Author Archives: TaminFrance

Monday was my first PT session with Sam at Integrated Physical Therapy in West Des Moines. He read my MRI report and asked about the injury and my progress, and then he examined my knee and leg and checked out my gait. He even measured how far I could bend back my foot to my rear on both legs, and there’s only 20 degrees difference. He thought he could improve that! And he also explained that it may heal, but even if it doesn’t, I will still be able to walk on it. If it does not heal enough for me to be able to do the kind of activities I want (long-distance hiking), then I might want to pursue surgery.

Mostly, he was knowledgeable, thorough, encouraging, all the while being relaxed and fun. No pain during the first session! Hope and a guide are amazing! I will have PT Monday & Wednesday mornings for 4 weeks- unless I decide I’m good to go. Feeling so much better already!

Exactly what I had self- diagnosed! But my doc thought it was tendinitis. So I did all of the knee bursitis exercises and took it easy for 2 months, and now I learn that it is indeed a tear. But I’m pretty sure I didn’t do anything to worsen it. I go to physical therapy on Monday, and I will ask them if they can recommend a knee specialist to me. I probably should have gone to the knee specialist first. Could have walked myself into Iowa Ortho once I determined I needed help with my knee recovery. Live and learn. I need to be more assertive, more pro-active. But I really did think it would heal on its own with rest and the exercises. And the MRI was recommended from the first, it just took time to get in. Patience. I had it, but now I’m impatient for improvement. But I need to remember that I already have gotten better! Yesterday I had a lovely 2 1/2 mile hike at Morris Park, imagining myself back on le Chemin in France.

From the report: “Tear of the medial meniscus of the knee. Mild inflammation if the knee cap. No other acute or worrisome finding. If knee continues to be painful would suggest Ortho. If pain has improved May continue to do normal activities.”

Specifically: “horizontal tear in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.” And the rest is Greek to me. Hoping the PTs will be able to explain all of the other info to me. If not, I will for sure see an Orthopedic physician. Aargh!

I’ll wrap up with the good: Even after my knee injury, I have always been able to walk and move my knee and do my normal activities – except walking longer than three miles. I have babysat, swum, and most recently, made crock pot chicken jambalaya for the guys working on the washhouse at the farm. So much good.

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.

It was a good day 39 years ago when our first child was born in Dubuque in the very early morning! Truly a holy experience when a new life arrives. Greg and I were in awe and cried and even phoned friends & family at 2:00 am to announce our good news and new joy. Elizabeth Joy to be exact.

And now she is a beautiful and talented young woman. We toured the Waterloo Center for the Arts where 3 delightful exhibits waited to be discovered. Molly D Wallace, née Munns, created Pandema’s Box, a fascinating look at what Covid did to our lives, in a collection of creative boxes containing miniature stories. The textiles exhibit from the WCA was my favorite, probably because I never knew they had all these items! Woven garments, mats, baskets, quilts, hats and so many other art forms made the loop around the small lecture space a continual discovery. And then the permanent Haitian collection, which always teaches me something new. Yesterday the word I learned better was syncretism, which is the combination of different beliefs and practices. Haitian art reveals the combination of African, Voodoo, and Christian beliefs. Or as Elizabeth explained: Haiti is 99% Christian and 100% Voodoo. That is why Jesus and Mary appear in transforming magical animal & nature scenes. All of these powerful beliefs combine.

Yesterday was a good day. I had plans to visit three very special persons. At 10:30 I met my friend Wini for my first walk with her after my knee injury. I asked her to start slow as we started off from her condo near the Art Center. It was hard for me to notice my surroundings because she started in French; my brain was shocked into a higher gear and I just did the best I could. We can talk on any subject and we seem to understand and appreciate each other’s ideas. Wini believes that only people who take care of themselves, love themselves, and are truly happy with themselves can reach out and love others. I’ll do some more reflecting on that.

Next I got to have a picnic cook-out lunch with my 99-year-old friend from Grace Gladys at Wesley Acres. She had her hair styled in a chic straight style reminiscent of a silver Coco Chanel. Crisp white pants with a white and blue short-sleeved top that appeared to have a classic blue vest made her look her usual beautiful self. Expressive, round brown eyes, and her eternally smooth skin. A bit stooped with her small rounded back, her usual straight and tall energetic self that used to “zip around” (her words) – this time moved at a slower pace. Still sharp as a tack, my friend and I would walk, she pushing her walker, through the under-construction labyrinth that is Wesley Acres these days.

Our lunch went well as we sat at a picnic table under a tiny tree for shade. A breeze delighted both of us and we could see it moving the leaves on the talk trees to the south. She knows all staff members and received lots of cheerful hellos and hugs from folks who said she is the sweetest person in the world. We chatted and enjoyed our meal. But leaving – and getting her walker over the grass in the sunshine proved too much for her. She just couldn’t get her hand to grab the walker handle. She lost focus and was frozen there. Then she started to go a bit limp, so I asked for help from the young staff member at the nearest table. I was holding on to her so she wouldn’t fall. A chair, a cool cloth around her neck, an young intern fanning her with a paper plate, eventually a CNA and a nurse, and finally: a wheelchair to allow Gladys to get out of the sun and back into the air conditioned complex. (It seemed like an eternity for us out there in the sun.)

But once we got inside, she perked up! The young and competent CNA rolled her the mile and a half and into the two elevators to her room. The nurse checked her vitals and made sure she was okay with more water and a cooler setting on her AC. (The nurse would ask the doc to check her out on Thursday morning.) I hung out with her and encouraged her to drink more water, suck on a peppermint, and recline. She revived and laughed with me. Then she asked me to wind her 1847 grandfather clock (which wasn’t easy, but she gave be explicit and very patient directions.) That assured me that she was back to herself. I left about 2:00 and I and she knew that she was in n good hands there. Still, I asked a staff member to check in her again! Whew!

Driving 90 minutes to Griswold to visit my very special brother allowed me a bit of time to calm down. Mostly I prayed for Gladys and hoped she would have s good nap and be okay. I know she enjoyed our time together, but somehow I felt responsible.

3:30 I pick up Charly at the Griswold Rehabilitation Center. We drive to Atlantic snd walk in the shade of a small park with flags before we walk down to its lovely shaded downtown. Charly likes to walk snd kept saying “We’re getting a good walk today.” Charly chooses to eat at McDonald’s, so we leave beautiful downtown and drive the strip east to find that McDonald’s was torn down and a new one is being built. Then he chooses Hardee’s, do we drive back west to it. We get to the door and learn they the lobby is closed. Subway is Charly’s 3rd choice snd it is open but empty of customers and only filled with uncommunicative workers. We have our boring meal there while a lovely Mexican restaurant downtown (my choice) welcomes diners with hospitality and bright colors and hot, interesting & delicious food! Oh well. It’s not about me.

Our next destination is the Atlas Cinema where we watch Thor after enduring at least 10 previews. We loved Thor! Critics don’t know what Charly and Tammy enjoy! Back to Griswold by about 8:20, and Charly kept asking, “I wonder what the rest of the day will be like?” I assured him that it would be good. And we both agreed that we had had a good visit once again. I am thankful for my three friend and my good day. I got back home to Johnston by 11:00.

Charly in the shady park near downtown Atlantic.

Last year, I wanted to blog about my time in France. I did not prepare in advance, and trying to do it while in France did not work for a technophobe like me. So, I depended on Facebook alone to share my photos and stories. I was happy with the followers and comments I received there, so I’m resolved to do better this time! With two months out and with a bit of commitment, I might get it done!