My Strange Knee

Several years ago I injured my right knee in a fall on ice. Don't know if that has anything to do with what is going on now, or not, but I went to PT for several months and everything seemed fine until recently, other than some developing arthritis pain which my doctor said would be normal after such an injury.

So a few months ago I noticed a different pain in my knee...then, sitting in my recliner, it seemed that my leg wasn't quite straight. In addition, my kneecap had moved and was sitting up at the top of my knee and off to the right (outside). (If I still shaved my legs I probably would have noticed sooner...er...tmi, right?)

In the intervening months, my leg from the knee down has continued to become more deformed - the only word I can think of to describe it - until now, from a front view, it looks rather like this:
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Yes, the lower half of my leg is sticking out to the side. And it is PAINFUL. Now, from hip to toes, there is continual pain from, I'm guessing, soft tissues that are being pulled as they were never intended to be.

Of course I've gone to the doctor, and she said that the arthritis is wearing down the outside of my knee joint rather than evenly all the way across. Naturally, without health insurance a specialist is out of the question, as is surgery (if, indeed, there is a surgical solution). As my hip is now starting to object when I walk, and as there are times that it feels my leg will snap right off at the knee when I put weight on it, it is becoming a bigger and bigger problem all the time.

I will lose more weight now, I guess...(I'd lost 90# a few years ago but still have more to go, that I'd decided to just keep, for my own personal reasons...see my low carb blog if you're interested.)...and Pete is working on a way to support the leg. I can ease the pain a bit through rest and drugs but sitting in a recliner buzzed on Vicodin isn't my idea of the good life...at least not when I'm only 52 years old...

I'm not whining, but I am frustrated, and not sure what I will do or where I will go from here. I use a cane to take some of the weight from the knee when I walk, it obviously isn't enough but crutches seem like overkill, and also exacerbate the arthritis in my spine.

I guess I'll keep looking for answers, lose more weight, rest when the pain is too much, use a support on my knee, keep up with the alternating motril/tylenol regimen (with a vicodin when it's so bad that that doesn't work) all day, every day...and if there is a job out there for someone who can't sit or stand for long periods, can't lift, lost the ability to do math/organizational/multitasking with a "cerebrovascular event" a couple of years ago, has continual accidents/dropping/tripping/misjudging from loss of vision, can only drive in full daylight when there's no traffic around...I can do that job, and use my paychecks to buy some health insurance :).

Meanwhile...I guess I just do what I can do, and pray about the rest!

All About Our Yamaha PSR-E413s #yamaha #music

We each have one now. A couple of reasons for this: It will be easier for me to help teach hubby how to play if I'm not hanging over his shoulder or reaching in front of him - he can see/hear me demonstrate on mine, then play on his. (He's already got a good start on his own, through YouTube videos and beginning music books, plus the benefit that he's already musically inclined.)

Second, my 9000Pro is a monster to take to church every Sunday! Very heavy and cumbersome, and there are lots of stairs both there and here. Pete and I both have arthritis issues, and a lighter keyboard will be so much easier to cart back and forth!

Third, I'm simply amazed at all the goodies the E413 has for the price. I believe that Pete will grow into it nicely as he learns, and the simpler functionality is fun for me. I can't believe they can offer so many features for $229USD - many features I'd have expected only on a more expensive instrument.

I guess because it has the Y.E.S. it is considered a beginning keyboard by most. But I find the functionality to be quite satisfying, as a second instrument. In one of the many online videos and articles about it that I've seen these last couple of weeks, someone wrote/said that even the most sophisticated keyboard can sound awful when played by someone without talent, but the simplest keyboard can sound wonderful played by someone who knows what they're doing. While I'm far from being an expert (I can do about 10% of the things on my keyboard that the players do in their posted performances here!), being able to sit down and set it up and play something that sounds quite passable without dealing with too many buttons is a nice change.

My first impression is that, while my 9000Pro may be an older model Lexus, the E413 is a newer model Chevy . The honeymoon is far from over with my 9000Pro, and it is my main machine. But this E413 is a fun little keyboard with - dare I say it? - much richer-sounding voices that make the older keyboard sounds seem a little faded but just a little .

I think this will be fun, and I"m SO looking forward to Pete and I being able to play together someday! These new keyboards will make it fun and easier for us to get to that place so much sooner