Mystery

I help out with Karaia's class on Mondays.

Wait, let me back up a bit. Last Tuesday I got a call from Karaia's school saying she was telling them she was in a lot of pain and her knee had a charlie horse in it. Well, knees don't normally get charlie horses. By the time I got there the pain, that had lasted about 15 minutes or so was gone, but she was terrified to move or put any weight on that leg in case the pain came back. The pain is that sever.  The office staff was really worried. They said the pain had been significant enough that they could read it on her face.

Back to today. As I was helping with Karaia's class, taking kids in the hallway and testing them, her teacher came and got me and told me Karaia was screaming in pain. I rushed in. Indeed she was. Her desk is right next to Mrs. Pickett's this week allowing Mrs. Pickett to have a good view of what happened just before the pain....nothing.

Not a thing. She was just sitting in her chair, laughing with friends, doing her work, when out of the blue she stopped talking grabbed her knee and began screaming and crying.

The pain lasted, again, for about 15 minutes (during which she refused to let me take her to the doctors--I later found out she was afraid to go to the doctors because she though they were going to hit her knee with that hammer thing while she was in so much pain. We have since cleared that up) She told me that last time when the pain started going away she felt a pop on the side of her knee. This time there was no pop, but the pain subsided enough. She was still terrified of moving it. I have never seen such fear in my little girl's eyes as when I asked her to try and stand up. She was sure the pain would come back.

I told her it was time to stand up on it or I would carry her out of there and we would go to the doctors. It took a little while but we finally managed to get some weight on that knee. It was fine now.

Now Karaia is not one who is dramatic for attention...well not that kind of dramatic. If she's mad or thinks somethings unfair she is VERY dramatic. But being sick or getting hurt has never been anything she's faked for some extra lime light.

I learned two important things today.

1) Karaia has amazing friends. They were very supportive. They cheered her on when she didn't think she could do it. They offered comfort. She is one lucky girl

2) Something is wrong with Karaia's right knee. I don't know what, but her doctor suggests she see a sports medicine specialist. We have some names and we will get appointments this week. Hopefully.

For documentation purposes the pain is on the outside of her right knee, just below the knee cap. She says it feels like something is squeezing and twisting inside and it hurts more if, when she is having an attack, she flexes her calf muscle. The attacks don't seem to have a trigger point. The first one came as she was sitting down to the computer at school. The second one came with no movement at all. She was just sitting.

I hope when we go they know exactly what's wrong. I'm pretty sure I don't ever want to see her in that much pain again until she is in labor. Because then at least it's worth it.