Torn Meniscus, take 2

Over the winter months I continued to try running, but was only able to manage 1 to 3 km 3-4 times a week before my knee started to bother me again. Same knee that was operated on. Same problem - not sharp, just a very obvious dull pain in the joint. It would swell if I tried to run longer. I was getting some physio to strengthen it. In February I decided to go back to the sports doctor at the Health and Performance Centre at the University of Guelph, the same doctor who initially examined my knee in summer 2011 and requested an MRI which showed I had a tear in my meniscus. So, prior to returning to my doctor I went out for a run on two consecutive days so that i had an idea if my knee was improving. It was nicely swollen up like a softball the next morning when I went in to see the doctor. Even though it was quite evident my knee was swollen, without looking at my knee, he looks straight at me and says "we have to get your head thinking about something else than running". When I ask him if my recovery is within the range of normal and if I could expect to be running again in the future, he said that some people never recover from this surgery and he could not look into a crystal ball.
My simple request of a doctor is to listen to the complaint, examine a problem, pursue tests if required, and make judgments based on his clinical experience.
He did do a very brief examination and agreed that it was still painful and was swollen. When I asked again what I should do, he said don't run if it hurts, hope it gets better and that maybe physio should be continued, and that he couldn't predict if it will get better.
So, with that, I said "I guess we are done, and strode out of his office". It was likely not the best patient doctor-experience for the intern student who was sitting in on the visit.
I changed physiotherapy clinics from the HPC to Speed River Physio. I was finding the treatment was fine at HPC, but my therapist was just continuing treatment without questioning if it was working. At Speed River, i found their approach much different. First, my new therapist was herself an accomplished middle distance runner who had competed at the national level [way above my level] and she knew the frustration a runner feels when they are injured. Second, she was very open to pursuing a different treatment if physio was not going to work. We agreed to try physio for a while to see if her approach made any difference. Also, she looked at my running mechanics to see if there was something I could do to improve my form and reduce stress on the injured knee.
After about 5 treatments, we decided I should return to my family doctor and have the knee re-examined.
My family doctor was excellent, and said that I had every right to pursue examinations to see what was still the problem. We agreed that we should go back to my surgeon if we discover any problems with the knee after an MRI. I was concerned that my surgeon would recommend something that I was not comfortable with [like Synvisc injections] so I was so pleased to hear that my family doctor said if I wanted a second opinion she would send me to the Fowler Kennedy Clinic in London - apparently they are the best place for sports knee treatment.
I was very pleased that within a week I had my MRI at the Guelph Hospital and my doctor very promptly called me to read the results to me - tear in the meniscus, may have been a recent tear. My doctor scheduled an appointment with the surgeon and now I wait until 10 August to see what the next steps are. I am assuming I'll have arthroscopic again.
Then, finally, I'll be good as new again.
This has been an educational experience for me, thankfully it was over a non-serious medical problem. Teaches me that a very good doctor who wants to make you better is so important. Also, some doctors' opinions are not the ones you should act upon. Thirdly, I've generally found that our health care system has been excellent - reasonable wait-times for appointments, very good care in the hospital, and there are many doctors out there who are very conscientious. Thank goodness my knee is far from my heart!

What have I lost over this past year+?

I've run [more or less intensely] since high school. I've always been in decent shape. But over the past 10 years I was running a lot and was pleased with my abilities. It is fun to see how far and how hard you can go. The body is amazing. I've seen that it takes years to get to your highest fitness levels. I had been considering my first 100 miler for a few years but knew that first that my body wasn't ready for it, and second my mind was not ready for it. After completing many marathons and ultras, I was able to endure the longer distances. Last year and the year before I was feeling I could gut out a 100 miler so I was running well leading up to the 2011 running season. I used the Seaton Trail 52k [results] as a warm up/test for maybe another 50 miler, then a 100 miler later on in the season. The April 2011 Seaton race was the worst running conditions I've ever raced in. Thankfully I was able to finish - I didn't even know I had hurt my knee. And I felt good that at least the only race of 2011 for me was a good finish. 

