I Need Some Prayers

[philosophette]

So some of you may remember a post of mine how about on Feb 6 I fell at work and really hurt my knee. 2.5 months later I was at the doctor again and he scared the living daylights out of me by telling me that I am going to need surgery. That was not good because I am entering the convent in 3 months!!!!!! I sat there on the exam table feeling really vulnerable and was like "Ok God... you know what you are doing, but I really do not like the idea of surgery. Im a big baby and I really don't know if 3 months is enough time to recover."

The doc sends me for xrays and they came back where my knee is not bad enough to need surgery but he told me that I cannot kneel and if I can avoid using stairs, even for 1 flight, I have to. I asked for how long and he told me "Well, for the rest of your life. This will never go away." great....

[The back of my patella is rough and rubs against my femur and if I kneel or do a lot of stairs it gets irritated, swells, and hurts...]

I guess its a little gift from the animal shelter so when they canonize me they can say that my knee was martyred for the animals! haha

At any rate, please pray that this continues to not be a big deal. Its bad that my knee is now permanently damaged, but all in all its better than a hand or an eye! Pray for some humility for me, as well, because I know its going to be penance to not be able to do everything that everyone else does.

Thanks!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='philosobrat' post='1252790' date='Apr 22 2007, 03:12 PM']So some of you may remember a post of mine how about on Feb 6 I fell at work and really hurt my knee. 2.5 months later I was at the doctor again and he scared the living daylights out of me by telling me that I am going to need surgery. That was not good because I am entering the convent in 3 months!!!!!! I sat there on the exam table feeling really vulnerable and was like "Ok God... you know what you are doing, but I really do not like the idea of surgery. Im a big baby and I really don't know if 3 months is enough time to recover."

The doc sends me for xrays and they came back where my knee is not bad enough to need surgery but he told me that I cannot kneel and if I can avoid using stairs, even for 1 flight, I have to. I asked for how long and he told me "Well, for the rest of your life. This will never go away." great....

[The back of my patella is rough and rubs against my femur and if I kneel or do a lot of stairs it gets irritated, swells, and hurts...]

I guess its a little gift from the animal shelter so when they canonize me they can say that my knee was martyred for the animals! haha

At any rate, please pray that this continues to not be a big deal. Its bad that my knee is now permanently damaged, but all in all its better than a hand or an eye! Pray for some humility for me, as well, because I know its going to be penance to not be able to do everything that everyone else does.

Thanks! [/quote]

I am so sorry about your knee! I wouldn't take his word for it that things won't improve however. Doctors have to take the most negative view but the body has amazing potential to heal itself, especially when you have lots of people praying for you! I have helped to rehabilitate race horses, and sometimes the vet has said that a particular horse will never be sound again for riding, but in a year or two, they are winning ribbons for little girls who are in love with them!

I will pray to St Francis, who loved animals too, and maybe he can intercede with God for your knee - at least enough so that you can kneel in prayer!

[stlmom]

Philo, you might think about a second opinion; ortho docs often have areas of special interest and if you can see one that has inclinations to sports medicine, he/she would likely have seen a lot of young knees like yours, and might give you something more to go with the advice you already have.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

I will pray for you. I also have some encouragement to offer - I was told by one occupational therapist that my condition (a neurological disorder that causes extreme clumsiness, poor balance, weak spatial perception, low muscle tone etc.) would not improve much.

Three years later I walked one hundred and thirty-nine miles to Our Lady's Shrine at Walsingham, helping to carry a 100lb wooden cross. I was the only one of the pilgrims who did not need to ride in the support car even once. I had asked Our Lady for the ability to get me through the pilgrimage and no more, as I wanted to offer it up for the recovery of a very sick friend - and she answered me. As soon as I had bowed my head to the ground in the Holy House at Walsingham, I reverted to my old state. If God needs you to do something, no disability or ailment will ever stand in your way.

[philosophette]

Thanks for all of the support and prayers. I will look into a 2nd opinion. I had this happen to my other knee as a kid and it eventually got better (after a few years) so I am hoping that is what happens with my left knee.

[alicemary]

I feel your pain! I have had bad knees for years, and in February injured my knee climbing stairs. Since then it has daily been painful, and the thought of ever kneeling is totally out of the picture for me. Now, I am alot older then you, so I get to say, Ok Lord, I will deal with it. You are young, you need to get a second opinion. If you need surgery have it done, do what ever needs to be done.
Many sisters will share your pain, believe me. I believe they used to call a painful knee 'nuns knee' from all the kneeling they do. If the convent you are joining is aware of your problems, and are willing to give you a try, then go for it. They must know the entire picture up front however. Not being able to kneel is such a minor thing. Heavens, the Lord truly understands.
Do what exercises they tell you to do, and follow their orders explicitly. With knees it is vital that you maintain movement in them, and exercise them a certain way. There is a possibility things could improve so you are more mobile. Always trust in the Lord, that He gives you these trials. A thing like that is nothing to be humble about, you have a physical issue, the convent should be very happy to have you enter and accept that.
I would say, primarily, get the second opinon so that you can feel more confident that you are moving in the right direction. Good luck!

