The waiting is the hardest part

It’s been a few weeks since last posted on the progress on my knee. In that time, much is different and much is the same. On the different side, I am moving around much better, thanks to increased strength in the knee, calf and quadriceps and getting 35 degrees of motion in the knee brace. Daily living activities are going much, much better (bathing, getting dressed, being at work, etc.) Pain is pretty much non-existent. The knee feels more stiff than anything most days. The strongest medication I ever take is Advil, and that’s only once a week or so. The most pain I have is when doing the daily leg lifts to strengthen the quadriceps muscles. I also need just a single crutch to get around, and can go up and down stairs without crutches by just hanging on to the handrail.

In the “what is the same” category, I still have on the brace. I am still not driving. I still get plenty of odd looks at work or at my drop-off points for rides to and from work. And lots of comments about “must be cool to wear shorts” when they see me in my dress shorts at work (the dress code at work is “business casual,” which means jeans and collared shirt). Yes, it is SO worth it to tear the patellar tendon to be able to wear shorts to work. I appreciate the sentiment from people who make this comment, but it did get old after the first 10 times I heard it.

I don’t really have an overarching theme or point for this post, just a lot of thoughts going on in my head. So instead of a cohesive thesis, you get bullet points.

• I have a much greater appreciation for handicap ramps/curb cuts, doors, and bathroom stalls. When you don’t have the use of one of your legs, these things are godsends. It’s a VERY good idea for new buildings, parking lots and bathrooms have these things. And a note to everyone: DON’T use the handicap bathroom (proper name is Disabled-Access) stall (that’s the oversized one with the handrails) unless every other stall is taken. You may like the additional room in the stall. But leave it open for the person who might walk in whose ONLY option for going to the bathroom is the larger stall. There have been several days at work when I have had to go to 3 or 4 separate floors to use the bathroom due to the Disable-Access stall being occupied.
• If you wonder how I got hurt, it was very similar to what happened when Garrett Richards of the LA Angels got hurt in 2014. His story is here. The injury is about 2:30 in. Don't watch if you are squeamish about injuries.
• It is not possible to over-communicate with a friend or relative who is struggling with health issues. Every time someone has provided a word of encouragement, phone call or email, it has come at just the right time. When you have health issues, it can feel as if the rest of the world continues on while you are sidelined to some extent. Thanks for everyone reading this who has helped me out with encouragement over the last month and a-half. If you’re wondering whether the card, phone call or just kind word means something to that person or persons in your life who are struggling with health issues, don’t wonder. It impacts their life, whether or not they express appreciation for it.
• Progress is happening, but patience is needed. Day-to-day, progress with my knee can be hard to see. But if I look back one week, or 2 weeks or to the day after surgery, the progress is significant. This has been the most difficult thing to deal with, as I would just like to be able to do things like drive, mow the lawn, walk the dog or play catch with Benjamin tomorrow. I know all of those things eventually will (hopefully) happen, but it’s hard to keep the focus on both the end goal and the day today.

Patience to Persist

I’ve always thought I was a patient person. But God has shown me how wrong I was in that self-assessment based on my own pride. I was confusing my ability to be flexible and/or tolerate waiting on things with patience. There is a difference between patience (in knowing that tribulation is to our benefit, in that it ultimately gives us hope) and merely tolerating the current situation. Romans 5:3-5 says:


And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience
And patience, experience; and experience, hope
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

True patience (as described by Paul) works (leads to) experience, which gives us hope. In my own life, having this knee injury has given me hope in several areas. In the physical sense, I have hope of returning to my former physical activities (minus baseball and basketball) and appreciating the gift of those activities. In the spiritual, I look forward to the day when we receive our glorified bodies (as described in I Corinthians 15:42-53, Phil. 3:21, and elsewhere).

One month with a bum knee

So it's been a couple of weeks since the last update on the knee. The knee is doing better than it was when I last wrote, but not as good as it will be in another two weeks.

