One Step Forward . . .

I missed my UBBT 6 graduation because of an opportunity I could not afford to pass up. I have had a systemic problem with massive swelling in my knees since November 16, 2008 and they can’t seem to find any reason why this is happening to me. I have been in the queue to see a pain/rehab specialist and of course my turn came up at the same time as the UBBT graduation. I am very disappointed that I couldn’t attend the graduation but I had to take the opportunity to get to the bottom of this issue that has been affecting me for my entire UBBT 6 and is following me through the Live Like a Champion Project.

The results of my appointment were a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is it is definitely not rheumatoid arthritis. This was my biggest fear as the swelling hit both knees at the exact same time overnight. That specific symptom usually points to an autoimmune issue. The bad news is that there is no obvious systemic reason why my legs are causing me so much grief. I was really hoping for a definitive answer to my problem but I will have to be satisfied knowing that my immune system has not betrayed me.

All in all I am happy with things. I am on a rehab program to try and recover some of the muscle mass I have lost in my legs over the past sixteen months and I now have the confidence that I am not going to exasperate my issues by pushing the knees a little harder in the coming months.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” - Lance Armstrong (b. 1971)