Snow

Its freakin snowing out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter is here

Although it is not snowing outside, the temps have dropped and I'm starting to question my sanity. I chose to move here. I lived in Florida. I still own my house there!

Yes I am asking myself the same questions right now. Why am I here? What would make me think I liked the cold? Why am I here?

I think part of the answer lies in childhood memories. A vast majority of my happiest childhood memories took place in the snow. Yes I had immense fun at the Quarry every summer, but really I think I was happiest romping in the snow with my best friends. Pat Daugherty, Dave Micichi, Eric Dewald and my dear brother David. We played what we lovingly called gorilla hockey. No sticks, usually a puck or tennis ball and some garbage cans for goals. If I remember correctly we didnt use sticks beacuse we were short one or two. The name gorilla hockey comes from the way we played. No rules and no holds barred. Plenty of bloddy noses and bruised bodies. But man was it fun!

Another aspect of my decision comes from my time in Japan. I spent 3 years there learning to snowboard. Well, it only took me a day to really learn. But over those 3 years I spent a large amount of time riding some beautiful terrain. A mountain range call Hakkoida. Extinct volcanoes. Yes volcanoes, but they were sleepy so they didn't rumble at all. I loved surfing when I was young and snowboarding gave me that same spiritual feeling again. Like the mountain was alive and always providing me with a new path to take. Even the same trail would change between days. And once we sorta got lost. Man that was a hike to get out of there. What a pain in the butt. 4 foot deep snow and im only 5'6"!

So memories are what brought me back up here. It seems they can have a profound effect on the things we do.

Although it is memories of my childhood and single days that convinced me to come back up north, it is the potential for creating new ones with my family that will inevitably keep me and us here. Times are scary as the economy takes it turn for the worse, but I am confident that we will prevail. I've lived on less.

Fall

So its fall in the north east. I love it. I haven't been around to enjoy this weather in about 8 years. I forgot how vibrant it looks in person. Just down the street is this maple with crimson leaves. It really pops out against the other green and yellow trees.

The picture above is from Loon mountain. Soon to be my local riding location. Its big enough but im not sure if it has the "back country" runs that I love. Whipping through the trees and carving between them...there is no feeling like it. You just float along with a quick left here and a tree to the right. It really gets the blood flowing. I can't compare it to riding a motorcycle because they are two distinct rushes. But snowboarding on fresh powder for me is like surfing. It's like the mountain is alive and the powder its spirit. The mountain speaks to you saying things like "go this way I have a sweet rock for you to jump off of" and "watch out for that tree!" Yeah as spiritual as I try to sound I can't help but be a smart ass.

So today we are headed up to Maine to do some apple picking and hang out with Laura's Aunt. should be fun. I'll get some pics.

Speaking of pics I am trying to hone my skills again. Hopefully Ill get a light meter soon and I can start using my Twin Lens Reflex. Its a classic. the results from these cameras can only be described as surreal. Ill get some test rolls run soon. Probably start with medium format B&W and go from there. Really that is my favorite format.


So cheers to fall!

PT

Its funny really, I thought PT meant Physical Training. Like as in Army PT!

PT= Physical Therapy. As in rehab. So I went to my first Appt yesterday. Initial impressions were good. Nice quiet place. Looking out the window of the main "workout area" is a small stream and trees. It's a nice scene really. Very relaxing.

So the diagnosis is exactly what I had originally suspected. Torn PCL, MCL and potential meniscus damage. Also the potential for further meniscus damage is increased with the joint in its current state.

This all explains the sensation of my tibia/fibula "hanging there" while swimming or running. Talk about creepy!

So I'm feeling confident with the therapist. He gave me a list of exercises to do 3-4 days a week. And he seemed confident based upon initial exam that I could snowboard again with PT and a brace. Mostly for protection. Soccer, not so much. At least not playing like I used to. I can probably return to coaching kids by next year. (I like to run with the kids)

As for taking snaps for the Buffalo Bills, they will just have to wait and see! ;-)

The Doc

So today Laura and I went to the Docs to see what he could see. "What should look like a dark black thick rope, is a sort of gray blob..."

So the journey begins. The Doc thankfully recommends Physical Therapy first. He is pretty confident that it will be enough for my non-professional sports playing self. I tend to agree. I'm going to hit it hard and see what I can accomplish.

The way I see it, worst case scenario I can't play soccer anymore. That doesn't mean I can't coach! Also Laura and I discussed snowboarding. That will probably require a brace mostly for protection. The Doc tells us that in the case of a PCL tear a brace helps only minimally. I've found conflicting reports on the internet. But since I'm not exactly going to be taking snaps for the Buffalo Bills I think I'll be allright with the PT.

