Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #8

The appointment for my second opinion was an exciting event. Curt came with me to make sure I said everything I needed to say and understood everything I was told. Dr. Ouelette listened while I explained the original injury and the following months. I did my best to relay the details of what had taken place with the first orthopedist without denigrating his opinion. It wasn't easy.

Then Dr. O took over with his examination. He poked and prodded both of my legs in a variety of positions. In the final evaluation he took hold of my hands and had me do a deep knee bend on my right leg. While all my weight was on my involved knee he moved left to right in an arc in front of me. I was fully expecting to collapse in pain, but nothing happened. I was amazed!

Then we sat down to talk and Dr. O let me know right away that there wasn’t anything wrong with my meniscus. He pointed out that the original diagnosis was a “bruised meniscus” and stated that he didn’t even know what that was. He’d never heard of it. As Dr. O went through the ideas he had, he suggested we take another set of x-rays so he could check out the bone. The earlier set was not available to us. The office staff was kind and efficient as they undertook this last minute process.

After Dr. O studied the x-rays he pointed out a small dark spot on the top of the lower leg bone, on the inside edge. It corresponded exactly with the area where I kept having topical discomfort. He said that it showed a cyst in that area and suggested that I had bruised the cyst when I fell. Then, as time went on, it would go through phases of healing and re-injury. Hah, who’d ever heard of a cyst on a bone before? I sure hadn’t. However, the diagnosis fit with everything I’d been experiencing. It all made sense and I was elated.

Of course, now I needed to know what, if anything, could be done about it. My first thought was to just go in and take it out surgically. But Dr. O was much more conservative. He talked about the cyst having been there for a long time without pain. He suggested that I continue with the exercises since I was making progress. He felt that giving the area another three months to return to an asymptomatic state was reasonable given the normal healing time for a bone cyst. To tell the truth, he also talked about the whole situation being part of the development of arthritis. I can’t imagine how he could have been off about that one part. I'm sure I'm not old enough to have any arthritic symptoms. ;-)

As Curt and I walked out of the office I couldn’t help but think about the major difference a perspective can make. I’d thought I was a hopeless cripple, but now I had a specific situation to overcome. As a sinner I can view myself as a hopeless cripple, but it is a saint (sinner saved by grace) I have a situation I can overcome. When I sin I can come to God and ask forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 proclaims the truth that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

There was another aspect of this appointment that brought me full-circle. An “expert” told me what was wrong with my knee, but I was the one experiencing the problem. When his explanation didn’t fit the situation and things were not improving, I’d gone further to find a resolution. If I’d settled for the first doctor’s opinion, I would have suffered much longer on many levels. Instead, with the new information I have a clearer understanding. I see a brighter future as I am more able to address the problem. I am thankful!

This brings me back to the early stages of this parable. Numbers of people were happy to tell me that the problem with my knee was God telling me I needed to slow down, but I was the one experiencing the problem. Their explanation didn’t fit the situation and certainly wouldn’t have improved what was happening. I had to go further to find a resolution. If I’d settled for their opinion, I would have missed so much on so many levels. Instead, with fresh awareness of the loving touch of my Heavenly Father I have a clearer understanding of His personal interest in my life. I see an amazing future as I am more able to address not only my involved knee, but the plethora of issues that I face, with the many truths He has been revealing to me. I am monumentally thankful to God for teaching me to love and trust him, to follow Him and watch Him work.

What a loving Father we have:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11

May you also learn to love and trust, follow and watch with all your heart.