Perception managment - help needed

There's a couple of things that are bothering me so I need to enlist some help in getting some facts out. I'm resigned to Pratchet's ever insightful summary of "A lie/mistruth can run around the world before the truth has even got it's boots on", but one still has to try or give up completely.

First a minor thing, doesn't upset me, I'm just tired of dealing with it.
I didn't get knighted at Festival because Uther couldn't be there. It was entirely my decision, which was easy and instant, in fact it surprised him that I came out with it on the phone as soon as he said he couldn't make it. The reason he couldn't make it was the arrival of a new manager and the sacking of Uther's 3 workmates for being unproductive, which necessitated cancelling his pre-approved leave since he would be the only one left to keep things running until hiring happened. ie: real life is a bitch sometimes. The current plan is for Rowany Yule if it's on 8th Dec and not the 1st because he's on a "goodbye dad" cruise then. If Yule must be the 1st, then I'll look at Spring War. If he can't make that I'll do it at Yule without him to get it over and done with.

Now a thing that is weighing more heavily. I have taken an extended leave from SCA fighting to try and recuperate my ankle. This is hard for me to be the perceived "make a knight, lose a fighter" guy. If I can't return to fighting in a suitable time frame in a way that fulfils my self-imposed standard, then I will decline to be knighted. Knowing how the peerage councils work, I recognise that it would be akin to political suicide for ever getting the offer again, but living up to your own standards is important.
As to what's wrong with my ankle; I sprained it during November crown but kept going the next day. I rested it over Xmas and have been doing fortnightly physio but have also done monthly tournaments and some trainings up to about 2mths ago when it locked up at work and caused me to be unable to fulfil my work duties. Working in the steelworks, saying "Yes I can walk on my ankle but not that far" doesn't cut the blokey-mustard, which is not a game I play but a reality of politics that I must deal with. So faced with the simple choice of "it can deal with work but not work and fighting", bye-bye fighting, even though work is not my favourite place at them moment.
Fortunately my self-doubt has been quashed by the MRI results I got on Monday which show a slight crack/lesion on the tip of my tibia, bone bruising, fluid and a rough bit that's apparently not good for my cartilage long term. So, the current plan is more doing nothing and trying to stay off it as much as possible, then if that doesn't settle the bruising and other symptoms down, then it may need an arthroscopy with 6~12wk recovery.