Knee Update, cuz I know the wondering is keeping you up nights

So, Prednisone is subtly interesting stuff. Damn shame it's bad for you long term because I feel great. Nothing like a little bit of roids in the system to get things clicking.

Guess I should do some catch up: I finally broke down and went to an orthopedic doc on Friday. The Aeros doc, to be exact, because frankly, I doubt many doctors in Houston really understand the rigors that goaltending in particular puts on joints. So I figure, why not go to the guy who treats them during the season?

It was a good visit and fun to get to "talk shop" and know that he maybe gets it.

Anyway, the x-rays didn't show anything, other than my bones look fine and my knee cap is a little goofy, but he said that had been that way a long time. Of course, my response to that is, "Well, this knee has been annoying for a long time." Just not THIS annoying.

He said either it's the MCL and if it is, it will be good in 2 weeks, or it's probably the meniscus and they'll need to do an MRI if it's not better in 2 weeks. Urgh.

The good news is that it's only been three days and the knee is feeling noticeably better. I don't think I tweaked it but one time today, and that was getting up from sitting on the floor. I'd been tweaking it 6 or 7 times a day and almost that many times during the night.

And it's not as stiff and painful after sitting for a long period, so I'm limping a lot less.

I'm going to add glucosamine to my routine to help my joints out however I can, and I'm trying to add a few little things back into my day, like some light squats and maybe some easy biking, just to keep those joints and muscles going.

I also read another "retraining" type of move where you balance on one leg for 30 secs, then bend the knee a 30 degrees and balance another 30 secs, then another 30 degress for another 30 secs. Work up to doing it with your hands on your hips and then with your eyes closed. Simple but kinda tough. Felt good to remind myself that my muscles do still work.

Got me some gnarly bruises from my deep tissue work with Cheryl Thursday, too. Look like I rode the Kentucky Derby on a golf ball saddle. Not cute. Felt like it, too, but there were plenty of trigger spots and other angry bits in my groin muscles, so she had a lot of work to do.

I, of course, had to bow out of playing Novice tonight and drop-in tomorrow. I completely wrecked my skate blades last time I played (always the mark of a hard fought game, right?) so I'm not letting myself get them sharpened until I can get up off the floor without my knee hurting. At that point, I feel like maybe I can skate a little and see how it feels.

I've been on a rollercoaster about the whole thing. It sucks not to play for a lot of reasons. Really feeds lots of insecurities. But on the bright side, I've managed to finally get caught up somewhat with work without starting my week off in zombie-land. You know, except for tonight where I'm up until 4 a.m. working and screwing around. Shooooot.