And back to earth with a painful thud

So much for feeling invincibly energetic. I may still be energetic, except I'm limping around with an aching knee, so it's hard to tell. Fortunately after about an hour long nap, the world looks much brighter and I can think a bit more clearly, plus my knee is a little better from the rest as well.
A little while ago all I felt like doing was crying because it seemed hopeless, and my knee hurt, and I wasn't able to exercise much this morning because of it, and I'll have to deal with the stairs at work...! Above all, I'm extremely active and utterly hate being injured and feeling like an old person. Hmph. (All of this further compounded by my being what my cousin refers to as "hormotional"...heh, give me a couple days and I'll be rational about it again and won't be so near to tears.) Anyway...

My knee hurts. It's hurt off and on for the past year and half probably. I don't remember ever injuring it badly in any way, just once in a while I do something to strain it and it starts hurting. Sadly I can't remember now what all has triggered it. Dancing...though I shudder at that idea, hurts it sometimes. I really don't want to give up dancing just because it makes my knee hurt though! That's a very sad thought. I also remember that when I first started my job, standing up and rocking the baby to sleep made my knee hurt. Going up or down lots of stone "steps" while hiking also causes problems, along with some exercises. I'm thinking that my exercising lately has caused it to hurt again, two exercises in particular.

So I'm not sure what to do. I don't know if I should avoid the two exercises and just be patient and wait for it to go away. But since it keeps coming up again I wonder if I should go to the doctor, although I don't usually do that. :P I remember now that I do have insurance though, and it would probably cover going to the doctor for this, and the last time I went I actually saw a sports medicine specialist anyway, so if I could get an appointment with her it might be helpful.

On the other hand, I know a lot of medical people, so maybe I could just get some advice from them? *grins hopefully* My right knee hurts, it almost feels as if it's bending too much in the wrong direction for lack of a better way to describe it, and I mentioned what triggers it. So...what's wrong with it and what should I do? :D This feels like a contest or something...the first person to answer correctly wins...uh...wins...homemade brownies or something. Oh and you have 60 seconds to diagnose it! No, in all seriousness, if anyone has any advice, please let me know.

In other news, my new iPod came in the mail today. Plus it came with apple stickers...I've never bought any Apple product new (or with new packaging) so I've never gotten any of the stickers. But it's shiny purple, has a radio and video camera...oh, and it plays mp3s too, novel concept, right? ;)