Now I have a plan.

I met with Kate, my physical therapist at Seattle Orthopedic Center, this morning. She's right up my alley. We started with the anatomy of the knee and good pictures and explanation of how it works. She listened, examined, and while doing so, indicated that she will look at the MRI report. There's so much arthritis of the patella that it's possible my pain and the 8 repetitions came from patellar subluxaton (dislocation of the kneecap sideways, out of its up and down track). The tear may have been there awhile, undetected, perhaps from my inglorious fall in 2008 or that year's 3 day walk, where I wore a brace the last day. Not clear if the MRI indicates if it's fresh or not.

Either way, my knee is now taped to hold the kneecap in place, and I am hoping not to have to wear either brace most of the time. Having the cane with me for extra help is still a good idea. I had a electrical stimulus treatment for the tissue under the kneecap and to the outside of it where I still feel tenderness. That should reduce the swelling that is still there.

Now that I have a plan for treatment, I don't feel so apprehensive. I feel like I can fix it.