Over the past year+ I've tried my short runs to test out me knee and I found a 2 km run so tiring! I was huffing and puffing and slow. I normally didn't feel even warmed up and able to run at a good clip for at least 5 km when I was running before! It is amazing how the body adapts to a better fitness level and to a poor fitness level. I can hardly wait for my knee to be better so I can see how I can return to running. 

But I am sure it will take 1 to 2 years again to get to a mediocre state where I can run a 5 km, 10 km, or longer race, and it will take me several years again before I'll be able to contemplate my 100 miler. 

Looking back, I had wasted a lot of time with doctors and physio who were not asking the critical questions to get my knee fixed quickly. You have to look after yourself sometimes. 

My Year of Torn Meniscus, #1

On 16 April I tore my left knee meniscus [cartilage] while running Seaton Trail 52 km. At least I think I did. It was a brutally rough trail course and the weather conditions were cold, pouring rain, and very windy. About 2-4C. The course was river valley bottom and ravine hills. Swampy ceder groves and slick clay hill inclines. Out and back twice so we crossed the 8m wide river four times. I had slept over at my friend Leslie's place and got to Whitby school in time for the 7am start. I started off at the back of the pack and slowly over the next 6 hours 16 min made my way near the front. But not always by passing people, it was more a race of attrition. I can honestly say it was the worst race weather conditions I have ever been in. If I would have stopped I would have got hypothermia in minutes. But I was in fairly good shape so I was able to maintain a solid pace that generated a lot of body warmth [that quickly dissipated!]. But I felt good the whole way, other than becoming totally exhausted over the last hour.
I tripped and stumbled several times, but I recall one spot on a steep downhill trail section that was full of cobble stones. It was straight and going diagonally down. The trail acted like a water channel catching all the runoff rain along the slope. Half way down the 300m hill the path was about 1m wide and was essentially a gushing stream about 10cm deep, water rushing down the trail over the cobble stones. I twisted my ankle and started to fall but caught myself on a small tree. I twisted my right ankle and thought I was done. But I walked it out for a minute and continued on my way down the hill's river. I was about 8 km from the finish.
I think that is where i hurt my left knee. I didn't feel a thing. Running was fine. Just tired!
At the last 600 m you exit the forest and cross a field, up a hill to the school's track. You then run 300m around the track to the finish line. There was nobody ahead of me and the person behind me was a couple 100m. There was no way I was going to walk this one in. I crossed the line - they had erected a pop-up shelter so the timer with her clipboard wouldn't get too wet. A kind lady walked me into the school where i plodded to the change room to get warm dry clothes. I had come to the race by my self. I started to shiver uncontrollably and just wanted to lie down. I knew a few people at the race but they were all still on the course. Eventually I plodded into the change room and went into the shower, shoes and clothes and all. I was covered in mud. The energy drink wasn't kicking in yet and i was still dizzy, I just leaned against the wall letting the shower warm me up. Taking off my shoes was hard. I couldn't bend over with out falling over. They were tied on tight so they wouldn't have come off in the mud. Eventually they were off, and i scooped out the mud. Having a buddy at the finish line after a race like this is a god-send.
I finally got out of the shower and put on dry clothes, then walked to the cafeteria where the 29km runners who were finished were lounging. I went straight for the energy drinks as I couldn't stomach any food yet. It took me about another 20 min before I stopped shivering, then I got a banana and bagel.
The race organization was informal to say the least and there was not much going on. Slowly runners came in one by one as their race finished. It was going to be a long time before they started announcing results.
My knee was fine. I looked around and still really know anyone. So, well, after an hour of sitting and nibbling food, drinking hot chocolate. I decided I was done. I got up, slowly and painfully plodded to the car, and drove home in the rain.
I relaxed at home for the end of the day and finally felt hungry to eat. I still had no problems with my knee. All my muscles were sore and every bit of me felt beat up, but I was walking fine.
The next day at home I went out for a very slow run. I got 50m down the road, turned around, and came back in. My knee hurt too much to run. I thought it was a tendon thing or something. It wouldn't be until August when I had my MRI that i found out I had really hurt it.