I'm also convincing myself of these facts as much as I am sitting here describing them to the internet. I've read easily 100 articles covering everything from the various procedures to the pros and cons of non-surgical vs surgical treatments.

What it really boils down to is the feeling of being less than 100%. My entire life I've spent thrashing away at my body and pushing it to its physical, mental and emotional limits. So I have probably been taking it for granted over the last decade. And now I have to face the fact that I won't be 100%.

This is not going to be easy.

Change window

So here I sit on a Sunday night, at work by myself waiting patiently for a change window that seems like a million miles away. Sounds dramatically distant doesn't it? HA! 70mins to go. It will probably go by quick once we get started. It always does.

In any case tomorrow I have the first appt after the MRI. Hopefully I will learn that only my PCL is torn and that with some dedication and a bit of physical therapy I'll be fine. Or at least good enough for Govt work! I already picked out a sweet carbon fiber knee brace. Its only $500. No big deal! hopefully I can convince the Doc to prescribe it and Ill get a decent discount.

If surgery is something I have to look at I'll probably wait until after we finish acquiring Verizon. I think my work mates would be mighty pissed if I suddenly had to take a couple weeks off.

I guess that's all for now. See you tomorrow night with the results. And maybe I can con a jpg of the MRI from the Doc that i can post up here! That would be sweet!

Boots

Boots, yeah not so good. I have a pair of timberland chukka style boots that I love. I wore them today. Heavy, clunky and heavy. After walking in these all day my knee feels very weird. Sort of floaty yet stiff is the best way I can explain it. Pain is in the usual places. I have to hold my leg in the air and let the bottom portion just hang and shake it a bit. I'm not sure what this is really doing but it seems to help with the pain and stiffness I'm feeling.

Despite the strange feelings I am managing to keep pushing up stairs rather well. Took a few a little to quickly and paid for it but the pain subsided rather quickly. Not like in the past where it would linger for hours. Can't complain about that!

Unless something happens that I haven't yet felt I'll probably make my next update after I see the Doc. I will have some direction at that point. Probably a decision to make as well.

Feelings...not the mushy stuff

(Saturday)After many hours of internet reading I decided to try some exercises on it. I did sitting leg lifts and some half squats. I tried the stairs a bit with some luck. Felt pretty good actually. In fact all day Saturday it felt relatively good.

(Sunday)-I tried to go swimming. That sucked. I was pretty bummed. As soon as I dangle my feet and try to do some slow kicks, it feels like its hanging there. Kinda like only the left side of my leg has anything attached to it. Really creepy.

Normal walking doesn't seem to bother it too much. So I've been trying to flex the quad muscle a lot more while walking. Basically to build it back up. And taking stairs very carefully.

It feels stiff today. And it has locked a few times. That is either the potential meniscus damage or the patella slipping out of place. Not sure but both are potentially a problem. Hopefully everything will be answered when I go back to the Doc...

I just hope that the physical therapy is the long term answer rather than sort term.

I don't want surgery.

MRI day

Just got back from the MRI. Interesting really. I really thought that something so "high tech" would be a bit quieter. Not the case at all. Really loud. And basically boring. Guess you can't exactly bring your IPod into a giant super magnet.

I have an appt with the Doc on the 8th of Sept to go over the results. I'll post what I'm told here along with any other random thoughts that cross my beer laden head.

In the meantime since nobody will probably be reading this I'll just keep typing whatever i think of. Maybe I'll clean it up at some point.

Also as I ponder the potential treatments and results of each, I'll put those thoughts here as well. Maybe typing it out will help me decide.

The Begining...in a way

Day one of my blog has started on day 2 of my decision process to have surgery to rebuild my PCL. I have potentially started the process early because the MRI is on Monday. However the possibility that my PCL is torn is very real. There may be some meniscus damage as well.

The back story...I was over seas working and one night while walking to the store I decided to take a short cut through the mean streets of Salmiya, Kuwait. I jumped off a ledge I knew was to high and, well, it was too high. When I landed I was sure I had broken my leg. My buddy said it looked like it had come apart Joe Theisman style. I got up checked it out and at first thought it was just a bad sprain. I stood up very carefully and placed weight on it...hurt a lot. Limped carefully home all the while thinking...Hmmm my leg feels like its sorta hanging there. Thats weird.

So I get to my room and start the process of triage. Can't bend it on my own. Swollen like a grapefruit. Plenty of pain.

Me being the son of my dad I ignore the obvious and get some motrin and go to sleep.

Wake up the next day its stiff and swollen and purple. Head to the base for diagnosis. The medical hobby shop tells me its probably a meniscus tear and to RICE it and it will heal on its own.

...all that brings me to today almost 9 months later a few days after I visit an orthopedic specialist....

As I ponder and journey through the process I will make updates...