Thank you for giving me back my life.
Long story very short:
January 2020 – I twisted my back shoveling. No big deal. It hurt, but it would get better, just like all the other pulled muscles over the years. And so I went hiking.
January to March 2020 – I told myself I should probably take it easy because my body was starting to show its age. Oh. And I think I am going to need a knee replacement soon. And so I went hiking.
April 19 2020 – I woke up one day in excruciating pain, barely able to walk. Just give me some time and some tylenol, I told my boyfriend. And so I went hiking … and ended up in the ER that night literally crying from the pain.
I will give up running. I will give up almost anything; just get me back on the trail, I told Dr Wahlquist. 3 injections later (the crews were FANTASTIC, by the way) the pain was minimally less. I could barely walk a ½ mile without breaks. The mental pain of being helpless was as bad as the physical pain.
June 23. 2020 – Just get me back on the trail, I told Dr Wahlquist. Immediately after surgery I could walk further. Within a week I was walking several miles. After a month I walked over 7.
I’m still healing. It is a long process. And so I went hiking…
Thank you for giving me back my life.
