J-Mac’s Corner…

Jessica MacIntosh - Editor-in-Chief

Jessica MacIntosh – Editor-in-Chief

Now I know what it feels like to walk on crutches.

Let’s start at the beginning with how I injured my knee in the first place.

It started three weeks ago after my scheduled routine of going to Lifetime Wellness, Interpersonal Communication and Fitness Walking. Lifetime Wellness was not your normal, sit-in-class lecture day. As a class we participated in a mile-long walk or run; after the walk/run, I was OK, tired, but OK. Then after Interpersonal, I went back to Leggett & Platt Athletic Center to do, you guessed it, more walking.

Feeling just fine from walking more than two miles, I went the next two days without any problems going from class to class, until that Friday. I began having sharp pains in my left knee to the point I had trouble standing on my leg and could not bend or flex it.

I managed to keep off of it for a few days, popping Advil every four hours to deal with the pain. It started feeling better over the weekend, and then on Wednesday of last week after participating in a step test in Lifetime Wellness, my left knee gave out, and I could not flex it at all.

Finally, I hobbled to the nurse on campus the next day and received a referral to go to Freeman Urgent Care to have it looked at. X-rays were taken.

My knee was repeatedly poked and prodded that day.

The doctor said I have knee effusion – excessive fluid in the knee joint. At first, he said he would wrap my knee in an ace bandage and put me on anti-inflammatory pills, but after looking at the X-rays, determined to place me in a knee immobilizer, to walk on crutches and still take the anti-inflammatory pills.

You think given three prescriptions would be enough. To top that off, he gave me a stack of paperwork about as tall as me, detailing my prescriptions, medical information explaining what I did to my knee and the infamous medical bill everyone hates to look at.

Then, I went to pick up my crutches and knee immobilizer from a medical supply store, which placed even more paperwork into my hot, little hands.

The insurance company is going to love me.

Last stop, May’s Drug Warehouse to pick up my pills that will last me forever and a day.

After two days of walking on crutches, my upper body felt so sore I could not open my pill bottle. My arms are now excessively bruised. It took me more than 25 minutes to go from East Hall to Webster Hall. The other thing – it is too hot to be walking on those things.

Everyone I see now asks what happened. When they hear it, many have said I need to create a more imaginative story. I’ve also noticed many people have been extremely nice to me.

Hopefully by the time everyone reads my column I will be off the crutches and be less miserable. I now feel the pain of anyone who has been or is physically disabled.