Well, they (non-cyclists) don't understand why this would be so upsetting. I was just telling a colleague about how my PT has restricted me to slow riding and no going up my driveway. She was like, "Well, you must be happy." Of course I'm not happy. How am I going to get stronger under these restrictions?
The only advice I can give you is that I have a pretty high pain threshold, too and now it is catching up to me. So take care of it while you can and try to restrict the complaining to other cyclists!
I once read an article that said that people like me (avid recreational cyclists) have more in common with Lance Armstrong than with a couch potato. So, regular couch potato people really can't think like someone like you, who races.
Robyn