Ouch it hurts!

So I have been having some major pain in my right knee, and moderate pain in my left knee for quite some time now.
It has gotten worse over the last year, and now that it has finally gotten cold here, I have been in serious pain the past few weeks.

I have sprained both of my ankles numerous times over the past ten or twelve years, and each time I have fallen, I have banged knees in the process.
Then, a few years ago, I was in Des Moines, Iowa and was getting fuel for my truck.
I was coming around the front of the truck to finish up the passenger side pump, when I slipped on some water/diesel puddles because some idiot used the spray hose to spray water on their windshield and as we all know, oil and water don't mix...
Well, as I came around the front of the truck, down I went...Hard...On both knees, but I hit the right knee harder.
I was really really sore for a few days, but it seemed to get better. Of course, since then, stairs have really been a problem for me at times, and not even two Aleve's would really help me.

Well, the past few weeks or so, my right knee has REALLY been hurting, and there have been times I've gotten up from my desk at work, and felt like my knee was going to give out, or going up a short flight of stairs and feeling like my knee would give out again.

I was really tired this morning and cold, and was generally hurting.
I went in to work, and was there for about an hour and a half before my knee really really started bugging me and was sending painful spasms up into my hip and lower back.
No amount of adjustment would help, and while I couldn't really afford to miss any work, I HAD to leave and go down to the urgent care clinic to get it checked out.

The doctor there felt around my right knee, and stated that it shouldn't be trying to pop like it does, and it definitely shouldn't be grinding like it is either.
He offered a steroid shot, but I declined (I don't mind getting shots, I just have this cringe factor when it comes to joints...) so he gave me a prescription for some anti-inflammatories, and some pain pills.
Thing is with the pain pills, they're the GOOD STUFF and so I couldn't take them and then go to work....Or maybe I could and I could deal with my bad customers a little easier...Heh...

I have to have an MRI in a few weeks though, the doctor I saw today thinks it might be a torn miniscus (torn cartilage from that diesel fall) that has never really repaired itself, or there could be some arthritis.
Of course, the good thing if it does turn out to be arthritis, is that it could qualify me to have lap-band surgery to help with weight loss and joint wear and tear, because no doctor will touch me for knee surgery at the weight I am now, and since I don't have to have a knee replacement before I'm 40, I think this is the way to go.

I'm just tired of hurting....And it's finally good to have some sort of an answer, and be on the right path to get things taken care of!

I can't miss anymore work either for that matter...
I'm fine with the pain, as it seems to go away somewhat when I'm warm, so if I have to start wearing long underwear to work, I guess that's what I'll have to do.

I just hope my work doesn't starting being jerks about me leaving early today...
I did get a doctor's note if they want to play games, but hopefully they won't....