For the past week-plus, I have been able to go back to the office to work. This has been encouraging to me to be able to assume more normal life activities. Getting up and down repeatedly makes me tired, but it also feels good to have "done" something during the day. I can now put significant weight on the right leg, which makes moving around the house or at work with crutches much easier than a week or two ago. This also means that I have to cobble together rides to and from work. Huge thank you's to Chloe (of course), my brother-in-law Jeremy, nephew Taylor and fellow Cerner associate Jim McFarlane for getting me to and from work every day.

I do get to wear shorts every day due to the bulky brace that has become an ever-present part of my attire (removed only at shower time), so I guess that is the one advantage to this whole situation.

I'll share more later on how this injury has changed my life significantly (and that of my family). I go back to the doctor this week for another post-op visit. I am hopeful that he will allow me to start bending the knee (some), to start rehab and walk more without crutches. Until then, another day closer to getting better.

Kneaded knee: Life takes a turn

Those of you (all 3 of you) who read this blog likely already know that on July 31 while in Iowa for a family reunion, I tore the patellar tendon in my right knee when playing baseball with Benjamin and my father-in-law, Jerry.

I haven't written anything since that time, other than some emails to friends (and general work communication). I'm now 5 days post-surgery on the knee (done Aug. 12) so thought it was time to provide some more information about the last 2 1/2 weeks.

July 31 was the last day of being off work for 4 weeks. The company where I work here in KC offers what is called a Long Term Service Award (a sabbatical) once every 7 years for its employees. It's a great benefit and one I am very happy for. On said July 31, Benjamin and I were in Iowa, having come up for a Shettler Family Reunion starting Friday night in Washington, Iowa. Before we went to Friday evening's festivities, Benjamin, Jerry and I went up to the ballfield in Wellman, Iowa, so Benjamin could practice and his grandfather could watch him do various things baseball related.

We had been there 45 minutes or so, taking BP and playing various games. Benjamin hit a few out on the 200-foot fences. I even took a few hacks and smoked a couple over near the Catholic Church. Old man can still hit. We decided to finish with some ground balls. Benjamin took some at short and threw to me at first. Then I got the bright idea that we should turn some double plays, so I went over to the second base position and Benjamin and I were working on turning double plays. We did 10-15 of those and were having fun. Close to being done. Then Benjamin fielded a ball and I approached second base in anticipation of the throw. I remember the throw from Benjamin being perfect -- coming right at my chest -- before life changed. As I hit the bag, my right foot either slipped on the bag or got caught on it (I don't remember). My lower half of my body then felt as it is exploded. I say lower half and not right knee as the pain was so intense that I didn't even know which leg was hurt until I looked at my right leg laying in a weird position as I lay on the ground. I remember hearing a pop/snap, then the intense pain, then being on the ground.

I won't go through every excruciating detail of the entire day (although I won't forget it until death or old age sets in), but things are different since that day. The doctors and staff at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City did a good job of getting the pain under control, ruling out a broken bone with an x-ray. They would have proceeded with an MRI and subsequent surgery that day had I not been 300 miles from our home in Kansas City. They preferred that I have the surgery in KC.

That was a good recommendation, although it did mean that I had to wait until Aug. 12 for surgery. The time lag went like this:

• Monday, Aug. 3 - MRI (results came back that afternoon of a patellar tendon tear)
• Wednesday, Aug. 5 - meeting with surgeon (went over pre-surgery stuff and what to expect)
• Wednesday, Aug. 12 - surgery. 

The surgery "went well," which is what you are told when the surgeon is able to do what he/she said they intended to do, and you (the patient) wake up. I'm not saying that to be crass or ungrateful, as I am extremely grateful to live in a place where a patellar tendon injury can be repaired, where I have a job with benefits and the resources to pay for this surgery, and for a family who loves me enough to take care of me post-surgery. 

