"My Life as a Circus Clown" by Matthew Good

Tuesday: So I wanted to get to school early to talk to Dr. Lanzone and ask her if they needed anyone to help with the new Mac lab they have. I got there about 30 min early and walked as slow as I possibly could since my knee was still sore from the previous day. When I got there she had her class for a remaining few minutes and I just hung out with Mayra and Milly waiting. Finally the class was gone and I walked in and she gave me an excited hello. I told her how I wanted to come the previous semester to see her but I never got her answer. I told her how I had problems with registration and she asked me the details of what happened. So from now on I would tell the registra I work for Dr. Lanzone regardless if I do or not, she said she would say I do. Wheni mentioned the Mac lab she was way ahead of me. She said she is going to try and see if she can find hours for me so I can work on Fridays with this professor that works in that lab.

I ran to my photography class and walked into a huge room. Since the students were so spread out, 20 students looked more like 30. I did not expect the professor to give a full blown lecture in class. I began to get extremely hungry. I watched a girl just leave half way through the class, I didn’t blame her for leaving I wanted to do the same. The professor walking around made it difficult for me to text Milly and tell her to meet me for lunch but I finally sent her one and she met me outside the room. As we waited for the elevator, Milly informed me that Dr. Lanzone asked Mayra to find hours for me so I can work. She told me that she was also trying to find time for her to work as well, so I guess they are trying to find it in the budget. We sat and ate as she watched her stats class wait outside for the room to empty. We both were looking at the same time and laughed at the girl standing by the door joking about how she must think we are looking at her and not waiting for the room to empty. When it finally did she threw her things inside and I went to get myself together and leave. I left with Mayra who also informed me about working on the Friday and would keep me posted she was going to try and get me hours.

So when I got in, I asked my mother if it was to late for me to call Dr. Morano and ask about my MRI. He returned my call shortly after and informed me what was going on in my knee. I have this fold of skin that is behind my patella, knee cap, called a plica. When I walk it rubs and causes pain in my knee. I told him I am using the cream he gave me, and how I don’t’ know if its helping me but I noticed it makes my knee lemony fresh. He just laughed. I looked up information on google about a plica. Apparently there are 3 methods of taking care of this though only one is permanent. The first method is cortisone injections into my knee which make me think of my grandmother when she had problems with her knee. The second method is anti inflamatories, I am taking an organic herbal one but it takes a month to kick in so I’ll see how that works if things get better. The last is surgery, I need an orthopedic surgeon for that and also to find out what he thinks I need to do. How this needs to be approached. All I keep thinking is walking around with a cane, like how I saw Gwen today as I was leaving. Whatever happened to her knee she needed a cane. Well at least I can knock people out of my fucking way when I’m walking. I was thinking of te upcoming concerts I have and really don’t want to be standing in pain or be all the way in the back sitting watching from a distance. I also think of Aisha with her surgery and how the professor she had told her to type her paper with one hand after she had a shard of glass removed from it. Well then I guess that’s another instance where the cane comes in handy, to bust it over an asshole professors head.