To Knee or Not to Knee......

In April I made my fourth trip up to Virginia to help my oldest daughter with the arrival of a new little soul, an excursion I enjoy.  Newborns are just special little critters.  No pretense, no drama.  They just be what they be!

Part of what I enjoy about Virginia are the lovely rolling hills just waiting to be walked.  And with my son in law starting his work out career with P90X I thought that this trip would be especially productive.  I would help with the kids, take care of kitchen duties AND get a little fitter in the process. 

It started out well.  I woke up early with Shaun and we pulled up, pushed up and kicked out our inertia.  Later on that day I went for a nice brisk walk.  The next day I limped around on a swollen knee.  Ok....that's happened before.  But it just never got a lot better.  A couple weeks ago (nearly 4 months later) I was hobbling around wondering what the heck was going on.  As I stepped backwards to pull a shopping cart out of line, I felt a POP and dropped to the ground, certain someone had shot me through the knee.  And MRI said I had a torn meniscus.  I am grateful it was not a torn ACL.  But still I wondered if I really needed the surgery. 

The answer is yes.  I'm not used to being limited.  I'm told that one day I will be, but 54 is too young to not be able to run through an airport to catch a plane.  It's too young to not be able to chase a grandchild or ride a horse or ride my bike.  So now I have my introduction into the American health care system.  Monday is telephone day.  It is the day that I call my orthopaedist, the surgical center and the aenesthesiologist to see what portion I get to pay.  Wish me luck!!