A slight change in plans
I have a long history of really getting the most out of my knees. I tore them both up pretty good when I was young, and I have a nice 8-inch scar from the surgery that removed a big chunk of the meniscus from the right one.
I was just thinking recently how nice it is that I’ve not had any knee problems in years. Famous last words …
I walked out on some slippery rocks along the shore here in Phuket (Thailand) to get a picture of some colorful crabs two days ago, and fell hard in part because I was protecting my camera instead of my body. No big deal, I’m used to this, I can shake it off … I even went out and played a round of golf immediately afterward.
But after two days of increasing swelling and deteriorating attitude, I’ve given up. I can’t even walk this morning, so I’ve booked flights to head home. I won’t be going to India this trip after all, in the interest of getting my knee elevated at home ASAP. Although since flights are a mess for some reason this week, “ASAP” means fly to Bangkok this afternoon, spend the night there, then go to Narita (Tokyo), Portland, and Seattle.
For everyone’s amusement, here are a few photos …
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 at 7:26 pm. You can subscribe to comments on this post through its RSS feed.
on October 31, 2007 at 9:20 pm Tom wrote:
Boy, that left knee looks pretty bony compared to the other. Might want to have that checked. As far as I’m concerned, the puffy one looks normal — could be that my knees are a little off, though.
Get home safely and get that right one scoped — I hope you have good leg room on the flight(s) back. I’m sorry to hear you’ve got to cut it short — I’m sure Megan will be happy to have you home, but it sucks that it has to happen this way.
Art (my father-in-law) had a couple of bad knee injuries (actually, they were both detached quads, but it’s the same difference), the last one on top of a mountain in Peru. He’s fine now, but he still has pictures and very fond memories of the burro that carried him down. So while this stinks, I’m glad you didn’t have to ride a burro (or a monkey or an emu or whatever) back down to the hotel.
Hey, how’d the golf go? Given it might have been the last round for a bit, I hope you shot well.
on October 31, 2007 at 10:33 pm Mom wrote:
Doug,
I just got home from Mississippi tonight and will be in Portland tomorrow until Friday night.
It sounds like you will probably be getting home on Friday, too, maybe.
That knee looks pretty painful to me. I hope you will get a wheelchair to get around the airports and not stress it any more than necessary.
I’ll talk to you when you get home.
Love, Mom
on November 1, 2007 at 1:09 am tvp wrote:
You’re a really smart guy, but now I have proof you can be dumb.
tvp
on November 1, 2007 at 1:19 am Doug wrote:
Ah, Tad, you’ve seen plenty of proof before.
Hey Mom, I’ll be passing through Portland on Friday morning, coincidentally. And yes, I’m in a wheelchair. (Waiting for luggage in Bangkok now.)
on November 1, 2007 at 1:23 am Doug wrote:
Oh, Tom … for hardly playing this year and limping around, I played surprisingly well. Wish I could play again this weekend now!
on November 1, 2007 at 4:12 am Doug wrote:
OK, Mom/Megan/everyone, I’m in Bangkok at the Novotel airport hotel, done riding a wheelchair for today, and ready to hit the sack. Wakeup call scheduled for 3:30AM … zzzzzz
on November 1, 2007 at 8:26 am Scott wrote:
Oh man. Not good. Not good at all.
sp
on November 1, 2007 at 8:49 am Tom wrote:
Glad to hear the golf was good, anyway — good thing you’re a lefty, as I doubt you could have swung if that was your front leg. Looks like a beautiful course, too.
on November 1, 2007 at 12:39 pm tvp wrote:
Yes, but this time there’s photographs and everything!
tvp
on November 1, 2007 at 3:04 pm mkb wrote:
Eek. Sorry to hear it. Hope you are home and on the mend soon.
on November 2, 2007 at 1:59 pm Tom wrote:
On a slightly different note, you may want to spend your recuperation in the wheelchair-accessible area at Key Arena — I just heard today that they’re likely moving to Oklahoma City. It’s too bad, but I bet Seattle gets the next expansion (or moving) team. Anyhow, enjoy them now! And hey, post something when you get back so we all know you made it back in no more than two pieces, wouldja?
on November 2, 2007 at 9:53 pm Doug wrote:
Done, Tom, as you’ll probably see before this comment. Hey, but regarding “front leg,” check out the classic weight shift!
(That’s early in the round, I wasn’t finishing on it for long.)
Thanks mkb, nice to hear from the neighbors. Since I’m going to be cooped up at home all weekend, we may bump into each other.
on November 3, 2007 at 7:41 am Tom wrote:
Oh, wait, it WAS your front leg! Sorry — I don’t know why, but I always get confused trying to mirror your lefty swing to my righty.
Glad to hear you got home safely — I hope you can find a doc to go see on a weekend.