Never a Dull Moment....

[Lisa33]

So, just when things were peaceful and calm, I may have torn my meniscus in my knee. The ridiculous part about it is that it happened just getting out of my car. It would be much more exciting if it was from a sports injury. :-) The orthopedic took an x-ray today and said she thinks it may be a tear, but I have to go for an MRI on Monday to see for sure what's going on. I believe only an MRI can show a tear for sure anyway. The timing is just impeccable as we are leaving for Disney on the 30th. She wrote me a script for PT 2-3 times per week, and to keep icing it and continue taking ibuprofen. She said that there's nothing else that you can do for it really. I made my follow up appt for 10 days prior to our trip so I can get a cortizone shot if need be. I am praying that it heals by then. My daughter is so looking forward to Disney, so I have to get there no matter what.

[roy]

Call Disney and ask if you can hire one of those electric disability carts.
Your going to need it!

[beth22]

Disneyland used to give priority to people in wheel chairs. Maybe this is your ticket to the front of the line! In the worst of cases, you will just have to use a wheel chair in the park. I assume you are going to Florida?

[justme]

Lisa: Boy, when it rains, it pours. Hopefully, your knee will be better and you can enjoy the trip. I agree with the others, Disney is very accommodating to people with disabilities and should be able to give you a wheelchair to help. You may have to avoid some of the rides, but your little daughter will still have fun. Good luck and I hope all goes well.
Aloha,
Anne

[zinnia1]

Aargh! I flared up my knees on exercise bike a month ago and got an injection under patella of one. That usually has done trick, but not this time! Ice is your friend. I have a slight meniscus tear as well and they don't even really operate anymore on them. It is endless isn't it?

[ResearchGrandma]

We had a family Disney cruise trip booked along with plans to take a day first at Universal Studios in Oct 2014. Just 5 days before we were all scheduled to fly to FL, my oldest son called to say that he had just torn his calf muscle playing soccer and could not bear any weight. (Not great timing - he had not played soccer in years, just coached his children's teams, and had started playing in an adult league a month or two earlier). He managed to come on the trip, with a brace and crutches. Universal did not "give" wheelchairs, but they were readily available for rent (reasonable cost) as soon as you entered the park. My son went through Universal on a wheelchair - no problem. Talk with your doctor (or nurse at doctor's office) and get their input/recommendations for traveling with your injury if it is not completely healed by then.

[Lisa33]

Beth - we are going to Disney in Florida. My husband said the same thing..this could be our ticket to the front of the line. The doctor said that I should feel a ton better in a couple of weeks, but if there is still a lot of pain, a cortisone shot should help significantly for the trip. I am going to look into renting the electric chairs if need be, as Roy said. I think Disney is very accommodating for people with disabilities.

Zinnia - Ice has definitely been my best friend! And the doctor said the same thing, that they don't really operate unless there is significant damage. Slight tears just heal on their own, and to do physical therapy.

Thank you all for sharing your stories and recommendations. I still can't believe I did this from just getting out of the car. How embarrassing! LOL I really need to exercise. I swear I'm like the tin man from the wizard of oz. I'm so stiff and fragile. I am not one for the gym, but I need to start doing something after this heals.

[Nancy1]

I have meniscus tears in both knees. My orthopedist says about 30 percent of older people have them. He didn't treat them. ( I also have arthritis in both knees and the doc says my pain is due to that. I have had Synvisc shots for that, which helped a lot.). Good luck with your trip.

[NanciT]

Oh Lisa!! I am so sorry!! Glad you are getting the MRI which is the only way to see a tear. The cortisone is an excellent idea and should help a great deal.
Keep elevated as much as you can right now...I know...tough with working and kids etc.
Thinking of you!!
NanciT

[Lisa33]

Thanks so much Nancy1 and Nancit! The soreness seems to be a little better today. I iced it A LOT yesterday, so maybe that has helped.

Nancy1 -I so feel for you - To deal with this in both knees has to be awful. Meniscus tears do seem to be very common.

[Nancy1]

Don't feel badly that you tore your meniscus getting out of your car. I don't even know how I tore either of mine. Pain just came out of the blue. With one of them, my knee would lock up during the night, and pain would wake me up when I tried to move it, even just an inch. My doc gave me a pain med (hydrocodone/apap) but I was scared to take it. Eventually it stopped being so painful. I hope your pain is better soon.

[Bobbie]

Lisa,

My DIL tore her meniscus skiing - never did have surgery. Evidently it is no longer the only solution as it used to be. Ecidently many athletes are not having the surgerynqs much as they used to.There are seven floors in Sean and Sharon's house and she has no problem navigating them. She said she wants to try skiing again!!

So sorry this happened now and hope with motor aides and PT later, you will do fine.

Think we all have Murphy's law. Maybe it is a prerequisite for c diff!

[getwellsoon]

Lisa, Hope the knee continues to get better and your trip is fun. You need this. I know how awful knee pain is. Best wishes and get well soon.

[georgina]

Hi Lisa
Sorry you are dealing with this now. Yes , you can tore up your meniscus for no particular reason .Something similar has happened to my husband.He stood on his knees for 20 minutes and when he wanted to get up his knee locked up.He had an MRI done and the doctor diagnosed the meniscus rupture and he had a small surgery done to remove the piece of meniscus that was broken.He never complained about strong pain.
Take care!

[Lisa33]

Thank you all so much. I don't want to jinx myself, but today it seems a lot less sore. I have really been icing it a lot since it happened last Friday night. I go for the MRI on Monday, so that will confirm what's going on. But, the soreness seems to have really let up today. I'm optimistic that it's going to be a lot better by the trip. I'm going to make it work one way or the other anyway. We are doing what I'm calling a taste of Disney. My daughter is turning 5 this month, so we kind of feel that she is still somewhat young to do the whole Disney experience. She is still too short for a lot of the rides, etc. So we decided to just do 3 nights in Disney - going to the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios only. We are going with good friends who also have a little girl the exact same age. So, the kids are going to have a blast. We set up for them to get made up as princesses, eat dinner with the princesses in the castle, etc. After Disney, we are spending 4 nights at a beach on the gulf side of Florida, where we plan on relaxing. So, at least it's not a full week of walking around the parks. It will all work out, bum knee and all. It always does somehow. But, I think it is starting to feel better, thank God!