Tricompartmental Osteoarthritis in right knee

It started on March 18th when I stood up from my computer in my office, screamed in pain, and sat back down. I couldn't straighten my knee and was in excruciating pain. My husband called the medics and I was taken to the Emergency Room. After getting x-rayed, I was parked in the waiting room in a wheelchair until a doctor could see me. After about four hours, I needed to use the restroom. It wasn't until I was exiting the restroom that I realized I'd been able to stand and walk with no pain. When the doctor came, I told her the problem had resolved itself but that I still wanted to be seen to find out what was wrong. A technician came and did an ultrasound on both legs, no blood clots (luckily) and after looking at the x-rays, the doctor said I had severe osteoarthritis. As a result, I was rather freaked out and spent the next week walking much more gingerly, using my cane (until now for outdoor use only on hills) much more often, and wearing a brace.

Then, last Monday at work, my right knee completely gave out. I felt I was able to stand within a minute or two, but my colleagues and supervisor made me continue lying on the ground. After a few minutes I asked to sit up. A few moments later, I rolled to my knees and with the help of a chair, got to my feet. Meanwhile, my supervisor had called the EMTs to check me out. I was able to walk with my cane (I'd left it at my desk but a colleague got it for me) back to my desk. The EMTs listened to my story of what had happened on the 18th and I said I felt confident I knew how to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, my supervisor called our HR department and I was sent home with full pay.

When I got home I called the Urgent Care nurse to find out what to do next, and was asked to come in and see a doctor. At Urgent Care they x-rayed my knee again, and this time I was told I had moderate Tricompartmental Osteoarthritis, plus a mild strain/sprain from the fall. I was to ice my knee and wear a brace. The brace I was wearing the doctor didn't like, he wanted me to immobilize my entire knee so it could not bend at all. However, the brace wouldn't stay in place and kept slipping. He also said I could go back to work today.

When I spoke with my supervisor, she said she would prefer I not go back to work until at least tomorrow, and we agreed I would wait until Monday. Meanwhile, I'm icing my knee 2-3 times a day, along with my right side where I pulled a muscle when I fell. I'm wearing a brace most of the time as well.

That said, I am exceedingly anxious. My kneecap pops occasionally, I've had one moment of knee weakness where it felt it would give way again, and while I'm staying off my feet as much as possible for the moment, when I go back to work there is a 4 block walk between the transit station and my office that is frightening me. I'm walking on as flat a route as possible, and taking three stop-and-sit rests along the way. But I'm afraid my knee may give out again and I don't know what I'd do if that happened, especially if it happens on the route to or from the office. I can't afford an Uber or Taxi on a daily, or even weekly, basis and I've been trying to find a car or vanpool for over a year now with no luck. I'm even rethinking my going back to work -- I'm a receptionist/admin assistant so the job is mainly answering phones with some copying and computer work, nothing too strenuous. But if I can't walk back and forth from the office to the transit station, I'm not sure how much help I'd be working from home.

My doctor has placed an urgent referral to physical therapy, but how long until that referral is approved is anyone's guess. I HATE taking time away from work, but I know it is necessary if I'm ever going to heal and strengthen my knee (and lower back, and hip -- I also have sciatica and bone spurs).

Does anyone else have experience with something like this? What advice can you give as far as avoiding or preventing having my knee collapse again?

I've seen a physical therapist and was given knee exercises to do twice a day. So far that seems to be helping but I haven't done a lot of walking. I'm going to try walking in to work with my cane per the PT's orders. If it turns out it's not doable, I may try a weighted down shopping cart the next day to see if that is better, since it would be more stable. At least the pain is less so there is that.

When my knee sometimes acts intermittently like that I carry a cane - it gives me a measure of comfort to make sure I can support myself if/when the knee goes out -- and it warns people around me that I might be unsteady. Maybe it's all mental, but I find the cane helpful. Best wishes.