Help! Sports injury! Who me? Yes me! (July 14, 2009)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 I am so mad! I am having a problem with my left leg. It started hurting in the calf area but I did not think anything of it. I thought it was muscle soreness so I just continued on as ususal. But the other day I noticed swelling. I went to the doctor and they did venous doppler which was negative, knee xray which was negative as well. It hurts the most when I first get up. I have been able to run on it with no problem. I ran 5 miles this past Saturday. But today I can hardly walk. The calf is swollen and painful to touch. Sometimes when I walk my knee feels like it has a "catch" in it and then it seems to pop and I don't feel the "catch" anymore. I am waiting on orders from my doctor for physical therapy. That is the only thing I know to do. I am not familiar with sports injuries. All I know is my leg is swollen a bit down to the ankle. It feels kind of like a constant cramp. It hurts when I stretch it. I am thinking it may be a calf strain. I DO NOT want to sit out but I may have too. My "official" training for the half marathon starts in August but I was not planning on waiting till then to train. I am so upset. All this hard work and look at me now! ! ! ! I have been running since January of this year. Why now?? You would think I would be in good enough shape not to get hurt by now. Don't know how I did it, never heard or felt a pop like they say you feel when you tear the muscle - only had soreness in the beginning. I could walk on it without much pain until today. I have been icing it and the swelling goes down but then comes right back. Last night I put an ace bandage on it and this morning when I got up I could not walk at all without pain. It is sore to touch all the way around to the front(tibia) and now there is a little bruising on the front. This sucks! I can't tell you how mad I am. Was hoping some of you could enlighten me as to what it sounds like and how long you may have had to sit out. I am so mad! ! ! (did I say that already???) Now, is when I will have to practice patience I suppose. Woe is me. I guess it is a good thing my job is sitting down all day. There are some positives even in the negatives aren't there?