This is a man who DOES NOT bitch, moan, or complain. EVER. I can recall exactly 3 times he called in sick to work in 39 years.

If that man said it hurt, I do not want one.:headshake

Shoulders must be tougher to shoot than knees. The first cortisone shots were amazing, they let me get a lot of delayed projects done, however when they wore off in about 7 weeks it was obvious I'd done more damage as they were bone on bone to begin with. The second set 6 months from the first, were not as effective but helped.

I don't know what he sprayed on my knee, I shut my eyes and tried to relax. Whatever it was it was ice cold but not like the nitrogen a dermatologist uses that actually burns the skin. He did the injection on the outside in that soft spot in the joint to the outside of the knee cap. I guess the injection is just into the soft tissue in the area, the syringe part had quite a bit of cortisone in it.

He told me to keep taking the Meloxicam, AKA Mobic. I didn't realize it is only an anti inflamatory so he said Tylenol for pain but I have noticed the pain has gotten better every day, especially when I get up in the morning. Not sure if sleep allows the joint to heal since my weight is off but it does feel pretty good for a while when I get up.

He also said if it doesn't improve after 2-4 weeks he might have me do an MRI but for right now. I liked that he was not too aggressive and thinks the tissue can heal over time.

It's called skin refrigerant (vapocoolant). You can get it OTC at drug stores; or, buy it online. Some is made specifically for injection sites and used by people who self inject as well. Others are made for cooling sore muscles and other minor injuries.

Thursday update. I feel much better today. I had noticed that I had decreased pain and unsteadiness in the morning. Not sure if it is because the knee gets full rest when I sleep and has no compression or weight on it. Didn't even need the cane when I went to the bathroom and back at 4am.

I got a phone call from my granddaugters this morning at 6:30 asking if I could give them a ride to school as it was cold and rainy. I agreed and got up and went. I took the cane but didn't need it much. I think the joint is generally healing as swelling goes down and the oral NAIF and the cortisone shot seem to be helping. Everything I have read said just don't jump back into a lot of activity and overdue it or you may do further damage to the joint.

My cousin is a chiropractor and a pretty successful one, he recommended adding some supplements like Glucosaminem with MSM as well as Magnesioum Glyconate and Calcium Citrate. Both help bones stay healthy and heal from damage.

Well, today is December 12th and it's been almost 2 weeks since I damaged my knee joint and a week since getting a cortisone shot. I'm glad to say I do feel better. I am not needing a cane or crutches. I just take a moment upon standing up to slowly put weight on my left leg and get my balance. Going up and down the stairs is still a one step at a time thing with the left just following the right and waiting for the right to move on, no bounding up or down as I used to do.

I am taking some supplements that are supposed to help bone growth and healing. I have a cousin who is a chiropractor and swears by these:

Glucosamine HCI 1500mg with MSM 1500mg 2 per day
Calcium citrate 1000mg 3 per day
Magnesium Glyconate 400mg 2 per day
Move Free: Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid 1 per day

That being said my wife won't allow me to get up on the extension ladder to put lights on our house which is the one decoration I still like to do. Probably best.