The knee faileth

A couple of weeks ago, the knee faileth, the left one, and I think I know why. On Thursday, I took an Amtrak train from Albany/Rensselaer to Rhinecliff, about 45 minutes south, down the Hudson River.

The train stop isn’t flush with the station platform. You take a couple of steps down, and then you have to extend your leg down to land on a stool that’s only about a foot cubed. I don’t know how other people got off of that thing,  but I was having a terrible time, feeling like I’m going to fall.

I’m pretty sure I must have hyperextended my knee. On the return trip later that day, it wasn’t so bad. It was the same little stool I had to stand on, but at least I was pulling up, and I didn’t feel as though I was going to tumble and hurt myself.

My knee was achy on Friday, but it was awful on Saturday. I couldn’t even get out of bed without excruciating discomfort, and getting dressed without bending my knee can be an involved process.

Walking down the stairs was treacherous as I  couldn’t put any weight on that leg. Even getting off of the sofa was a challenge.

So I went to a restaurant only a block and a half away with an old college friend, walked back after lunch, returned to my house, and sat on the sofa to rest.

APL

Then it was time to see the Albany Gay Men’s Chorus at the Pine Hills branch of the Albany Public Library. I was so physically distressed that it took me much longer to walk the block and a half to the library, and I missed the first song. I know a couple of guys in the group, one of whom had a nice solo.

When I hobbled back home, I needed to talk with our contractor. Then I went to bed and took a nap for a long time before my wife came home from a church-related event.

I was supposed to attend the Friends and Foundation of the Albany Public Library gala as I’d already bought my ticket. But I didn’t know how I’d feel. The nap did help somewhat. But I had nothing to wear suit/jacket-wise, so I found an African garb I had purchased from a guy in Washington Park at least three decades ago and wore it over my shirts and pants. It was a conversation piece at the event, again a block and a half away.  I’m glad I went.

The next day, my knee was just a little less achy. It didn’t feel great, but it didn’t feel like it was eight on a scale of 10 in pain—back to the usual four or five.

Author: Roger

I'm a librarian. I hear music, even when it's not being played. I used to work at a comic book store, and it still informs my life. I won once on JEOPARDY! - ditto. View all posts by Roger