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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

I miss the mountains...

On March 17th 2012, I injured my knee hiking up Sunshine Peak.

After several weeks of appointments with two different orthopedic surgeons, two different physical therapists, a couple of diagnosis that proved false, not to mention x-ray techs and the people that did my MRI, I think I finally have a diagnosis that makes sense.

It's now narrowed down to either: 
  • I may have patellar tendinitis in my right knee caused by a fat pad impingement
  • I may have fat pad inflamation caused by patellar tendinitis.  (Sounds almost the same huh?)
  • I may have partially torn patellar tendon.  This is the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shin bone. 
Either way, there's a fat pad beneath the patellar tendon that is inflamed and this fat pad is inflamed so much that it's being caught between the bones (pain) and not allowing the leg to extend fully.

Sounds awesome huh?

The treatment option for now, is physical therapy with Ultrasound to break up scar tissue in and around that fat pad and the patellar tendon, and exercises to strengthen muscles in the leg to hopefully reduce stress on the patellar tendon, and also twice daily ice therapy.

Other treatment options shouldn't even be talked about at this point.

I am a guy that loves the outdoors.  I am now trying to think of ways I can get out and be out there getting my "mountain fix".  A Jeep or ATV may be in my near future.  More importantly, this has taught me something.  

Don't ever rush to a summit.  Take time to enjoy your adventure and take time to truly appreciate the fact that you have the ability to hike/climb.  

Never take any day for granted.  

Each day you wake is one to embrace.  Even if I can not (for now anyway) make a 14er summit, or enjoy a day out on a long hike, or even walk to lunch without pain, I can do many other things.  Even if I had no legs, I would find a way to get out and enjoy the little things.  

I can still ride my motorcycle (for now).
I can still play golf (badly). 
I can still hug my kids, and kiss my wife.  
I can still enjoy the sight of the Rocky mountains covered in snow on my ride to work.  
I can still go for short walks with my huskies.  
I can still play poker and win a WSOP event.
I can still chase sunsets. 
I can still make a better pizza that any I have eaten west of the Mississippi River. 
I can still be kind and smile @ people for no reason.
I can still watch the Red Sox suck this year, and wonder when they will finally fire Bobby Valentine.  
I can also still have hope that I will heal this piece of shit knee and get back to hiking someday. 

Even if a doctor tells me it's impossible for me to consider climbing the remaining 14ers that I haven't hiked, that just means he doesn't want to be my doctor anymore.  Impossible doesn't exist in my vocabulary.  

My goal is Capitol Peak 08/2012, even if I have to do the knife's edge (video below) on crutches.