But in terms of life being back to normal, hardly. I cannot drive (nor can I for another couple of months most likely). I can work from home but will hopefully be able to return to some time at the office in the next week or two. Daily living is a chore. Or more correctly, a lot of chores. Mostly for my family, but also for me. Thoughts (mostly doubts) go through my head about when I will walk again, how much mobility I will have, etc. Mostly I realize I've been a lousy sympathizer/friend to family, friends and others who have suffered through things similar to what I am going through and much worse. You just don't (or at least I didn't) have the capacity to understand the impact on a person when their ability to just live his/her life is taken away. Or at least the life they were used to.

I still have a life, and a very good one I have realized over the last 2+ weeks. My knee will bounce back here in the next month or 2. My brain tells me that, and my heart is starting to believe it too as i can do a bit more each day. Back to my life. Even if my knee didn't bounce back, I've still been blessed beyond measure. A wife, son and daughter who would (and have) literally take care of me in my time of need, day after day. A God who walks with me every step of the way, through the good and the bad. 

Psalms 90 has been a comfort in the past couple of weeks. Verses 1-2:

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

And then verse 12

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

View from the top

Another day, more fun (altitude sickness aside). We spent our last day in the Teton Mountains area, and everyone was a bit sad to leave. It was great getting to spend a couple of nights with my cousin Merle and his wife Jeana in Driggs, Idaho. Awesome to be able to wake up and look off the deck to see the Tetons. 

Today we spent some time in Teton Village, near Jackson. We rode the tram to Rendezvous Summit, which goes up to nearly 10,500 feet (base camp of Teton Village is a bit more than 6,000 feet). At the top, you can get waffles at Corbet's Cabin and see the entire valley for miles. Well, that is, when it's not cloudy. Shortly after we arrived at the summit it started raining and visibility dropped to nothing. And the temperature went from 52 to 37. After waiting out the rain for 60 minutes in Corbet's Cabin, we went back down the tram and walked around Teton Valley. It then started to clear off a bit. So Chloe asked (nicely) at the customer service desk if we could ride up again (the ticket was good for just 1 ride). They said yes. Kudos to Jackson Hole Tram for doing something they didn't HAVE to do for us. 

Once we got to the summit for the second time, the view was spectacular (check out the panoramic view from the top of this post). And here are a few others as well.

If you do go to the top, be sure to eat a waffle at Corbet's Cabin. Ellie can testify to their goodness. 

The "Trad" waffle is Ellie's favorite.

Back to the altitude sickness. On the second trip up the tram, my lungs felt on fire the entire time and it was hard to breath. Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? Extra credit points to those who can reference the quote.

The Great Moose Adventure of 2015

Family vacations are never perfect. Whether you're a kid being carted thousands of miles by your parents, or a parent trying to just have some fun with your family, you know what I'm talking about. But we got to experience something today that the everyone in our family will remember for the rest of our lives. 

We spent the night in Colter Bay, and woke up this morning to do some hiking in the Colter Bay area before proceeding to Jenny Lake, a popular hiking location between Colter Bay and Jackson, Wyoming. We started on our hike around Jenny Lake a bit after 1 p.m. The hike across to the West Boat entrance was 2.5 miles, and we expected to go from the West Boat entrance on some other hikes. About a mile into our hike, we met two people coming off the Moose Loop Trail spur, who said there was a moose and her calf a bit down that part of the trail. We went down to take a look. All proceeded well as we saw the calf grazing near the water and the mother moose down in the lake. The calf was maybe 20-25 yards off the trail and the mother another 25 yards 15-20 yards past the calf in the water. We took pictures, thought ourselves lucky and moved on the trail. Problem was with the rain and wet the last few weeks, the Moose Loop trail was overgrown and unpassable, so we had to turn back and walk back past the mother moose and calf. Only now the moose was just a few yards above the trail and the calf down in the water, separated by just 15-20 yards.

