I was riding my bike back from the mailroom here at the RV park in Brownsville, with a couple of Christmas packages strapped to my basket (and by “strapped” I mean teetering one on top of the other behind me, no actual strap involved). The boxes started to shift, I did an ill-considered twist to see if they were okay, and my bike, the packages, and I all hit the pavement in a tangle.
From my experience so far at this RV park, details of the accident—along with footage—will be on the members’ Facebook page very soon, so I won’t bother describing. Let’s say that among a few minor injuries, my knee is no longer functioning.
Tracy and I spent the afternoon at an urgent care, where I got a referral to an orthopedist all the way next week. In the meantime, I’m not going to put one iota of weight on this leg for fear of seeing my calf pop in one direction and my thigh move in the other and myself down on the floor. To help me not move, I have a lovely brace and crutches.
No more dog walking at sunrise for who knows how long (I was just getting the hang of that again). But also, no more the-only-yoga-classes-I’ve-had-access-to-in-two-years. Or hot tub. I do have two good books (the new MurderBot and Demon Copperhead) and a TV series (Sex Education) and actual wifi. Bring on the sloth, I suppose.
Here’s the problem, though. (And not just the dishes and the Instapot sitting out, which will be problems in that I really like a neat environment and Tracy doesn’t notice that stuff, and I won’t be able to tidy up at all.) The problem I mean is that trying to use crutches in that hallway makes for a different slapstick comedy routine each time I hop along to the bathroom.
Seriously, I took that picture yesterday before my bike wreck when Jess, Jacqui, and I were talking about how neat v. cluttered our homes were at the moment. This is Jacqui’s.
A) Doesn’t she have a gorgeous house? (Jacqui rightfully reminds me of the time I was bragging about my sister’s great decorating taste and posted a photo, and it turned out to be Jacqui’s stuff, not Kim’s stuff. Oops). My point is:
B) Walking around in her house with crutches would be a downright pleasure. Although, come to think of it, I bet her bathroom and bedroom are much farther away from her couch!
These steps in and out of the trailer will be the worst of the crazy-ass impediments I face. We’ve seriously been living outside ever since we arrived here, both on the patio and in the tent. If I have to sit inside the trailer for a week because I can’t navigate these three steps, I’ll wither away, from Santa to Grinch, right quick.
P.S.; I haven’t made it to the ortho yet, so i don’t know what’s up. I could have anything from a sprain to a recurring knee dislocation that needs surgery. Stay tuned to the micro drama that is my life on the road to find out.
I’m not sure if a cheer-up from me will do the trick, but I send you one here now anyway.
Best wishes and cheer-up Shelly,
-Li
A cheer up from you is very welcome. Thanks, Li!
Damn. So sorry this happened. Speaking as one who suffered a deep root radial meniscal tear 3 years ago and is still in pain? I feel you. Hope Tracey is a better nurse than my guy. If not? A good whack with the crutch now and then might help.
😉
Oh that sounds really really terrible. Thanks for the cheer. 🙄😁 Tracy is excellent at handing me things and making sure I don’t use the knee. He’s terrible at the “poor baby” giving though. I might need to start some kind of pity/comfort chat group for that!
Did the doctors tell you the exact form of injury? Mine was the type that doesn’t heal well… obviously.
No, it was a quick urgent care visit with X-rays and a referral to an orthopedist. Dr Google tells me it’s a recurring knee location (could be just the kneecap but my experience here says the whole knee). I am facing anything from lots of time in this brace to surgery and lots of pt. I’m trying not to Google it!
I hate to say it but I tried everything…rest, elevation, ice, exercise, physical therapy, massage, even acupuncture but nothing worked. I still wake up stiff and sore and have a hard time going down stairs. Up is easy… go figure.
Hope yours is less troublesome.
Omg the constant attempts to figure it out must’ve been the worst. Mine is simple right now: I simply can not put the slightest bit of weight on that knee or my leg falls apart and I fall down and pass out. I’m so afraid of that happening and the pain of it that I’m not gonna move for a week until my appointment. Simple!
Jesus. That doesn’t sound good. My pain was an immediate snap, like a rubber band and then I couldn’t bend my knee for a long time without pain. Every once in a while it still feels like it will give out, but nothing like yours.
Good luck at the orthopedist.
❤️
My pain happens only when it dislocates, which I can avoid. Right now that’s okay. Thanks for the wishes!
Hearing the description of how it’s (NOT) working, a can’t imagine how you’re managing. And I’m sorry I don’t still have my leg stabilizer they gave me from the hospital after my surgery – basically a full leg brace. It might have helped. But I took it up to the Ukrainian church to donate for their war effort. Hope the orthopedist has some good news for you after whatever scans they do, and you are back on your feet. I too felt like a slug, but I appreciated all the reading I got done. It’s good you’re not in part of your journey that was going to be a few days somewhere then back on the road. At least you are here a while, so if PT or anything serious is needed, you can get it done. Good luck – thinking about you.
Thanks, Renee! Yeah, good on you for giving away your leg brace – I will surely get one if I need it. And it’s true the timing here is good. My knee was acting wonky in Alaska; that would have been a terrible place to get stuck with winter coming.
First and foremost, I’m sorry for your injury! The thought of not being able to do yoga for a while makes me sad, but healing is good, and you’ll be able to do it again soon.
Second, I really like your leg tattoo and sandals. (Said in a non-creepy way)
Third, I love your and Jacqui’s homes. Swoon. I also like a neat environment.
Thanks for the kind words! Since I know you’re about to slide down that slippery slope of many tattoos, I’ll warn you. Here’s a post about my tattoos (https://www.goingdowntheroadfeelinggrand.com/2020/04/02/my-tattoos-meet-their-inspirations/) with a link below that of my leg ones. It’s hard to stop.
It is SO HARD to stop.
Non-creepy my ass…
Oh, no! That doesn’t sound fun. I despise clutter myself; I think not being able to straighten up and put things away would drive me crazier than the whole not being able to walk thing. Shame you can’t even navigate the hot tub! Tell me you can at least get to the tiki bar…
You are so funny—we are siblings of another mother for sure.
Oh my!! So sorry to hear this. Hope the prognosis does not require surgery!!
Me, too. Thanks!!!
Big OUCH! – so sorry for your incapacitation, and very hopeful you can make it through with good PT/exercise. IMO surgery is to be avoided whenever possible. (That said, I am uber-grateful for the talented orthopod who reassembled my ankle in 1996… )
I shouldn’t have ever even thought about surgery as a possibility; I really do not want that, for several reasons. Pretend I have my hands over my ears now and can’t even hear that word. 🙂
We have stairs or steps in between our giant living space and both bathrooms so you’d be trapped down in our, admittedly large, bedroom on the level with a bathroom if you were here. So maybe your Airstream isn’t so bad 😁
Makes me feel better to know, in a sick manner!