The Chronic Pain Chronicles, Part 6: Not the Bee's Knees

The Bible says that God puts no more on you than you can bear, so I guess Fibromyalgia, plus a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, plus chronic migraines just don't seem to be enough pain. Apparently, God thinks I can tolerate more.

Have you ever awakened only to realize that something that used to function properly doesn't function so properly anymore? That was my knees. More specifically, my left knee. At first, it felt like it needed to pop. As days went on and the pain increased, I started limping. At some point, it felt like it could no longer stand my own weight, so it was time to go to an Orthopaedist. According to the orthopaedist, that pain was a Baker's cyst and a torn meniscus. Recovery was slow but it came just in time for my other knee to break down. My right knee was doing the exact same thing as the left. To my surprise, it was a torn meniscus.

At this point in my life, my chronic pain was excruciating. I was prescribed the Fentynal Transdermal pain patch but it did nothing for my knee pain or migraines. (This was before the opioid overdose crisis.) After all the back pain and now knee pain, I entered the world of orthopedic shoes...the ugliest shoes on Earth.

My knee pain would come and go. I was told that I would eventually have to have my knees replaced but apparently, you have to wait until you're old enough to get your knees replaced...which is about 75 (I was told). I personally think orthopaedist tell their patients different things depending upon their situation. I have a friend who got her knees replaced while she was in her 40s and my Mother got her's replaced in her late 70s. So, until I age some more (God willing), I have to get my knees injected about every 6 months to stave off the pain.