Being between a moose and her calf isn't an ideal place to be. The moose looked to be in no hurry to move on, just chewing on plants and taking her time. The calf also didn't seem to want to move, just moving around in the water. By this time, several hikers had gathered on the trail, no one being quite sure what to do. So, of course,  an 80-year old woman sauntered right between the moose and her calf on the trail, before telling us, "I have moose walk through my yard all the time. If they keep their ears pointing forward, you're fine. If they have them laid back, that's trouble."

Feeling emboldened by the old lady (or just hungry), we wandered past the moose and her calf. A lot went through my head with a moose just a few yards away. "What does a moose do when it attacks?" "Could I outrun it?" "Does my life insurance cover death by moose?" The trek past the moose turned out to be uneventful. The moose looked at us as we sauntered by, but seemed not too bothered as long as we moved slowly. 

Here the moose is above us on the trail. This doesn't look too imposing, but we have to walk up right past it. I didn't have my camera out as I walked just a few yards away from it on the trail.

The view along the hike at Colter Bay in the morning

Ellie and I happy to be past the moose.

The view at Hidden Falls. Well worth getting past the moose to see. 

Buffalo and the Tetons

The Yoder adventure has continued the last couple of days. Intermittent Internet access, so will post more when I have more time. In the last couple of days, we have:

• went whitewhater rafting in the Snake River (awesome time). We managed to stay in the raft. This was a stretch for me as water/boats aren't my favorite. 
• Stayed with my cousin Merle and his wife Jeanie just outside of Driggs, Idaho. They have a great view of the Tetons from their back porch. Great to be able to see Merle. I played on his city league basketball team back in 1993 when living in northern Indiana. 
• Drove into Yellowstone. Among the highlights were a herd of buffalo crossing the road, Old Faithful, as well as other geysers in the park. 
• We are now in Colter Bay area. The kids swam in the cold and clear Jackson Lake. Today brings hiking and more time in the Colter Bay area.

Buffalo in  Yellowstone

Colter Bay Marina

View from Colter Bay

Jackson Lake sunset

Old Faithful

Swimming in the lake

George and the Mountain Goat

Today (July 6) marked the second day of the Yoder trek west. Sunday was a travel day to get into position for today.

We managed to get out of Mitchell, S.D., a bit before 8 a.m. In our 14 hours in Mitchell, we managed to make 2 trips to Wal-Mart. Well, I managed to make 2 trips to Wal-Mart, mostly due to getting the wrong size t-shirts the first time I went. The people in Mitchell were as friendly as you would ever meet.

By 10:30 or so, we had entered the Badlands. We stopped at the entrance to the Door, Window and Notch Trails. Before you even get on a trail, the view is spectacular.

We decided were were up for the "strenuous" Notch Trail hike, which covers a bit over 1.5 miles and features a vertical hanging ladder to scale. The below greets you as you start out on the trail (we didn't see rattler on our hike).

The team was pumped about getting started.

The hike itself was terrific. We were blessed with temps in the upper 60s and a mix of clouds and sun. Perfect for hiking. We traversed the ladder without incident, and made it to the scenic overlook at the end of the trail. Quite a view.

Leaving the Badlands, we saw a couple of big horn sheep, along with a baby (sorry, wasn't quick enough on the camera).
Oh and here's the family at the same Notch Trail sign after the trek.

Mt. Rushmore

From the Badlands, we trekked further on I-90 west (after NOT stopping at Wall Drug) to Mt. Rushmore. If you've been to Mt. Rushmore, you know what it's all about. If you haven't gone, you need to go. I was last at Mt. Rushmore in 1987. Much has changed since then. But George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are all still there. Take the time to go to the museum and read about how the creator of the sculptures (Gutzon Borglum) considered what he was creating and how he wanted future generations to view it. After Rushmore, we trekked into Wyoming and ended up in Casper for the night. Tomorrow, Grand Tetons.