Finding Out

Hello from North  Jersey.  I`m here   by my  big  xmas tree, something I love to put up every year.  But its  different for me now. On Oct 1, I went to an orthopedist at NYU medical center in Manhattan. He weas referred to me by my regular doctor. I  kept feeling pops and clicks in my knees. This doctor spoke to me briefly, took a quick look at one of the x rays, and told me I have loose bodies. So I was so relieved that I didnt have anything more  serious, like arthritis or something that would cripple me. The next day I realized  that I didnt have enough questions prepared for the appt, so I called him and asked more about it. What causes loose bodies? He said "arthritis", almost treating it as an afterthought.  Im 43. Always been pretty healthy except for about 40 extrs lbs on my 6`3 frame. No injuries.  He said a few more things on the phone like, theres a micro surguery that you can get,but it wil only address a symptom, not the problem.

As I began to live with this, and start doing some exercises for it, other things began to hurt. My neck. My wrists.  Was I imagining  all of it?

Each day I grapple more with going from being  a healthy,able guy to one who has symptoms, and maybe big time pain and disability down the line.

And now the kicker, after i digest all of this news  since Oct 1, here it is not even Christmas and my knee is way worse where I feel like its always about to give out or buckle.****!  What happen to stretching out the symptoms and a gradual course of arthritis?

I know that arthroscopic surgery is not a cure for knee  arthritis, but Im hoping that one of the loose bodies has floated closer to the joint, and can be removed so that the catching will stop. Im going to see about that first thing in 2008.

 Im now full of small symptoms, not real pain, but plenty of anxiety, and cant walk too far without considering every step.

That sucks. I thought  it would be good for me to hook into a site like this instead of endless googling.

Max