[Magdalen] Prayers for my knee

[Heather Angus]

I very sorry, Charles. But you will surely be the best-read person on the
list by the end of your healing time. You'll be able to set us all
straight! :-)



On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 12:21 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:

> After 48 hours ice packs are pretty much useless. The general rule of thumb
> is ice for the first 24, alternating ice and heat for the second, and heat
> thereafter. HOWEVER.....that's even beginning to be questioned. While ice
> does take down the swelling, heat increases circulation, which in turn
> removes damaged cells and toxins from the area. So some PTs and trainers
> are now using the alternating ice/heat from the beginning and for the first
> 48 hours.
>
> On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 12:14 PM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Oh no!  that sounds awful.  Prayers that you can bear the wait and the
> > frustration, that the surgeon can fix this completely and quickly.  In
> > the meantime remember that ice packs are your friend.
> >
> > Susan
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 12, 2014 at 3:33 PM, Charles Wohlers
> > <charles.wohlers at verizon.net> wrote:
> > > Went hiking Friday, up nearby Elmore Mt. It's getting towards the end
> of
> > foliage season, and Elmore has an old fire tower at the top from which
> one
> > can get great views. It's a fairly short (1.2 mi) and popular hike.
> > >
> > > Got up to the top with no particular difficulty, climbed the fire
> tower,
> > and took pictures. Was on my way down, maybe 0.2 miles travelled, when I
> > slipped in some mud and heard a little "crack" in my knee. There was
> pain,
> > but it went away fairly quickly, and I couldn't straighten my right leg
> > out. I did finally get up to my feet but quickly discovered that if I
> bent
> > my right leg at all, I couldn't put any weight on it, or down I went. It
> > was fine as long as it was perfectly straight, but any bending - forget
> it.
> > I had a hiking pole, so figured I could go down OK as long as I kept my
> leg
> > perfectly straight. Easier said than done, and I fell a number of times.
> > Finally a member of a Barre school group which was going down at the same
> > time offered to call the Rangers (this is a state park), and I said
> fine. I
> > continued to go down slowly, falling often, for about 1/2 mile, until I
> saw
> > the two rangers coming up. They started to accompany me down, but after I
> > fell two more times, one of the rangers said she thought she should call
> > the fire dept. to get a litter for me, which she did. We sat & talked for
> > 20-30 minutes until they came, along with an EMT, who put a simple splint
> > on my leg. They eventually got me in the litter (which had a single huge
> > tire for support), and down the mountain we went. Lying in the litter, I
> > had a wonderful view of the colorful leaves above me. At this point there
> > were 10 people helping little ol' me, all of them volunteers except the
> > rangers. It was only ~1/4 mile to a point where the ambulances (there
> were
> > 2) could be brought. They put me in to the Morrisville ambulance, which
> was
> > better equipped, and away we went to Copley Hospital in Morrisville,
> which
> > was only ~5 miles away.
> > >
> > > Once at Copley I was seen almost immediately - in fact, I don't think I
> > was ever left alone for more than 5 minutes before somebody came in to do
> > something, ask questions, whatever. I quickly got x-rays, and very soon
> > after that the doctor told me I had a torn quadriceps tendon. This is
> what
> > connects the top muscle in your thigh to the knee. Which is why I
> couldn't
> > lift my leg or walk on it unless it was perfectly straight - the muscle
> > wasn't connected any more. If the tear was at the muscle end of the
> tendon,
> > I'd just have rehab and it would be better in ~10 weeks. OTOH, if the
> tear
> > was at the bone end, that means surgery, and a faster recovery. They got
> me
> > a fancy splint and crutches, and I was discharged after only an hour or
> two
> > there. I have an appt. on Thursday with an orthopedic practice to see
> what
> > happens next.
> > >
> > > Now Copley Hospital is just a wee little community hospital, but the
> one
> > thing they do often and well is orthopedics. This is because they are the
> > local hospital for Stowe and its ski resorts.
> > >
> > > So now I'm at home with the splint, which has been great to have - I
> > haven't fallen once since I had it and can walk around (although slowly),
> > go up & down stairs (also slowly), etc. There's no pain and I find I
> don't
> > really need the crutches, altho they can be helpful. However, since it
> > keeps my leg perfectly straight, I can't put a sock or shoe on my right
> > foot - Lee gets to do that. And I can't drive or even sit in the front
> > passenger seat, and it's "interesting" when I sit down or get up. Also,
> > obviously no more hiking this year (not good), can't do much in the
> garden
> > (also not good), and I don't get to stack the firewood we got delivered
> > Thursday (good). So I sit around a lot, work on the computer, read, etc.
> > >
> > > So (after all that - has anyone read this far?) prayers requested that
> > my knee hears quickly, I don't injure it more, and I survive being cooped
> > up for the next several weeks.
> > >
> > > Chad Wohlers
> > > Woodbury, VT USA
> > > chadwohl at satucket.com
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Before enlightenment pay bills, do laundry.  After enlightenment pay
> > bills, do laundry.
> >
>