Days 590-618...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...sort of. I say that jokingly for me, however I do wish that everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! So it's been about a month since I last shared what was going on with me. In that time frame, I found out I had a very slight tear in my left MCL. Luckily it won't require surgery and that is some good news. After the ER visit, I was referred to a sports medicine doctor. This is where all the fun really begins. First off here is what my left knee looked like when I was in the ER.
You can tell how much swelling there was when you compare it to my right knee. Needless to say it was painful. Fast forward three days and I was seeing the sports medicine doctor. He looked at the knee and after discussing my health and history, he decided that I should probably have my knee drained as it was filled with fluid. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. After removing several ounces of fluid from my knee, the pain was gone and I had almost full movement of my knee back. The fluid was a bright yellow color and almost instantly he said I had a gout flare in my knee, the cause of the swelling. A second injection, this time of medication was administered and I was good to go. I had received x-rays prior to having my knee drained and that is where they discovered the slight MCL tear. With the knee now drained and recovery starting, I was instructed to stay off my feet and not work until I had sufficiently recovered.
With the doctors notes and physical therapy starting, the attention was on Christmas and the trip to Sunriver. I was looking forward to getting out of town and just spend some relaxing moments in the Central Oregon air. The family went over on Saturday before Christmas and I was to follow the next day. Sunday was a beautiful day for a drive by Oregon standards. Showers dotted the landscape and as I passed Detroit Lake, I started to wonder where the snow was. It didn't take long for me to find it. Just about 15 miles from the intersection of highways 20 and 22, the snow started falling. It was pretty and the roads were still wet. Temperatures were in the lower 30's but not to freezing just yet. The drive was pretty as the snow was starting to accumulate on the trees and just about five miles later, snow was packed on the road. When I approached the intersection of 20 and 22, the snow let up and road surface returned to water. Once I started to make the climb toward the Santiam Summit, the road became snow packed once again and it would stay that way until I made the decent on the eastern side. Finally just about Suttle Lake the road dried out and I knew I was just a couple more minutes from my favorite place in Central Oregon, Black Butte Ranch.
With the doctors notes and physical therapy starting, the attention was on Christmas and the trip to Sunriver. I was looking forward to getting out of town and just spend some relaxing moments in the Central Oregon air. The family went over on Saturday before Christmas and I was to follow the next day. Sunday was a beautiful day for a drive by Oregon standards. Showers dotted the landscape and as I passed Detroit Lake, I started to wonder where the snow was. It didn't take long for me to find it. Just about 15 miles from the intersection of highways 20 and 22, the snow started falling. It was pretty and the roads were still wet. Temperatures were in the lower 30's but not to freezing just yet. The drive was pretty as the snow was starting to accumulate on the trees and just about five miles later, snow was packed on the road. When I approached the intersection of 20 and 22, the snow let up and road surface returned to water. Once I started to make the climb toward the Santiam Summit, the road became snow packed once again and it would stay that way until I made the decent on the eastern side. Finally just about Suttle Lake the road dried out and I knew I was just a couple more minutes from my favorite place in Central Oregon, Black Butte Ranch.
I stopped off at the ranch and took some photos of the showers making its way over the Cascades. It was pretty cool to see the downslope effect of the showers drying out and disappearing. I headed on to Bend and then to Sunriver to meet up with everyone. It was going to be an amazing Christmas.
The trip was too short but I had a great time and I was ready to come back home. New Years Eve came and went and 2019 arrived with me still dealing with a knee that wasn't sure what it wanted to do. After several physical therapy sessions, the knee was feeling better and stronger, but still had some pain every now and then.
As we've progressed into 2019, things are looking up. I really appreciate all the kind words and support that I've gotten the last month. Its not easy for me to be as low key as I have been, but I know that I've needed to recover with my knee. I'm looking forward to what this year brings and I pray that 2019 is a good year for all of you as well.
As we've progressed into 2019, things are looking up. I really appreciate all the kind words and support that I've gotten the last month. Its not easy for me to be as low key as I have been, but I know that I've needed to recover with my knee. I'm looking forward to what this year brings and I pray that 2019 is a good year for all of you as well.
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