Wednesday, August 24, 2005

MRI a-go-go

I had my MRI on my knee last night. It was pretty cool, and actually kind of relaxing. I got to sit in a place for 30 minutes and not worry about work calling on my cell phone :) Seriously though, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was only stuck in up to my neck, so I didn't get freaked out, and the earplugs helped drone the noise.

The noises were actually kind of hilarious! I thought they were going to give me a migrane, but really, they just reminded me of something out of a bad sci-fi movie. You know, like alien photon blasters and such. Or, you could compare it to the horrible sound of all horns on the rides at Cedar Point's Kiddie Kingdom back in the day. I could have used some earplugs back then.

The preparation was fun too - they really freak you out when they ask if you have ever had metal shards in your eyes, metal pins in your body or shrapnel or if you've ever stood too close to anything metal or if you've ever swallowed a penny in your life. It makes you think if you do, then the MRI magnetic field and radio waves are going to get ahold of it, rip it through your body and make the metal part careen toward the machine where it will spontaneously combust upon impact and destroy the northern hemisphere. Geez people - I'm trying to relax! Quit freaking me out!

Then they remind you to remove all jewelry and body piercing (with which I happily complied). But, part way through the test, I realized I still had my bra on. My very large bra. My very large bra with very large METAL underwire pieces in it. So, I squeezed my panic button and the MRI tech comes rushing in to see if I'm ok. And I say - "uh, my bra has metal in it" - and she just laughs and says I'll be ok.

Really, I was more concerned with interference of the pictures of my knees, but I swear I could feel my bra getting hot.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Viva Toronto!

My my my - sometimes I wonder why our lives are so busy that we make time to please people that irritate us (i.e. Work) but we never make enough time to see the ones we love; and those who refresh our soul! Does that seem backward to anyone else? Or is it just me?

Anywho - I finally made the time (after about four other delayed trips) to visit my good friend Eunice who lives in Toronto. We were also very VERY fortunate to get to meet up with another college friend, Beth, who is from all over, but most recently, New Jersey, where she's shacking up with her sister and her family until she departs for Israel for 5 months. It was great to see them before I trapse across the other side of North America! Really, getting together sounds like something out of a joke - A Chinese woman, a Mexican and a Jew walk into a bar.....

These are incredible women whom I've officially been friends with for 10 years. It really doesn't seem that long! We met freshman year in 2nd Tyler in East Quad - I'm pretty sure they were the first two people I met....we don't talk every day, or even every week, and if we are lucky, we get to see each other once a year. But every time we pick up right where we left off. Its a huge bonus to have access to blogs and email as well, so even if we don't talk, we are still involved in each others lives.

I just feel so refreshed after being with them for two short days - they were so patient with my crutches and my gimpiness! We had lots of great food, bubble tea and went shopping at the Chinese Mall (yes, there is such a thing, and yes, there are a LOT of Chinese people there!). Most of all it was just good knowing that after all that has happened my life, there are people who love me unconditionally, and who will always be there for a shoulder to cry on.

Or, to take me for a drink and a trip to a Shoe Museum.

Thanks Girls, for loving me!

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Coming Clean....

OK, despite much internal anguish from being so completely humiliated - I've decided to share the REAL story of how I hurt my knee.

Let me set the stage: Beautiful Saturday afternoon with Pat O'Brien's family. Beer flowith, along with some really yummy Irish Whiskey. We have a fabulous dinner, which is followed by more beer, and some grey goose cosmos. I'm pretty sure we played Charades (By the way, Y Tu Mama Tambien is a valid and well known movie title - its not my fault you couldn't act it out :) ).

Add more grey goose cosmos. Kids and grandparents went to bed. Texas hold 'em game starts. I go all in the first hand.....and lose. More cosmos, and beer? This is where it starts to get fuzzy. Kristen (Pat O'Briens sister-in-law) finds an almost full fifth of apple pucker and decides that we all have to finish it. The boys take two shots like the troopers they are, while me, Kristen and Mo (Pat O'Briens sister) finish the rest. I'm pretty sure I started crying for some reason at some point during the evening. Then, I think, we all started to dance.

