Knee Problems: What should I do?

[alphasquirrel]

**** Final Update ****

The phrase, "If I can do it, anyone can," is something overused in our society. Of that I am sure.

I heard a female Marine say that once in regards to joining the Corps and while I hoped she was being honest I now know this is a fallacy.

Not everyone can be a Marine.

After months of therapy and trying and retrying and hoping and advice and grief, I had finally made the decision to make the call that would separate me from the DEP due to my knee issues.

I by-passed my PT and regular recruiters and called the SNCOIC.

When he answered the phone I told him I wanted to talk to him about my enlistment and my knees and he surprised me by saying he'd already taken care of everything. He'd already called the powers that be and they had already approved my discharge. He said that after watching me run at the last poolee function he was sure this wasn't going to be possible for me and he went ahead and took the steps necessary for my separation.

I asked him if I needed to call anyone or meet with anyone and he said no.

"You don't have to do anything. There's nothing to sign. This isn't going to go on any record. You didn't do anything wrong. For these kinds of medical things there's just nothing you can do."

I thanked him for everything.

I hung up the phone and started to cry.

Honestly, I'm really not that emotional. I have a pretty good grasp on things and I can roll with the punches, but this was a pretty hard blow.

And so my short ride that never did start is over.

My husband assures me this won't be the last time I get emotional about it either.

"Ten years from now," he said, "even though you know you made the right decision, even though you are happy and everything is going good, you'll still wish you would've done it, even if it made you crippled or killed you or both."

This has made me respect Marines even more (if that was even possible). Before I started this journey I was absolutely sure I could physically finish it. I told my recruiter that the physical trials of the Corps didn't phase me in the least. "I can do it," I assured him.

I was wrong. I can't. But there are so many men and women who can and do and that makes me very grateful and proud and respectful.

Now I'm turning my concentration to finding something else to do with my life.

I still want to serve. I still want to learn. I still want to be a benefit to my fellow man and my country. I may not be able to do it as a Marine but I will find another way.

This isn't the end, just a chapter in the book.

[DrZ]

Alpha,
When I entered the Corps.... I had no knee issues. In the middle of my 2nd tour, during a PFT... I felt a sharp pain in my right knee. By the end of the PFT, my right knee was almost 3 times the size of my left one. A trip to the doc who shook his head and sent me to an orthopedists. After multiple visits and MRIs, poking and proding....the Docs determined I had torn the meniscus in my knee. Surgery was next and the meniscus was removed (mid 70s.... supposedly wasn't repairable.) After therapy... it seemed to work properly...except during the PFT...where I limped like an old man toward the end of the 3 miles. Now... I am an old man.... and the knee is at the point where the doctor's are talking about replacing the entire thing. So... I will get a shiny titanium knee in my 6th decade of life.

Moral of the story.... DON'T MESS WITH YOUR KNEES....the one's you have are supposed to last a lifetime.

There are many ways to serve.... the Marines are not the only way.

[Old Marine]

Sure am glad that I retired many years ago. If I were still on active duty and still a Drill Instructor, it would be hell to have to put up with these medical rehab privates that seem to always find their way to some Marine Recruiter. Used to be we would get a pickup from STB and the first thing we did was put them on the pull up bar and you guessed it, couldn't do one pullup. Always had paper work filled out and just had to add a name to it and away they would go, back to STB. Doubt if that is done today. Yes sir, glad I am not on the grinder today. I would probably be relieved most of the time.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Gunny, I can see your point. I think some of it nowadays comes down to the better ability to 'rehab' the broken ones back up to speed, quicker than in the past. Also, the money issue comes into play (I seriously think this) in that the Marine Corps has taken the time, and $$$ to get 'said recruit' to the depot, and they want to get their dollars worth for 'em before they send them back home.

Just my 2 cents though.

[Old Marine]

Gunny, I can see your point. I think some of it nowadays comes down to the better ability to 'rehab' the broken ones back up to speed, quicker than in the past. Also, the money issue comes into play (I seriously think this) in that the Marine Corps has taken the time, and $$$ to get 'said recruit' to the depot, and they want to get their dollars worth for 'em before they send them back home.

Just my 2 cents though.

The Government wastes a lot of money daily. These medical rehab pvts should never get by the doctors when they take their physicals. I realize a lot of them are shoved through by the doctors and they figure that the privates can become someone else's problem.

We always had the crutch brigade of at any time having 4 to eight privates following the platoon around will numerous medical problems, which were recruit training related. Mostly heel contusions and stress fractures.

If they have a problem before entering they should be canned and save a lot of people the headaches of trying to train them while they whine all the time.

[alphasquirrel]

If they have a problem before entering they should be canned and save a lot of people the headaches of trying to train them while they whine all the time.

Well, this is exactly what they did in my case.

Both of my recruiter's wanted to push me through. It was the SNCOIC who made the final call to separate me from the DEP after watching me run at the last poolee function.

Also, as of last month they told everyone at the poolee function that it's new Marine Corps policy that before you ship to boot camp you have two pass two ISTs. One 30 days from your ship date and one 96 hours before you ship. If you fail either one you don't ship, period.

No more shipping people to Boot Camp to fail their ISTs and be put in PCP.

I was maxed on my flexed arm hang and fine with my crunches but it's pretty obvious why my run time was not doing so well.

I'm really grateful to the SNCOIC for being an honest and caring guy. He was looking out for my interests and I really appreciate him for that.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Alpha, that's a good thing, but I also know it sucks for you to a certain extent.

Gunny, I believe nowadays your last line is actually enforced far more than it once was. I talk to 'wannabees' all the time (not just on this site) who've been
DQ'd for 'minor' medical issues. The MEPS doctors these days are looking more to 'reject' the potential recruit, than they were when I enlisted...at least it seems so.