"Pop" Goes the Knee Joint

I thought my knee might possibly be getting better.  I was wearing a brace, applying ice, elevating, taking Aleve, even doing strengthening exercises.

Thursday I decide to go to the lake in the morning with my kayak.  I've not had a lot of enjoyable times this summer and summer is almost over.  Summer is about the only time I do things I enjoy, like being on the water.

I was overjoyed to find a parking space open at the easy boat ramp.  This is unheard of these days when the lake is jammed and every road lined in cars.  In short, the lake has become a nightmare, crowded wall to wall with people, a sure testimonial to human overpopulation in this area.

To find an empty single car space at the easy boat ramp----unbelievable.  First time this summer.

So I put in my kayak and out I go.  Most people out in boats were fishing.  I didn't have a lot of time.  I was scheduled to pick up cats at the RV park at 2:00, from a woman who finally agreed to get hers done when the management there, I believe it was, told her it was mandatory or face eviction.   She lives in a teensy trailer with three cats and 7 dogs.

So anyhow, I paddle around awhile, swim a bit, then paddle back to the ramp and get my car, back it down and pull the kayak up to the back of the car from the water, and am pushing it inside the car when I twist my left knee, as I'm pushing and there's a loud pop.

Immediately my left knee is on fire with pain and collapses.  I don't scream, although I'd like to. It's a public place, I just don't like to be screaming in a public place I guess.

I can't put any weight on my left leg now.  The kayak is not tied into the back of the car.  I'm parked on a boat ramp near the water, at a slant backwards towards the water, in a clutch transmission. 

There's a couple who just launched a speed boat.  The woman is holding the boat by the dock while the man parks the truck and trailer.   I call out to her for help.  She comes over and I tell her I popped something off my knee and can't tie the kayak in the back.  She ties it in, in the two places I direct.   I ask for a piece of driftwood, that I can use as a crutch.  Her guy goes off looking for one and comes back with a five foot long piece of drift that should be adequate.  She wants to help me more.  He wants to get out on the water.  Off they go.

I struggle to get to the front of my car from the back and finally do and finally get into it.  I tape my knee with electrical tape, and drive off somehow.  It hurts to depress the clutch, however.  I double clutch where I can and keep the car in the same gear.  Fuck everybody honking and yelling I'm going too slow.

I drive into the RV park, which isn't far from the boat ramp.  I just sit there, stunned I guess, that now I"m a gimp and should I get these cats or not   The woman who originally contacted me from there comes over.  I tell her my knee doesn't work.  She goes and gets the three cats.  I have brought carriers along, tucked in the front seat, under the front of the kayak.  She loads them in there.

I drive home with them.  The neighbor unloads my kayak for me and the cats in the carriers, putting them in my garage.  They're about to take off camping for a few days.

A Kata lady comes later on and put the cats into live traps from the carriers and leaves.   I find someone else to take the cats to the clinic yesterday and pick them up and they're from Sweet Home so can take them directly back to the RV park lady.

So that's done, those three.  I go to the doctor, someone I've never seen, who orders an Xray and tells me I probably tore the MCL, that inside ligament, same one I tore on my other knee.  She says I need an MRI and maybe surgery, but isn't sure if my insurance will pay for an MRI.  She tells me to only use crutches until I hear from them about the MRI.

The sudden goneness of my normal life is disappointing to me.  I wanted to enjoy the last weeks of good weather.  There are usually fewer people clogging the lake end of August and first week of September. There was a very slow start to good weather this summer, so we didn't have very much  of it.  I regret somewhat now that I used most of the good weather helping solve cat situations.

 I had hoped to make one trip to Waldo Lake--only a day trip.   Now I'm stuck here.  I don't like thinking this could end up to be months upon months of being stuck here, staring at the walls.  Not much I can do about it.   But yes, I am disappointed and sad.

I struggle over how to clean the litterboxes, how to get the bags of litter in or even get food to eat.   I start trying to figure out ways I can get heavy things, like the bags of litter, into my place and easier ways to get dirty litter out to the garbage, maybe a pull cart on rollers or something.  A Portland friend takes pity on me and ordered me a pizza to be delivered last night.  She did that online.  I was so excited when it came last night.    I can't believe how excited I was when I saw a mustang pull up at the curb and the delivery man get out and come to my door, which I threw open in excitement.
She's not rich so I thought that was really kind of her to do.  I have like bags of rice and some soup so I won't starve don't worry.

I guess I have to cancel my cat fixing appointments for next week.   I don't want to cancel them but there's no way.

Life changes in a "pop".

UPDATE:  Right after I wrote this, a friend arrived loaded in groceries, even another knee brace.  She also brought fresh coffee and a breakfast sandwich and refused cash to pay for any of it, including the Aleve I had requested she purchase and bring, if she had time.  She also carried in three of the 40 lb bags of pellets I use for litter and put them into my storage containers by the litter boxes.  This was unexpected and a huge relief and left me feeling warm inside and relieved especially for the pellets being carried inside.  I have enough groceries to last a week now, easy, and I'm sitting here marvelling over the kindness of friends.