Injured Knees

Original Story Posted on: June 6, 2008

What is it about getting older that makes us so dang clumsy?  For an entire week I have been walking (or I should say scooting) around my home with 2 injured knees, and one so injured as to require 5 stitches.  At least I am walking, although barely. 

Last week, while leaving my son's piano lesson, I lost my balance on a stepping stone going across the yard and went down in a fraction of a second.  It happened so fast that I didn't even have time to process a thought such as %$#@!!!!  That word came out of my mouth after I looked at my right knee and realized that I had an open wound all the way down to the knee cap.  I began to cry and asked my precious and very frightened son to run in and tell his teacher to call 911 - "NOW!"  I felt myself slipping away as this overwhelming heat began to rush to my head and a feeling like I was about to pass out.  I just kept screaming to the piercing pain instead and covered my knee with my hand so that I couldn't look at it -  trying to distract myself from the passing out that was inevitable if I relaxed even a little bit or saw any more of the wound on my knee.

My son's teacher called 911, and then my husband.  9 minutes later my hubby arrived - before the EMS.  They didn't arrive for another 4 minutes.  "What if I was having a heart attack guys?!!!"  I swear someone needs to improve the emergency medical response time by improving the emergency medical personnel that are available in this God foresaken North Carolina.  I took the ambulance - Darn it needs some serious shocks.  "Why don't these transports have shocks?!!!!" 

 Thinking that I wouldn't have to wait around and get in to see a doctor faster, I tolerated the shocks.  I was wrong.  I arrived at 7:30pm, and didn't get into the ER until midnight.  An IV, some Morphine, and a couple of percocet later I was ready for the doctor to stitch me up.  I got home at almost 3am. 

So here I sit a week later and I still can't bend my right knee.  Great for blogging.  Bad for everything else in life - like using the bathroom.  Have you ever tried to use the bathroom with your right leg extended straight out?  I didn't think so.  Try it sometime, it isn't easy. 

Great for nappin' though.