Madison (Maddy) Briggs is from Manhattan, New York. She was in 3rd grade, just 8 years old, when the World Trade Centers fell on September 11th, 2001. Her dad was a firefighter, and his station was one of the first on scene that day.
Her dad, Larry...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
*I kissed a girl and I liked it...* 'Hey Mads! What's up?'
'Sooo.. I don't know if I told you... buuuut I have my appointment for my knee today. Wanna tag along?'
'One, you didn't tell me. And two, yes I would like accompany you.'
'You're a weirdo, but thanks bae! I'll pick you up?' Maddy asked.
'Nah, I gotcha!'
"Okie dokie, the appointment is at 3:30.. and I'm leaving work at 2:15, so if you could pick me up at like 3:00, I would love it!' Maddy smiled through the phone.
'For sure Mads!'
'Thanks! Love ya!' ———————————————————————— "Thanks for the ride, boo!" Maddy smiled as she got into TK's car. He reached over and rubbed her thigh, "of course babes, anything for you!" Her dimples emerged as she smiled harder at the love of her life.
"So did you think told me, or did you legit not know if you did or not?" He joked. Maddy chuckled, "I legit forgot if I did or not. But it was Grace I told! I knew I told someone!" "Oh!"
"Ha! I know.. I was telling her to take it easy, and to ask for help.. She asked when I was getting my knee looked at.. like a little shit," Maddy laughed. "And I told her."
"That's hysterical!" TK laughed. Maddy rolled her eyes as she playfully slapped his arm. "Just drive!" She snapped with a laugh. ———————————————————————— "You coming in?" Maddy asked, before grabbing TK's hand. "You're my roommate or whatever we usually say! I know it changes.. but I want you to come in with me."
"I'll be your boyfriend this time," TK winked.
Maddy got checked in, and sat down next to TK in the waiting room. "Nervous?" She asked. "Not if you're not..." TK replied as he rubbed Maddy's thigh. "Never babe." Maddy winked.
"Madison!" A nurse called from the doorway. Maddy and TK stood up to follow her to the room where they'd be waiting for the doctor. "The doctor will be in shortly." The nurse said as she left. Maddy smiled at TK as she swung her legs back and forth against the table; TK was smiling at his adorable best friend.
The doctor walked in after a few minutes, "hello Madison!"
"Hi Doctor Buchanan." Maddy said. Doctor Wanda Buchanan, Doctor of Orthopedic Medicine at the Orthopedic Institute of South Austin. "Let's have a look— any updates to medical history?" She asked.
"No ma'am.." Maddy looked at TK for confirmation, and he shook his head. "All the same since last time.. uh.. aside from this damn knee."
The doctor was palpating Maddy's knee, feeling for any signs of a fully torn meniscus— she found it when Maddy jumped sky-high, when the doctor pressed a little too hard on the right side of her left knee. "Yeah doc... that sucked!"
"Well I can't tell that it's fully torn from that alone, so want to take x-rays, which we can do right in this office thankfully! I'll be right back to get you set up." Doctor Johansson said as she left.
"Well cool.. at least she doesn't think it's anything serious." Maddy shrugged timidly. TK rolled his neck, "yeah.. that she knows of now. What if the x-ray shows something worse?!"
"It won't.. I would feel it if it was a ligament or something else major that was damaged. I'm not worried about anything like that... I just hope my meniscus isn't totally fucked— I really don't won't surgery." Maddy sighed.
The doctor reentered the room, put Maddy in a wheelchair, and lead her down the hall to the x-ray room. As Maddy sat on the table, and they took the X-ray, she managed to catch a glimpse of her knee— nothing looked broken or fractured, but her knee was bone on bone— meniscus tear alright. 'Great'.. Maddy thought to herself as she was wheeled back to the exam room, "the doctor will be right in to talk to you." The nurse said.
"Sooooo?!" TK frantically asked. Maddy rubbed her arms, "you're gonna kill me..." she chuckled quietly.
"Dammit Mads!" TK sighed. Before he could say anything more, the Doctor Johansson reentered with copies of the film. "Okay, Miss Briggs. Let's see.."
Maddy anxiously tapped her fingers on the arms of the wheelchair, and TK rubbed her back.
"Yep, as I thought, and I'm sure you expected.. fully torn meniscus in your left knee."
"Yep..." Maddy sighed.
"Okay so.. we have a few options with this one. What are your exact symptoms, and pain right now?"
"Oh like a 6!.."
"Madison Jean..." TK said. Maddy furrowed her brow at him, "babe?!"
"What is it really?" He asked.
"Fuck off..." she whispered to TK, as she turned for the doctor, "like an eight and a half."
Doctor Johansson's eyes got big— a meniscus tear normally doesn't cause that much pain while not moving. "Okay.. is it worse when you're moving?" She finally asked.
"Yeah.. never been anything I can't handle though; nothing above a nine and a half. And my symptoms... swelling as you can see; pain with walking or excessive movement; buckling and tightness.. walking up a and down steps is the worst with that; and sometimes locking up." Maddy sighed. "I really do not want surgery, or opioids, so I can deal with it till it heals!" She added.
"Ha. I know.. but I don't think that'll be necessary.. not yet anyway. If you allow it to heal properly, it won't be at all." Doctor Johansson winked. "Okay.. so we're gonna start with a fan favorite.. RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation), and NSAIDS. And I know you're gonna hate this.... But.."
"Dammit. Crutches?" Maddy cringed.
"Yes ma'am.. just when you're at work, or won't be able to elevate quickly after activity.. to limit pressure and weight. Got it? And then STIM therapy when it's all healed."
"Ugh.. yes ma'am." Maddy growled. "I'm just glad I can still work.. I cannot do more time off." She chuckled.
"Okay, we're in agreement. Great. I'll get some crutches, and your paperwork and be right back." Doctor Johansson added before she left the room once more.
"Don't say anything Tyler Kennedy!" Maddy forced away a smile.
"What?! Who?" TK winked back. ———————————————————————— "I didn't know they made black crutches.. sick!" TK said as he followed Maddy into her apartment. Maddy chuckled, "yeah.. they are cooler looking than the usual silver ones. I still hate them though.."
"I know you do babe. But you've got to take your own advice, and TAKE IT EASY." TK furrowed his brow at her.
"Yes babe.." Maddy sighed. "I know... I know. I will. Can you stay for a little bit? Unless you and C have plans.." she batted her eyelashes at her handsome best friend. TK laughed, "we didn't have anything special going on.. no. I would love to stay." He smiled as he put Maddy's bags down, & grabbed an icepack out of her freezer.
