Bones Complaining - Expected

All was going well for the past couple years - well, not so well - COVID happened. 

Everything.  Every idea.  Every plan.  Every person's life was tossed into a Pandemic Turmoil.  As life slowly made a turn towards being more positive, and future became a possibility, this person once again began the process of aiming for another hike.  Another hike at my age!  Can it be done???

Things were going forward.  Possible hiking routes researched.  Narrowed destinations down to four in Scotland (of course).  

1.  The Rob Roy Way.  

2.  The Southern Upland Way.  

3.  The John Muir Way.  

4.  An elaborate assembly of four connected routes with complicated travel plans to get from one to the next.  The East Highland Way and the Dava Way and the Moray Coast Trail and the Speyside Way (the Whiskey Distillery route).  

In the end the John Muir Way was chosen because of the simplicity compared to combining 4 different routes (option #4), and the basically low level option the JMW (John Muir Way) provided.

Then, in what has now become a typical/traditional pattern for Lois leading up to a long distance walk there was an injury.  No idea or memory of what happened, only that around Thanksgiving time the right knee began to complain.  Major Complaint.

Walk-in-visit to the Bone and Joint Clinic early December.  Received a cortisone injection and semi-soft knee brace.  Had an MRI done (the technicians both did the MRI and drove the semi).  Result was osteoarthritis and a badly torn meniscus.  The meniscus was sort of a 'middle of the road' injury.  Not exactly needing surgery as that would only make it worse, or not bad enough to need a total knee replacement.  A stronger injection of Synvisc-One was approved by my insurance, and a more Serious knee brace happened in January.  


Was told I could return to Bone and Joint before Scotland for another cortisone, which probably will happen.  I have no problem wearing the brace.  Just hope the other knee doesn't feel neglected and want to join the attention.



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