Not only was I dancing, but apparantly in my enlightened state I decided that it was a good idea to show off how cool I was, because I'm still as flexible now as I was in high school. *NOTE TO SELF* *ITS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO SHOW OFF*. So, as I'm dancing, I take my right leg and lift it up by my ear, cheerleader style. I'm still dancing/hopping/twirling on my left leg, thinking how cool I am.

Then, here's where its really fuzzy, I either lost my balance and fell, or my knee gave out and I fell, or I just got dizzy and fell. In any case, I fell. My knee hurt like a sunofabitch and I couldn't get up (I actually remember thinking in my head at this point "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up" - I don't think that commercial will ever die). I vaguely remember Kristen giving me a wedgie. And Pat O'Brien helping me up.

Then I went to bed.

So, thats my story, and I'm sticking to it. I guess one could say I tripped and fell, but that really is leaving out the meat of the story. The moral of this story is Don't Get Really Loaded and Try to Show Off in Front of Family Members. Nothing good can ever come of it.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Bum Knee

So, its official. After my appointment yesterday with U of M MedSport they confirmed my worst fear - I have a completely torn ACL in my left knee. I can't believe I injured myself so severely while doing something completely non-intense. Its crazy!

I have to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of auxillary damage to surrounding soft tissue and cartilage. Part of me is holding on to a false hope - I hope after the MRI the doctor says "good news! Your ACL really isn't torn! You totally don't need surgery!". But, I really know thats not going to happen :(. I will be needing surgery - the doc said I could either do it here at U of M or do it in Mexico.....I've decided (along with almost EVERYONE I've talked to) to have the surgery here, start rehab, and then complete rehab in Mexico. The way some people reacted when I suggested having surgery in Mexico, you'd think they didn't have the same medical technology. Its not like they operate with really sharp tortillas after sanatizing with tequila people! they have to go to med school too!

Anywho, in the meantime, its lots of rest, ice and physical therapy to get the swelling down and the muscles strong in preparation for going under the knife. It also means electro-stimulation, which was wierd at first, but really works and is WAY cool!

This also means postponing my departure for Mexico about a month or so. Kinda stinks, I was hoping to leave in August and now it won't be until October. But, on the positive side (because I am an eternal optimist) it gives my replacement (congrats ALF!) lots of time to relocate his family to Michigan.

*Sigh* Lots of prayers my way people.....physical therapy is hard, and I'm a sissy. And frankly, I don't like doing things that aren't easy.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Too Much Excitement!

This past weekend I spent some time in Indiana with Pat O'Brien's family. Although presented with a similar set of nerves as when he met my family, everything went off without a hitch. Well, sort of.

On Saturday night, my and my ever present gracefulness were out in full force. I managed to fall and jack my good knee all to heck. We won't go into details here - we'll just say that it wasn't pretty. and it may have involved alcohol.

Anyway, Pat and I went to an urgent care place on Sunday early afternoon, and they hooked me up with some bandages/crutches/anti-inflamatory/other sissy gear. Made for some good conversation on Sunday :) His family was pretty cool about it - making slight fun of me while helping me hop around the house. It actually made me feel pretty welcome, belive it or not!

So now I'm waiting until tomorrow so I can go to U of M and get a full examination from a sports med person......until then, it will be elevation, ice, and OTC pain killers for me!

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

The great Realtor Debate

Part of the relocation with SIRVA is having to meet with two different Realtors before we decide and list our house. I met with one today and must say I was impressed by her work and preparation - but was dissappointed in one aspect. The price of the house! I realize that we need to price to sell, but I was actually quite shocked! I still have to meet with the other realtor so we can see what he thinks about price. Apparrantly it is a buyers market, which sucks for us, but what else are we going to do????