THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND (PART 2)

I've got a sore knee.

I hurt this while playing that extreme sport - golf - back in November. See HERE
I thought that it was coming right but this is because after I was able to stop using the crutches I assumed that it was fixed. Wrong! It's been 5 months now and the knee still occasionally gives way on me  and I have to use a knee brace when walking, playing tennis and, yes, playing golf.

Time had run away on me though as I hadn't realised that it was so long ago that I hurt the knee. I had visited White Cross a couple of months ago but left when I saw how many people were waiting. Yesterday, after scaring myself by reading on the web about knee injuries and, if untreated can lead to arthritis problems, I went again to White Cross armed with my ACC letter (no payment required which saved me about $80). There didn't seem to be many people waiting so I fronted up and was asked to wait. For three bloody hours! This time I forgot to take my iPad or a book to read so sat there staring at the fish in the aquarium.

I glanced at the magazines on offer but then seeing and hearing spluttering, coughing, spitting and otherwise secreting other patients I decided against choosing a 2010 issue of North and South or last years Women's Weekly. I'm always wary of handling anything in doctor's and dentist's surgeries and even carefully choose supermarket trollies to use.

Eventually I was seen and here's where I get to one of the things I don't understand. When the doctor checked out my knee there was no pain when he manipulated it. None. I find that this often happens to me and I'm sure that it happens to others. At home the sickness or injury symptoms and pain are pronounced but try to explain it to the doctor and all is OK. What's that about? Is it some kind of bodily defense mechanism to not let strangers know your weaknesses or is it some sort of psychological thing? Now, today, the day after visiting the doctor my knee is more painful than before.

Fortunately the doc is aware of this phenomenon and wrote a referral letter for me to an orthopedic surgeon. I'll go and get a check up and a MRI scan which may lead to surgery to remove some damaged or rogue cartilage. Better to get this sort of thing sorted early before it leads to further problems eh?