Sep 30, 2008

Of Doctors and Denial

Do you ever get the feeling that your doctor just doesn't want to deal with your problem? I did something to my knee shortly after Evie was born. Now, it doesn't sound like anything, I know. My feet were on a footstool covered with an afghan. I turned my right foot 90° (from straight up to pointing right) and my right knee exploded in pain. That's it - no great stress, no fall, etc.

Now, this was in May and I'll grant you, I should've gone to the doctor before this but going to the doctor is such a pain (remember, I have to haul a 3 year old and an infant with me) and, honestly, I figured it would get better. And it did. A little. But then it got worse. Then a little better, then a little worse. Then I had a bunch of stairs to climb for church a couple weeks ago and it's been bad since then. So I finally hauled my ass in.

She poked it, said she didn't think anything was broken and asked who my insurance company was. Then made a face. Seems my insurance company doesn't like to pay for MRIs. So she sent me for an x-ray. Which was kind of interesting as it's all digital and I haven't had that kind of x-ray in 20 years. But nothing's broken. What shows of the joint on the x-rays "looks good".

So I ask about an MRI. I get referred by the nurse to the receptionist who "handles" that sort of thing. She doesn't answer; I leave a message. Haven't heard diddly back.

Kind of don't expect to.

Meanwhile, my knee has me hobbling like a little ol' lady. Makes going up and down the stairs with an infant kind of interesting.

Oh, but one good thing, I was (finally) able to reschedule the mammogram they wouldn't let me do on the 16th because I had Evie with me. Given the family history, not something I ought to be missing.

7 comments:

LauraJ said...

I certainly hope that knee thing isn't a big thing. Take care of yourself and watch those stairs!

Amanda said...

Well, hopefully it's just a... weak leg thing? I hope so. Aside from the fact that you deserve to be healthy, a health problem would become a problem everywhere else too, since you have small children. I'll be sending good thoughts your way. (:

And isn't it funny how the people who have to deal with helping you get money (for you, receptionists, for me, financial aid offices) never really call you back?
Go figure.


I was reading something a month or two ago about some sort of technology innovation that means less painful mammograms... I can't remember what it was, so this is vague and useless, but maybe you should look into it! If getting a mammogram actually bothers you, at least. From what I've been told, they're never pleasant, with the squishing. But kudos for being proactive about monitoring your health!

smileymamaT said...

Sorry to hear you are in pain, not good when you are walking around all the time... have you heard back about the MRI, or has the pain gone away yet? I once had a most horrendous pain on the top of my foot for no reason...
turned out I had broken my foot. On top.
How that can even happen I still do not know... so hope they do follow up with you.

graymama said...

Oh no! could you make it into the chiropractor? That is how my wrist pain goes from excruciating to completely gone.

Always, thinking of you <3

Anonymous said...

Doesn't it seem like they could just combine the mammogram and the foot MRI? One appointment and they just scan, smoosh, and photograph any old thing you want examined.. Kind of like when you have the oil changed and the tired rotated all at one low cost.

PeppyPilotGirl said...

@LJ
Thanks!!

@Amanda
My mom had two separate mastectomies and is still on long-term drugs for the cancer so it's just one of those things that has to happen. M-grams are not pleasant but, given the alternative...

@SMT
I am SO glad I'm not the only person to have broken their foot on top!! I felt like such a doofus telling people where the break was...

@Graymama
I didn't know chiropractic worked for this sort of thing - I'll have to check that out (once I see if the insurance will pay for it!)

@Marsbarn
I *like* that idea!! One appointment to cover everything... seems like it ought to be part of the annual physical, doesn't it?

As an update, still no word re: the MRI. Going to call the Dr this week as the knee still hurts. "Great, doc, it's not broken. That's terrific. So why does it hurt and what can we do to make it stop hurting that doesn't require drugs the FAA doesn't approve of?"

Jade said...

If there is tissue damage, the MRI will show it - you could have torn some ligaments. Since the x-ray shows the bones aren't broken though... it's most likely the ligaments or some kind of nerve damage. In either case, you'd benefit from physical therapy (strengthen the muscles around the injury to help support it and allow it to heal) You should be able to go to a PT without the MRI, but if you have the MRI, it would at least tell you exactly where the damage happened.