I have had a history of knee problems. I dislocated my left knee cap in 7th grade and again in 8th grade in gym class. Then the summer before my sophomore year we were camping and I stepped over a chair and dislocated my right knee cap. All of these sucked.
The right knee cap sucked the most because I did nothing serious to make it happen, And we were 40 miles from the nearest hospital. My mom had seen the doctor put my left one back in twice and she slipped it back in. My parents splinted it, and a family friend who had happened to be there at the same time as us helped my Dad put me in the van to take me to the hospital. None of my family had been there when I had done it previously so it was a shock to all of them to have me fall and just start screaming. I wasn't a fan really either. I don't really like involuntary, unexpected pain. Expected pain sucks too, though. And the E.R. doctor was an a-hole and didn't believe me that I had dislocated my knee cap and put me through the full range of motion not an hour after I had hurt it. Jerk.
Anyway, jump ahead 9 1/2 years to last Friday (1/15/11) to Everyman rehearsal. We finish the rave scene with nothing big happening. I get back to my area and felt a floaty sensation in my knee, which happens sometimes. I just have to fix the sensation before I sit down. But I didn't this time. I should have, because the next time I tried to stand I couldn't straighten my right knee, walk or put weight on it. I hurt, a lot. I sat out of the rest of rehearsal and Ryan and Billy helped me hobble to the car after rehearsal. I drove home left footed, which is harder than you think.
When I got home I took a bath and was able to straighten my knee in the bath. I iced and went to bed, expecting to be sore in the morning. I was asleep for 45 minutes and woke up crying, like, uncontrollable sobbing. We went sleepily, grumpily and in my case in incredible amounts of pain with tears rolling uncontrollably down my face to the E.R. We were there for four hours, had X-Rays done and had some special tests done by the E.R. doctor. He didn't really tell me what he thought, that I can remember, until I read the material he gave me as I was released with an ace wrap, crutches and a script for a knee immobilizer. Meniscus tear, possible knee strain. We open in two weeks. Shit.
On Monday I got in to see a Doctor at UHS which my insurance requires me to do. He agreed with the E.R. doctor on his prognosis and sent me to the ICC in the SAC on campus. I had my initial eval yesterday that concurred with the last two people I have seen. I have my first rehab appointment tonight. If I'm not better in a few weeks the UHS doctor wants to send me for an MRI.
So, no matter whether you're playing sports or doing theatre, you always have the chance to get hurt. Live life to the fullest and have fun while you're doing it!
P.S. You might be wondering what I am going to do about Everyman. I'm doing the show. I am a professional and I will be doing the show. I will be limited and I may be wheeled around the set, but I am doing the show. I have worked too hard and too long to not do the show. I can't let my cast mates down either. The show is going to be awesome a lot of us have worked hard and poured a lot into the show, please come see it. (Sorry for the shameless plug..... no, no I'm not)
P.P.S. For those interested in the show, it is being performed January 27-29 and February 3-5 at 7:30p and January 30 and February 6 at 2p. Come see it, it will be awesome! You can buy tickets here.
P.P.P.S. HUGS!
2 comments:
Oh dear, my knees are wincing in sympathy! You are a braver lady than I am, I'm sending you all the luck in the world for the show, though obviously I'm hoping you'll magically heal overnight and you won't even need it.
@Katri Thanks :) My director keeps hoping that I will magically be healed too. I wish you both were right, that would be much better than the possibility of surgery if rehab doesn't work.... ICK.
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