Knee Injury

UPDATE:
Howdy!
So...after lots of nagging from my friends I finally caved and went to see a Doctor about my knee. Its a good thing I did because there is a possibility that its worse than I originally thought!
As of right now all I have been diagnosed with is Patella Tendinitis/Sprain. I got put on Anti-Inflammatory medication and have been told to take it easy, wrap it, ice it, etc (basically everything that I have already been doing). Its been a week since I last injured it but I haven't babied it as much as I should have so he told me to give it another week to heal. The worse news and the news that has everyone freaked out is that I may have torn my Meniscus (cartilage in the knee). If I have done this then it requires surgery to fix it (laparoscopic). The doctor didn't do any x-rays or an MRI, he did everything by touch. He is worried that I might have torn my Meniscus because of the way my knee is moving, where the pain is located, and because of the symptoms of the pain and movement. He told me I definitely haven't broken or fractured anything because I can still walk..at least there's some good news. He told me that whatever damage is done is done and that it can't get any worse so he is allowing me to continue to train (everything but running; ex. biking, push-ups, sit-ups, and strengthening exercises) but he also told me to take it easy!!! He wouldn't give me the odds even though I pressured him for them but from the sounds of it it is a high possibility. So, in a week I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to have MRIs done and to see exactly what is going on. I'm glad my friends pressured me into going to see the doctor but I'm frustrated too because it looks like its turning out to be more than just a simple sprain.
Obviously I was in pretty much freak out mode after my visit. I was terrified of getting kicked out of the Army and the possibility of my career coming to a sudden stop due to training. I talked to my Sergeant, and got a bunch of good news. He's going continue to train with me (just no running for the next week). He said if worse comes to worse I will be recycled but not kicked out. He bragged about me to the other Sergeants, Recruiters, and Recruits and said how extremely proud of me he was for pushing through even when it hurt and when I wanted to give up. He had me talk to Mr. Boss to see what I should do (if I should go and see Army personnel). But most importantly he encouraged me; I was down and upset because I have made a ton of progress since I first started training a month ago and I was worried that I would lose some of my progress, he told me that we would continue to train and work on other area's of weakness for the week as well as build up my leg muscles so I don't injure myself again. He felt bad because I can't get a break, one thing after another keeps happening to me. He has pushed me (which I've needed) but I know its not his fault for my injury and I don't blame him. As I have said before and as I will continue to say I am not giving up on this dream; I will succeed, I will become a Soldier, and I will make it through this bump in the road.
Please pray that it is a simple sprain and not a Meniscus tear!!
Heather

ORIGINAL:
Hey Everyone,

So by now everyone probably knows that I have injured my left knee. I don't exactly know when, where, or how I injured it but my guess is and my Sergeant's guess is on Tuesday of last week. We were going running and the asphalt was still damp and had debris on it from the rain. There was a stick laying on the track, I was paying attention to where I was running and what I was doing but I didn't expect anything to happen. I slipped on the stick, nothing happened: I didn't lose my balance or fall or twist anything and I just kept on running. We also did sprints, squats, and lunges (which me being a klutz usually ends up with me landing on my butt). So, I have no idea when or where I twisted my knee is could of been running or it could of been during the after run PT. Well, later that night I noticed my knee was beginning to hurt but I didn't think anything of it, my knees always hurt after running especially after running long distances. The next day when I went to run on my own it was extremely painful but I have learned to push through the pain, but on Thursday it was even worse. Thursday I ended up walking most of the trail instead of running, which I haven't done in a very very long time (well not that long but a while). Later Thursday night when I was looking at it and trying to figure out why it hurt so bad I noticed that it was slightly swollen, I just ignored it not thinking anything of it. It was still bothering me and the pain was getting increasingly worse; it started hurting not only when running but while walking or something as simple as moving my knee. Saturday was future soldiers and I wasn't going to let my knee stop me, well it decided it was going make me stop. We were playing soccer and I couldn't run, I couldn't do anything, but I just kept pushing through it (I only have 21 days left I'm not going get recycled, I'm going continue to fight this if it kills me) well my knee went out on me. I was on the ground, in extreme pain. I brought it up with my Sergeant and asked him what I needed to do, he said to rest it don't do any physical activity and take it easy until Tuesday. He mentioned that I need to be wrapping it, icing it, and taking ibuprofen. I started doing what he told me to, and it started to get better (after getting worse; it went through a phase where I couldn't do anything without it hurting like hell). Yesterday (Tuesday) was my next meeting/run and PT session with my recruiter. I thought about not showing up because I didn't want to mess my knee up anymore than I already had, but I had a burning desire to go running and I wasn't going let my knee or advice from anyone else stop me. I went and I ran, it hurt but it wasn't unbearable until about 1/2 way in. The hills on the trail is what bothered me so when there was a hill (not a bump but an actual hill) I would stop and walk and then continue to run and I did this the entire time. We only did 2 miles because of the heat advisory, and I didn't run my best but I couldn't because of my knee. My Sergeant was proud of me but was also worried that I was going to do something to my knee. He must not have been too worried because I heard him bragging and telling everyone that they needed to keep pushing because a month ago I couldn't run at all and now I am kicking their butts with a bummed out knee; it did make me feel pretty good. As usual after our run we do PT, on Tuesdays its a core work-out. It wasn't five minutes into it when I was on the verge of tears because my knee was killing me so bad, but I'm a fighter and I'm going to push through it! I iced the knee, re-wrapped it, and took some ibuprofen and was on my way it still hurt but I wasn't going let it stop me. This morning I woke-up with an extremely painful knee, I have it wrapped and I've been doing as I'm told as far as taking care of it. I've been told by several people to go see a doctor but I refuse, I honestly think that all I've done is twist it. I don't want to be recycled (put into a later unit), and I'm going continue to train and push myself until I die I'm strong and I can make it through this even if it kills me!!!

I wanted to let everyone know what was going on but now I'm going go take off and hang out with my best friend!
Heather