Yes, I track astrology. But I also have an engineering degree and an MBA from a top school. Just consider me avant-guarde. In addition, an astrologer told me a long time ago that Hygiea - the goddess of health and an asteroid - is oppose my sun at 24.33 Degrees Taurus. What this means in real terms is either I will be ultra healthy or I will have problems. Basically, when I am with the program I am fine, but when I am not with the program what I am going through now happens. Instead of giving my poor friends and coworkers an earful, I am blogging it. I may eventually open this up for comments, but for now I am just trying to understand, explain and heal my experience. I want my health back.
My knee is better. It is still swollen, it is still tender, but it is better. I have been doing some research and making some changes, which I will report here, but I did want to state up front that I am seeing slow progress. The crises where I could barely walk seems to be improving.
I have symptoms of tendonitis and osteoarthritis, plus other things. I know that I should not be self diagnosing, and that I need to see a doctor, but it took a while to choose what type of doctor. I think I am going to make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor who specializes in sports medicine. I do not want surgery, but I want someone who understands both the soft tissue and the bones. I did a lot of searching last night, and I have a few names now. I will be making some phone calls to set up an appointment, and I will give an additional update on that in a later post.
I have revealed my secret identity to a friend from work during a bathroom conversation (ladies always talk to each other in the bathroom). She had some health related issues a few weeks back that I was able to help with via a bathroom conversation, and what I told her to do worked. I told her about my challenges, and we had a good laugh. I told her about the blog as me needing a forum to talk about this. I need a place where it is safe to say what needs to be said. I could send her a weblink just because. However, we build these things slowly, and I am just now testing my wings as a writer. I have to watch the tendency to perform for an audience (which I do) as I would prefer to be perfectly honest about what I am going through here on this forum, without it disintegration into a rant. That said, I may blog for a while and then send this out to a few who could use the love.
From the reading I have done, I need to loose the weight. I am starting at 162 pounds, and I am told by several calculators on Dan's health food stores that my ideal weight range is 121lbs-135lbs. This keys into all my self worth fears, but I am reassuring myself that just because I will get back to my ideal weight does not mean that I am weak, small and vulnerable. It means I will need to take up strength training and a self defense class, and possibly Ai-Ki-Do if my joints allow. Ai-Ki-Do as I seem to be able to see patterns of energy, and they honor that. I don't want to overpower anyone, I want to protect myself and live my life. Back to that Aries lesson I have - but that is another story.
So, from all the research I have done so far, this is what I have.
If you are overweight, the overweight will aggravate the knee swelling. It is important to get into your normal weight range if you have an osteo-arthritis process starting. By getting back to your ideal weight the pressure on the joint will be reduced, and this will slow the loss of cartilage and will relieve the pain. The most important thing you can do if you have osteo-arthritis or an osteo-arthritis process starting is to get into your normal weight range.
I have an inflammation process in the knee, and all the symptoms of tendonitis. I also have rosacea, cholesterol, borderline high blood sugar. I have done an anti-inflammation diet before, and from all the reading I have done on my kneed, I realized I needed to do an anti-inflammation diet again. I will not give up on coffee but I will cut back on other things. The chocolate I ate the other day seems to have aggravated it.
Proteolytic Enzymes help with the symptoms of inflammation.
So for the time being
No Dairy
No Nightshades
Nothing Fried
No Meat (Red Meat or Pork)
Nothing processed (within reason)
Avoiding Sugar, chocolate, eggs, gluten
Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, tree nuts, sensible carbs (like rice).
I have eaten so much fruit this week and vegetables, and I am really not hungry.
I will keep you posted.
It is better, not perfect, but I am able to walk better now.
Some useful websites
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/patellar-tendonitis.php
http://www.orthoseek.com/articles/chondromp.html
"A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication like Motrin is often prescribed by your physician. This is taken regularly, whether you feel pain or not. By decreasing the inflammation, the pain is often reduced. But not only that, there is some evidence to suggest that the drug actually helps in reforming the articular cartilage."
http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com/sports-rehab-patellar-tendonitis.html
Dr Wei wrote this article and I have copied it extensively here. I did not write these words, and you can find the original source information at the weblink above. Finding this was a god send, as these are my symptoms, and I do have an over-pronation of the foot.
"Patellar tendonitis can also occur in people who have alignment problems in their legs. This alignment problem can result from having wide hips, being knock-kneed, or having feet that roll inward when you walk or run (over-pronation). " -
"Symptoms are:
• pain and tenderness involving the patellar tendon
• swelling in the knee joint or swelling where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia
• pain with jumping, running, or walking, especially when going downhill or downstairs
• pain with flexing or extending (bending or straightening) the leg
• tenderness behind the kneecap.
"If the tendon ruptures, there is sudden severe pain with inability to straighten the leg.
"The diagnosis is suspected when there is tenderness at the patellar tendon. The pain is increased with running, jumping, or squatting. The feet should be checked for over-pronation. MRI of your knee may confirm the diagnosis. "The article is worth reading and Pierre Rouzier, M.D., for McKesson Clinical Reference Systems is also credited.
All the best,
Kat
