Yes, you got it. I fell up the stairs. Just call me Grace. When you’re young and you fall you don’t really think about the fall. You bounce back up and think… A.) I hope no one one saw me or B.) If it’s an epic fall, I hope everyone saw me. “Wow, did you see that? I was going the speed of light on my bicycle when I wiped out. I slid almost a whole block.. Took all the skin off of this side of my body! I’ll be picking gravel out for days!!” And of course as the road rash disappears and the black and blue bruises start turning green and yellow .. ” I didn’t know this color even existed!”

grayscale photo of man in camouflage jacket and pants sitting on rock

Unfortunately I’ve reached that age where as you’re falling you think.. “Damn, this won’t be pretty. Of course, I’m going to land on my bad knee first.” As I lay sprawled on the porch, I start moving one joint at a time to be sure everything still worked. My wonderful friends all came running to help. As soon as I figured out which knee would work the best, they helped hoist me off the ground and got me settled into a recliner. Patsy, who is my age and a veteran of war wounds, brought me a mega ice pack and Dawson, the youngest in the group brought me a big glass of tea. I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many loving people.

Every time I would try to get up they would tell me to stay put. I was finally able to get up and moving when no one was looking. Had to get those knees in motion before they locked up. Went home, popped a couple Aleve and iced my wounds some more. As soon as the ortho office opened the next morning, I hit speed dial and got an appointment with Ashley, my doctor’s PA.

Ashley is the perfect person for me to see. She is a lovely combination of no nonsense and mischief. I really appreciated the fact that she took a moment to admire and comment on my newest battle scars before she started asking questions. I told her I didn’t think anything was really wrong, just the pain from the trauma of the fall, but that I wanted to be sure none of the screws holding my knee together were knocked loose. I also asked for an injection if she thought it would help. (Side note: When your PA grins and says she will shoot pretty much anything – be afraid, be very afraid!) She ordered the X-rays and everything looked okay – bent but not broken. She asked me “One Knee or Two?” Of course I said two. When Carl brought in the tray with the shots and said we were going for 19 year old knees, I probably should have hobbled out. Of course, Ashley just laughed when I told her what he said. I just wanted the 100 year old knees to go back to normal.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had to get a knee injection before. The more inflammation and tenderness, the greater the pain. The bigger the shot the greater the pain. Needless to say the pain was exquisite! My full sleeve, including the elbow tattoo wasn’t even a love tap compared to this.

Well, Carl, I don’t have 19 year old knees. Ashley you worked your miracle as usual. I will be able to enjoy my first camp of the year this week. Thanks for taking the time to appreciate my latest if temporary scar.

May you be more graceful than me, my friends, but if you do fall, I hope you have someone to admire your wound(s)!