Posts Tagged ‘ouch!’

Brace Yourself

November 15, 2012

I saw an orthopedic /sports medicine doctor today, who diagnosed me with a fractured patella. It remains a mystery as to how I could have fractured my knee, when there was no trauma, but somehow I managed to do it. I am very talented that way.

I am now the proud owner of a huge, ugly, clumsy knee brace that goes from mid thigh to my calf.  It is in 3 non-harmonious shades of blue, that looks terrible with everything.

It is ironic, that the pain was becoming manageable, I could bend my knee,and walk gingerly. Now, I am unable to so any of that, thanks to the brace.

I spent $60 on taxis today, and could barely get in with my stiff unbendable leg.  The pain in my knee is becoming a pain in the butt, but it could be so much worse than it is.

It’s been a crazy few weeks of hurricanes, elections, freak blizzards, an insanely busy work schedule and now, a fractured knee cap! All in all, each of those things could have turned out so much worse than they have , and I am grateful that in the end, they are all just big inconveniences.

The good news is that once this heals, I should be able to resume running, cycling and high impact circuit training again. It’s going to be a long 4 weeks, but I am relieved that it is something easily treatable that does not require surgical repair,or have long term ramifications.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving to enjoy time with my family and friends, and reflect on all the good things that have happened this year.

( and maybe get to cuddle little Landon who will be 6 weeks old by then!)

Ouch Update

November 11, 2012

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I hobbled to the doctor’s office on Friday morning, and left with a heavy-duty knee brace, a prescription for a strong anti-inflammatory and a referral to an orthopedist/sports medicine doctor.

I made it to the office with assistance, and spent the day propped up in front of my computer with an icepack.

The anti-inflammatory has its plusses and minuses; it makes me feel a little “woozy”, but it has completely obliterated all of my chronic, cranky gym aches and pains. It ‘s effect on the knee is less profound, but today I can walk gingerly with a major limp, which is better than the slow-mo version of the painful chicken dance I was doing, in an effort to propel my body forward without actually walking.

Getting around New York City is a challenge. Taxis are scarce during rush hour, which seems to be several hours long in evening, where it is almost impossible to get a cab. Hailing and then running to hop in before someone else does is not an option these days.  Not to mention how much I HATE taxis, but I will save that one for another time.

I spent the day in bed yesterday with my laptop, trying to get ahead on some work, as my hours in the office need to be limited.

I am cautiously optimistic that I will be able to get around minimally in the next few days.

While this totally sucks, I do believe it is my body telling me to slow down.  The last 2 weeks of storms, work, power outages, and voting (we stood outside in the cold for 1 ½ hours just to cast our ballots) combined with getting up at 5:45 to make it to the gym before getting to work extra early has finally taken its toll.

My house is a mess, my CSA vegetables are rotting in the otherwise empty refrigerator, and the content of my blog has been more about updates on my personal survival than on the intended subjects of food, fashion, fitness and family.

I am making lists, prioritizing, and asking others for help.

Hopefully, this will be something that will heal on its own, and not require surgery.

Thanksgiving is coming, and I will need to take an alternative approach to getting the annual feast ready, but it will get done, even if it is mostly prepared from a bar stool.

Thank you to everyone who has expressed concern. I will keep you posted, but it’s time to move on to other more interesting subjects!

Ouch!

November 9, 2012

Last night, as I was scurrying to a meeting, I heard a snap in my knee, and felt an excruciating pain spread through my right leg. Determined to get through my appointment as professionally as possible, I put on a happy face, and hobbled along.

After a successful meeting, I changed from my high heels to the sneakers I had conveniently stashed in my bag, and tried to get home. With no taxis in sight, I tried to limp to the subway, but couldn’t navigate the stairs. Finally, I found a bus stop, and after a long wait, gingerly boarded the bus. S met me at the stop, and helped me get home. By now, the act of trying to walk made the pain so bad that even sitting perfectly still was agonizing.

The idea of going to the emergency room and spending the whole night being ignored due to more life-threatening cases, surrounded by the crazies and flu ridden, was less appealing than the working through the pain. A few Advil and some ice allowed me to at least get my leg up on the couch. I eventually got into bed, propped up with pillows and a stuffed animal under my knee for support.

I am dreading what the day will bring, as I try to find a doctor who can fit me in, and hopefully give me a cast or some crutches so I can function.

As someone who walks everywhere, and hits the gym 6 times a week, being out of commission is going to be difficult. I am hoping that it is something minor that will not require any drastic treatment.
Send positive thoughts my way. Between storms, work deadlines and now this injury, it has been a  tough few weeks for blogging about anything substantive. I hope to get back to putting some real content on the site soon. Stick with me!

photo: Glasshouse Images


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