Keep on the sunny side

There's a dark and troubled side of life, but there's a bright and sunny side too... So true, so true.

Okay here's my dark and troubled side.  My friend KJ asked her orthopedic surgeon friend what he thought about her friend's (me) diagnosis of arthritis.  He said, "She's fucked" Exact quote.

I went to see an ortho surgeon about my knee yesterday.  Some how I didn't look at the google map very well and ended up way up northeast in BFE.  I called the office to get directions at my appointment time, she said oh you're way up there.  I was in tears. I got my bearings and I got to the medical office about 15 minutes late.  I had gone past the same building 45 minutes earlier.  I don't know WTF I was thinking.

Here's the view from the examination table

I looked scared or worried or scary or worried scary old. 

I was bored waiting for the doc.  BTW, I did have paper shorts on.  But can you imagine if he walked in while I was photographing my old lady athletic legs up in the air.  

When I was young and a bigger partier , a good sign I was rather intoxicated is that I would pull up my pant legs and show my ultra-large calf muscle, reminiscent of lets say Broomhilda or Kathy Bates, developed mainly through jump roping for body conditioning. I could easily hurt a small child or animal if my leg fell on them, dead weight. 

Oh there were other signs of course, of intoxication but that's another post.

That is not urine.  This is the fluid tapped from my knee by my ortho doc Dr. Simpson.

Anyway I 'll cut to the chase, the doctor said I do have early-on-set arthritis in my knee.  He said I have a good prognosis having good flexibility and muscle tone. After he tapped the fluid I got another cortisone shot that hurt like hell and I will start physical therapy next week.  

So here's the bright and sunny side.  He thinks I could come out of this okay, looking positive.  I know what is he supposed to say to me.  I have a degenerative disease with no cure (that's a little dark and troubled) But I'll be damned if it takes me down.

That I and need to go back and get a second mammogram. The dreaded phone call came. I am so worried I started taking  Wellbutrin again and I have had a headache since I got the call.  My mom died a young death from breast cancer.  And I am a worrier, shit.  Between driving 20 miles off course for the Dr's yesterday and worrying about breast cancer I have aged myself a few years.

Okay I can not leave this post on such a depressed note. So here's Scary Santa to send out a ho ho ho ho ho wishing everyone out in my blog world a very happy happy sunny side New Year for 2011.  I am so looking forward.  Only good thoughts.  2011.