You know that expression, “I’m waiting for the other foot to fall”? (as in, expecting bad news soon).
So Wednesday evening I was walking around with Patty and another friend, and I was standing up on a low retaining wall (just about 2 feet high), and I decided to jump down to the ground.
There was this little voice saying “maybe you should just sit down and step off instead” but I ignored that… And oh how I wish I could take that second back and Apply more Consequential Thinking.
I landed on my left leg because I am still “protective” of my right leg (2 years ago I completely ruptured my right quadriceps tendon). And I felt a sharp POP in my left knee… Which gave out… And I was on the ground feeling a terrible deja vu.
While these seems like the most ridiculous bad luck, the surgeon I saw last night was not all that surprised. She said there’s been a huge increase in this injury nationwide — correlated with obesity and high cholesterol. And, that it’s not uncommon that when one quad ruptures, that the other follows because of the underlying causes — and because as I did, “protecting” the original injury leads to over-use of the other side.
The good news/bad news is I know the process… Six months in a brace with crutches, 18 months ‘till “normal.” The upside is I’m not scared, I know just how painful and difficult this is, and I know I can do it. The downside is I know just how painful and difficult this is…
I was joking on the phone with a colleague saying, “I guess this means I didn’t learn the lesson I was supposed to learn the first time.” I’ve been reflecting more about that and I’m now seeing that it’s not a joke at all. Coming off the first knee, I was starting to take my health more seriously, but in the last 9 months or so I’ve let that slip out of focus. For years I’ve thought and felt and talked about making major lifestyle changes to take better care of myself, but somehow I keep making other things a higher priority. So while this is a rather difficult way to re-start, I’m actually feeling hopeful and even excited. It’s not a time for little subtle changes – it’s time to re-invent this aspect of my life — of our lives as a family.
Well, I literally got home from the hospital an hour ago and so I’m a bit groggy, think I’ll go take a nap!
By the way — I won’t be working regular hours for the next few weeks, so if you need something from me, please remind me a few times ‘till I reply.
