Walking (part 1)

Last November I ran 100 miles.  This used to be the norm, but in the past few years it had gone by the wayside for a number of reasons. 

Last December I ran 100+ miles also.  (point is I could run.)

Then in early January we had a two day long super wet big snow storm.  I volunteered to shovel because JDK was still recovering from a broken ankle.  I thought it was a good way to get some exercise since we couldn't drive to the gym or get outside to run or bike.

So for two days, multiple times a day, I heaved big scoops of wet snow off my driveway and side walk.  It was fun but it wore me out.  It is not a motion that I train to do so, of course, it made me sore.

My knees were bothering me the most but I wasn't alarmed, I know I have some crappy old knees.  I assumed if I rested them for a while they would bounce back and all would be fine.  But, after weeks of lounging around the house my right knee was still really bothering me. 

So then I decided that I would just get back to normal activities and see what happened.  Maybe that would bring me back to normal.  I started doing my normal runs again but every run was a struggle and my knee just felt wrong.  At times it felt like it wanted to come lose or it was lagging behind.  It was a weird sensation.  It hurt but not sharply.  It wasn't swollen so I assumed it couldn't be too serious.

By March my right knee was no better so I finally decided to see a doctor.  My appointment was on March 28th in the morning.  I gingerly walked in and they took some x-rays.  I then sat in the exam room waiting for the doctor.  It wasn't long before he burst in the room, introduced himself and did a very quick physical exam of my knee.  He assured me nothing was broken, torn or pulled and that it was just old age.  I expressed my concern that it was more than that and he quickly shut me down.  He ordered a cortisone shot, told me I might want to give up running and then vanished so fast I was reeling.

I left the office feeling ignored and defeated.  If this was old age how was I going to manage the rest of my life?  I didn't come in because I was annoyed by a little pain, I came in because I was not able to function normally.  I was in constant pain, especially when I drove or slept and I was struggling to run at all.

Within 24 hours the shot kicked in and the pain left and I felt so much better.  I got back to my normal life and for a few weeks things were fine.  I ran with my friends and started to feel healthy and normal again.  I was just getting back my conditioning when the shot wore off.  It was April 18th when my knee just started hurting again.

The following day I went to the Walmart and ran into an old friend.  We chatted for a bit by the exit and then headed to our cars.  I then remembered I had some free sandwich cards and decided to share a few with her.  I was lightly jogged across the parking lot to catch her when it felt like my knee gave way and I almost collapsed.  It was a horrible pain and I was relieved I didn't fall to the ground in front of all the people entering and exiting the store.  I limped over to her and she was aghast at my face.  I was grimacing in pain and explained I had just hurt my knee.  I then limped back to my car and headed home in tears.

A few days later I saw my neighbor in his driveway and decided to run a free sandwich card over to him.  As I started to cross the street I realized I better just walk not jog because the knee.  I caught him and gave him the card and we chatted for a bit.  Then as I turned to come home my body moved and my foot didn't and once again I had the terrible pain and it felt like my knee gave way.  This time I couldn't support any weight on it.  I stood there on one leg and tried to downplay the situation.  I was hoping that once the sting wore off I could hobble home.  But after a long while I still couldn't bare any weight.  My neighbor wrapped his arm around me and helped me get back home. This was the worst pain of the whole situation.  I could not put weight on my leg for abut 24 hours.  When I finally did hobble on it. I had to hold my leg just so or it would not work.

Unfortunately  JDK was scheduled to have surgery on his knee just two days after my knee shot craps in the neighbors driveway.  I dutifully drove him to surgery and put my needs aside.  For the next few weeks he recovered at home and I just limped around feeling too overwhelmed to even think about calling a doctor.  He could not walk at all so I did EVERYTHING around the house including brining him food and drinks, etc.

At the end of May, I decided I could do a fun group bike ride on the Katy trail (think flat and slow) and afterwards my knee swelled up like a bowling ball.  I knew something was really wrong and I needed to get a real doctor to pay attention.

Time

Hello Blog world.

I finally have my work life under control and have some spare time.  YAY!  Go me.

Sadly, I don't think anyone blogs much anymore.  It's a shame. I miss blogging.  I miss the systematic fussing over how I feel and what I want to say about it, project, capture, process.

It can be so therapeutic.

AND...it is also a good way to record what is going on so you can reflect on it later.

Ever notice when you look back and read old posts you see things in a different light.  That time and space has taught you something.  Or that nothing has changed even though you thought it had.

Ever read an old post and think "Wow I thought it was the end of the world and that was just crazy."

Sometimes I find posts about things I totally forgot about.

In some ways it is fun and challenging to go back and sift through your past in the details you felt were important enough to record at the time.  It's certainly a unique perspective.  LOL

I wish I had recorded more information about the past two years.  A lot has happened.  A lot of ups and downs.  I may still try to put some of them down.  We will see.

Lately I think of the perfect thing to blog about at around 3 am.  Then, I contemplate getting out of bed so I can make some notes.  BUT then I think better of it as I don't want to wake anyone or draw attention to what I am writing about.  Then I vow to recall this wonderful idea in the morning but that never works.  I wake up and can't for the life of me recall what that fantastic statement I wanted to make was.