Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is unknown. Make today meaningful, and life is worthwhile.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Ignore the damn knee

We've gotta make this happen.

The knee is becoming an issue again. The hyaluronic acid injections I had last about six months and are starting to wear off.  I try to get a new series of injections while we are traveling in Portland, but I cannot do that away from my primary care orthopedic surgeon and without a lengthy insurance company approval process. I'm determined to make it work whatever way is possible. I take chondroitin pills, I wear a knee brace, I take ibuprofen, I do physical therapy, I try to keep the knee in shape. I find a Portland orthopedic surgeon who agrees to give me a Cortisone shot which should get me through the hike. I need to make this work. I'm not ready to say thru hiking is behind me and advance quietly into the golden years in a rocking chair. Not yet. I saw hikers in their fifties complete the PCT, but hikers in their 60's drop out. Have I crossed over the line? Am I on the decline? Some hikers keep going into their seventies. Where is my cutoff?

Snow is an issue this early. But I really need to make the knee a non-issue. It killed last year's hike. Time is not on my side. I need to hike this year. Cortisone might mask the problems, or maybe it will give a temporary reprieve. Either way, it is a window. I will hike.


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