So, this post isn’t about a particularly nerdy topic but I thought the title was too good not to use. Since I’m here, maybe my situation can serve as a cautionary tale for you youngsters out there.

     That nice looking set of gams above belong to yours truly.  I’ve been struggling with pain in my right knee for about 10 years. Up until last year, steroid and cortisone shots (I guess…I don’t ask too many questions) kept the agony at bay.

     Last year I got my knee scoped to repair a meniscus tear. If you don’t know, the meniscus is the cartilage cushion that keeps the bones in your knee joint from rubbing together. Well, according to the X-ray I got yesterday, that cushion in my right knee is going bye-bye. And the associated MRI doesn’t make things sound better. I’m rocking edemas, ganglion cysts, and arthritis among other delights.

    The view above is me facing you.  My left knee, you’ll note, has a nice even space between the femur and the tibia.  I don’t think cartilage show ups on the x-ray, and I’m no boneologist, but I think the gap there indicates I’m good to go on that side. In fact, my left knee feels like I’m 20.  My right knee…not so much. You can clearly see the narrowing of space on that inside gap. Not the dreaded “bone on bone” situation, but clearly I’m flirting with that down the road.

     So, what’s my point here?  Take care of yourself.  As a guy, I’ve pretty much abused my body from day one. In the Army, I ran many, many miles with solid rubber-soled tennis shoes because I was too cheap to invest in some well-cushioned running shoes.   I felt alright…what could possibly go wrong?

     Could I stand to lose a few El Bees?  Hey, who can’t?  If you ask my doctor, the answer is yes, although he did tell me I “carry the weight well.”   In hindsight, I wonder what  role that extra weight played in my right knee wearing out like a twenty dollar tire from Wal-Mart?  It sure can’t have helped.

     And since becoming a home owner, I’ve spent countless hours pulling weeds and doing general yard work.  “Bend at the knees” they say. Well, I’ve done that a bunch. And guess which knee I bend down on instinctively?  Dang. I probably shoulda called ChemLawn.

Until next time…stay nerdy my friends.

 Copyright 2013 It Came From The Nerd Cave