Getting Serious

After confronting the different options of if I should have surgery (and when) or just letting the PVNS be in my knee while attempting to manage it, I received a call from a dear old friend.  I told him about the PVNS being in my knee again and the horrible options I have to weigh.  He asked me a few questions and then insisted that I try the Gerson Diet.  He said someone was actually able to reverse their HIV with it.  Now I think that is a grand declaration but since this is the second time someone mentioned "juicing" to me, I think I know what I'm going to do now.

Juice.  Juice, juice, juice.  And drink lots of high antioxidant teas.  I'm sure that consuming free radicals is contributing to the growth of my PVNS so why not try just juicing.  I had already started juicing but wasn't strictly juicing before.  So, from now until the end of the year I'm going strictly juice.  This will be a challenge because there are several holiday events that I attend every year that have amazing food spreads.  And oh boy, do I love food.  I might have to cheat a little on Thanksgiving but otherwise I'm getting serious about just juicing.

The friend that called me was going on and on about a bunch of research he has done and has some great suggestions for me such as trying the Gerson Diet.  And referring me to Marcola where it talks about cutting out all processed foods (BREAD!), non-organic/grassfed beef/red meat, sugar, and bad fats.  That is easy enough.  I just have to go around telling people not to offer any of those things to me and make sure that I do not have them in my house.  I find going out to eat a lot that most American restaurants offer some kind of bread prior to the meal.  Or have things on their menus that contain bread.  So that is going to make me seriously consider where I go out to eat at from now on.  Will have to stick to ordering salad.  But for at home, I'm strictly going to juice organic fruits and vegetables.

Decisions

After getting over the initial crushing blow that was the MRI results, I spent the day on the verge of tears and wanting to eat an entire pint of ice cream.  Then I read other PVNS suffers discussing the "just leave it" option.  Sure there is the possibility that just letting it grow in my knee will cause more damage and therefore causing me to need a full on knee replacement.  At 41 I need to consider the damage that the multiple surgeries I could face could cause even more damage and cause the PVNS to grow even faster.  It took 10 years for my PVNS to make me lose the ability to walk.  Could I wait another 10?  The answer is, maybe.  I have heard of others changing their lifestyles and going for 7 years managing pain and other effects.  I know my doctor will suggest a full open back and front synovectomy.  So I'm considering the leaving it alone option.  That being said I really need to stick with my initial concept of organic foods and NO ice cream.  I figure if I face major surgery then I need to consider timing and how it will effect my life.  My surgeon claims I could be on crutches for up to 6 months recovering from the type of surgery he suggested.  Also, the nerve damage doesn't sound fun.  Being immobile will be horribly depressing and will cause me to lose significant amounts of time to work and make an income.  Also, I won't consider chemo/radiation therapies or clinical trials.  I figure if I just leave it and find alternatives such as acupuncture and eating healthy I might be able to keep it from growing out of control.

MRI Post Op

I went in for an MRI yesterday.  Luckily I had the forethought to ask them to please make sure they inject me with contrast.  Otherwise I would have had to make a second trip.  They got around to getting it approved and 45 minutes later I was done.  Since I knew what to expect I felt like an old pro and had to keep myself from falling asleep so that I wouldn't flinch.  It felt like I was only there for 10 minutes.  The first time felt like 2 hours.  Also they didn't let me listen to the radio this time, just ear plugs.  Now I just have to make the appointment to see the doctor who will review the results.  Quite honestly I don't trust him.  If he tells me I'm free and clear of PVNS I will seek a second opinion.  But if he says there is the presence of PVNS.  Well then, I need to decide on what kind of surgery and when.  And who?  Finding a good doctor is the most difficult part.