[philosophette]

[quote name='alicemary' post='1252948' date='Apr 22 2007, 11:22 AM']I feel your pain! I have had bad knees for years, and in February injured my knee climbing stairs. Since then it has daily been painful, and the thought of ever kneeling is totally out of the picture for me. Now, I am alot older then you, so I get to say, Ok Lord, I will deal with it. You are young, you need to get a second opinion. If you need surgery have it done, do what ever needs to be done.
Many sisters will share your pain, believe me. I believe they used to call a painful knee 'nuns knee' from all the kneeling they do. If the convent you are joining is aware of your problems, and are willing to give you a try, then go for it. They must know the entire picture up front however. Not being able to kneel is such a minor thing. Heavens, the Lord truly understands.
Do what exercises they tell you to do, and follow their orders explicitly. With knees it is vital that you maintain movement in them, and exercise them a certain way. There is a possibility things could improve so you are more mobile. Always trust in the Lord, that He gives you these trials. A thing like that is nothing to be humble about, you have a physical issue, the convent should be very happy to have you enter and accept that.
I would say, primarily, get the second opinon so that you can feel more confident that you are moving in the right direction. Good luck![/quote]


Yeah, all excellent points. I don't think it will be a big deal with them. I've already sent off an email asking and I've put a call in to the VD. One of the current aspirants has knee problems.

This doc is the best knee doc in the area, he specilizes in knees, but Im going to try to find another doctor just to double check.

I had a month and a half of physical therapy and that helped a lot. I am very active and it seems to be completely fine as long as I do not do the stairs a dozen times a day.

[Chiquitunga]

Dear philosobrat, God bless you! My prayers are you with you too. I had a knee injury in high school and my knees have never been the same since - though your's sound [i]much[/i] worse! How hard it would be to hear your doctor say you can't kneel [i]ever[/i] .. Yeah, I try to think a lot, that it could be much worse. Last year I got my foot caught under a car while crossing the street, and it hasn't completely healed yet .. not sure if it will. But I always think, it could have been so much worse ... God bless you!

[philosophette]

Your foot? OUCH. I rather have a knee thing than foot..... maybe I should become Byzantine --- minimal kneeling! haha.

Prayers for your foot!

[AlterDominicus]

Hey hon, I have foot & knee problems, knees because I was to althetic as a "young one" though something tells me that Saint John Bosco would of encouraged me even further in my "sports"

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='philosobrat' post='1253467' date='Apr 22 2007, 05:57 PM']Your foot? OUCH. I rather have a knee thing than foot..... maybe I should become Byzantine --- minimal kneeling! haha.

Prayers for your foot![/quote] Hi! Thanks! Actually it's not too bad at all! That's funny about being a Byzantine!

But I was just thinking .. if I were still focused on things of the world, as I was a runner before and very concerned about things like race times, etc - then something like this would have been MAJOR in my little world - the "end of a career"

But it's just so amazing how our faith makes us see past these things so quickly, and then uniting everything and anything big and small with the Cross to give it eternal significance! Thank you, God!! Otherwise, without this, how depressing would life be and the many disappointments! No wonder our world is how it is - with people suing each other all the time and the like.

It still is very difficult to have knee problems or anything like this at such a young age, especially since you're feeling called to the Salesians who work with youth - and for kneeling .. I'll pray that it will heal like your right knee. But if it doesn't heal, I will ask for the grace of perseverance for you, also in the humiliation that not being able to kneel may cause, especially from people that don't understand .. That would be very hard ..

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='AlterDominicus' post='1254330' date='Apr 23 2007, 03:54 PM']Hey hon, I have foot & knee problems, knees because I was to althetic as a "young one" though something tells me that Saint John Bosco would of encouraged me even further in my "sports"

[/quote] .. but yeah, over-use injuries are no good .. ..... .... .... (physical therapy) ... okay, could be worse :j

[philosophette]

Hey everyone!

Thanks for the prayers - they worked. I spoke to the vice-provincial and she says that my knee is not a reason to deny my application. She was glad that I was open with them about it rather than trying to hide it and act like I did not have a problem.


So please keep the knee in your prayers still. I am going to get it looked at again.

Thanks so much!