Finally. 2 months after the injury. It was May 12 when I hurt my right knee, probably by overuse and strain. Working in our hot garage I moved a box freezer to better defrost and clean it and the area behind and under it. Found a stinky dead mouse back there! Then I hauled old printers, TVs, computer monitors, even an ancient air conditioner out of a corner of that same hot garage – they all got into my car and to an appropriate recycling center. Or maybe it was when I was moving the railroad tie from the back yard terraces? I stopped hauling one, dropping it to the grass, saying aloud, “ I can’t do this.” That was the end of my super amazing cleanup jag, and the beginning of my knee recovery journey.
Limping, not sleeping for the pain, aching, not walking my usual 3-4 miles a day, and in general feeling like an old person. I noticed all of the other people at Walmart with limps now. I walked slowly now, and I never once thought of hurrying my tentative gait. Compassion for others with hurt knees or legs or backs came to me, and I realized how much I had taken my ability to walk for granted before.
I’ve been faithfully doing my tendinitis exercises (aka pes anserine knee bursitis rehabilitation exercises) and pool workouts (aka heaven) ever since the doctor gave me the sheet. The X-ray that day revealed slight fluid behind my knee and an unspecified bone fragment. Based on that info, I was to schedule an MRI. So, after two months when I’m 95% back to good, I have the MRI.
It was, as the lady technician said, Really loud, like a jackhammer, Had to wear earplugs and nothing more than my underpants and my socks (under that drab hospital gown of course). Had to lie on my back perfectly still for 20 minutes. Weird and kind of hard, but at least my head didn’t have to go in the tube. Stay tuned for what the results show. Hopefully just a normal 64-year-old knee, a knee that can start training for longer walks now.
Walking in France from Le Puy en Velay 