A Knee Above All Else!

1st knee brace which REALLY helped me on our excellent vacation!

I woke up one morning with a swollen knee. I thought to myself, hmmm, why is it swollen? Did I step on my leg too hard and produce the swelling? Or, was it the weather since it was SO humid outside, reflecting on a newly swollen knee? Or was it from exercising and maybe doing the cardio a bit too hard than my aging body (not too much aging!) will allow?

Some good thoughts as I got out of bed and moved around my bedroom with a slight limp, but still focusing on the daily exercise for that day. I can tell you it was not easy. When a body part is out of line, meaning a problem is ensuing, life is different. I walked slower. I took my time so as not to make the knee hurt more than it did from the swelling. I was gentle when I exercised, which is not normal for me. But this was a “new” normal for me for days to come.

I sometimes like to play doctor on myself, meaning, I do the diagnosing and helpful suggestions on treatment, courtesy of Google. And Dr. Lori was in and decided that the best healing treatment was for ice and heat applied generously for the day, and aspirin for the pain if needed. I generally do not take medication, however, when I have painful pain, aspirin helps to take the edge off of it. So I followed Dr. Lori’s instructions, thinking to myself I will be better the next day.

I was not.

Not for many days to come.

My husband and I were going on a three week vacation and going to the doctor did not fit in those plans. But I did ask my chiropractor for advice and he told me to wear a band wrapped around my lower thigh. THAT seriously did help! I was able to walk without a limp and return to my regular exercise program.

Me with my infamous thigh band that helped me hike up the Tetons, but not down!

But things changed drastically when we left on vacation. This was shortly after I first hurt myself so technically there was not much time to see a doctor and I absolutely did not want to cancel the vacation!

We went on an amazing hike in the Tetons, Taggart Lake Trail. We have been on this hike a few years before so I thought it would not be a big deal. Unfortunately, there was some construction going on at the Grand Tetons and the fabulous and easy trail I wanted to go on was closed. But there was another trail to the lake, just a tad longer.

Beginning of Taggart Lake Trail in the Grand Tetons!

That “tad” was not easy. Going up I did not have a problem. But going down brought about so much pain I wanted to cry and have someone carry me back to the trailhead.

I have NEVER felt so much pain in my knee until that time!

It was not practical for John to carry me as we still had some trail to cover until we got back to the beginning. It was an out and back trail, meaning there is no loop, you just go from one end to the other, and return to the beginning again on the same trail.

I was limping pretty bad and it did not help that we saw a baby black bear right on the path! John told me to run so we turned around and ran, me limping, making the knee pain worse with every step. By the time we finished the trail I was so thankful to get to our vehicle and leave. But I still had some other places to go and take photos, but no more hiking that day.

Have you been in so much pain that you wanted to curl up in a ball and ask God to take away the pain?

That was me.

A grand view of Taggart Lake!

We went to another photographic place to take photos. I was limping really bad and almost in tears again. My husband noticed and said it was time to go. He already knew I was in incredible pain, but I was defiant and wanted to take the photos that were part of the reason we visited the Grand Tetons.

I ended up getting a knee brace and luckily for a small town near where we camped at there was a drug store that supplied them. It helped tremendously! It did not cure the knee problem but it helped me to walk and move around instead of staying inside the camper for the rest of the vacation.

In total I hurt my knee three times: first I mentioned above from exercising, the second from hiking in the Tetons and the final time was when I tripped over my husband’s paddleboard as he was deflating it. I did not fall, but jumped over and kicked my butt with my feet which normally would not bother me but this time it did.

I was so grateful to get back home and start visiting doctors so my knee could get better. What is incredible during this journey was how my husband was supportive and helpful during this process. It is not easy to vacation when you have PAIN!!!! I opted for physical therapy, which has been life-changing and being more mindful of how I exercise.

Incredibly thankful for such wonderous places like the Grand Tetons!

The verdict for my right knee was severe arthritis (not accepting the word “severe”) and a tear in my meniscus. I am hopeful I will never need knee replacement surgery as I like to keep my body parts together as long as I can. I rarely wear a knee brace now, only if I have to walk a lot, like when I go grocery shopping. I also practice my knee stretches at home beside the physical therapy facility. It is important for me to recover as I want to hike and exercise without pain or making my knee worse.

I am incredibly thankful to God who helped me on our vacation and now at home to recover and enjoy life again. Thankful for doctors and physical therapists that have our best interests in mind. And thankful for you, dear reader, that have read this story to here. Thank you for being a part of my healing journey!