Close to Nowhere

When you get out of bed one morning and hear a loud popping, grinding sound, go ahead and start worrying then. But, put off going to the doctor for several weeks, until your family is sick and tired of you whining and complaining.

Last Friday I broke down and made a doctor's appointment at Ortho Express, right behind Subway and Sonic in Holly Springs. I'd seen their ad in the newspaper and sent daughter Dana to them a while back and now she threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't go see them, so I'd quit whining.

I ended up at Urgent Care in Oxford Saturday. It seems like whatever had happened to my knee caused an infection.

It was really weird. You couldn't go in. The nurse came out to the car and took my vitals, etc. I have a large file there, so when the doctor, in a clear shield face mask, a cloth face mask and gloves came out to the car, he already knew what I needed. A short exam and consultation later I headed off to pick up an antibiotic.

Monday, I went to Ortho Express to find out why my knee had made that noise and was causing my family such distress as I whined constantly.

It turns out when your knee makes a grinding, popping noise, my knee anyway, it means the last little bit of cartilage that protected the knee joint has exited the building.

Now, my joint is just about bone on bone. My knee cap is in the wrong place also.

I was very pleased with Ortho Express and the staff. Everyone had on a mask and gloves, me included. It was kind of exciting, since I've been self-isolating for so long. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't my cranky family. I hope they smiled at me, I certainly smiled at them.

I'm so grateful for the medical people who are willing and able to go out and face people who are sick every day. If we all stay home and don't make their jobs any harder, eventually, we'll all be out smiling at people where they can see us.