This is a guest blogger. Non-knitter. Knitting victim, in fact.
Let me tell my story.
We were at a resort. You know the type. Yoga, facials, healthy food. And plain exercise and sports for the less evolved types like me.
One of us brought books. One brought her knitting. Linen, socks, lace. You know the drill.
On the second day, we split up at the end of the day. Swimming for Etherknitter, then knitting in the piano room. Volleyball for me, then meet and dinner. Well, that was the plan.
I'm having fun, jumping around. Then I lunge for the ball and feel some strange pops in my leg and I'm down. Feels weird. Not good. The players all gather around. "Stay down." "Are you ok?" Several bring me water (I guess it's all they could offer.) Wheelchair ride to the medical office, but I know the problem already. Ruptured Achilles tendon. Remember Brad Pitt in Troy? That Achilles.
Knitting gets interrupted. I'm sure with considerable alarm and worry. I'm sure it's going to be my fault.
So this is the discussion. Was this the "aging male athlete who exercises infrequently"? (Painfully true). Or was I channeling all that tinking and ripping energy that surrounds knitting circles?
(View this photo . Not for the squeamish.)
Dude, Ow! Your lower extremities are way too needy and you need to tell them to CHILL OUT already. No more vacations for you!
Posted by: Cate | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Why is it always the legs?
Posted by: Mel | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 08:29 PM
Hmm. If you can't beat 'em maybe you should join 'em. The knitting circles that is. Then you would be able to channel the knitting-together instead of the ripping-apart, and hence hasten the healing.
Posted by: Paula | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 08:42 PM
You and the legs. Maybe its time for YOU to try knitting?
Posted by: pumpkinmama | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 09:44 PM
Ouch, indeed! Healing thoughts!
Posted by: Marcia | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 09:46 PM
Please tell me this isn't the same leg.
We just had a close call w/an Achilles tendon here with a much younger patient/victim ... I'd chalk it up to bad luck, pure and simple.
(Let me know if there's anything I can do.)
Posted by: Ruth | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 09:55 PM
Aaaaagh! That sounds painful. Hope it heals up well.
Posted by: Danielle | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 09:57 PM
Damn. That happened to a softball teammate of mine. He hopped from 3rd to home on one foot to score the winning run and then went immediately to the ER. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Kat | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Ow! Feel better soon, and here's to a speedy recovery.
Posted by: kelly | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Oh no! I'm with pumpkinmama ... and WAS this the same leg we all helped knit up? Because if so, one of us must have dropped a stitch. I hope it wasn't me!
Posted by: --Deb | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Ouch! Glad for surgical success and wishes for a speedy recovery. Nice photo btw. Anyone knitting/ crocheting up a "Knit Some Tendon" tendon?
Posted by: Manise | Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 11:01 PM
oh my goodness.
I'm with Cate - no more vacations, or no more vacations that require any sort of use of the lower extremities.
I'm thinking and sending lots of tendon healing thoughts, and will start knitting up for you...
Posted by: Kristen | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 12:11 AM
Oh ouch! Though I'm sure that's a huge understatement. Sending healing thoughts your way.
Posted by: (formerly) no-blog-rachel | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 01:01 AM
Legs again eh? Can I suggest a new hobby, something that exercises the mind, keeps the hands out of mischief while giving those lower limbs a rest. Ooh, I don't know, how about knitting?
I am sorry, I didn't look at the photo because I haven't had my breakfast yet but I'm sure that it looks painful. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Caroline M | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 03:19 AM
Not for the squeamish is right! Sorry I looked...
And ouch!
Knitting is much better exercise than volleyball. Ask anyone.
Posted by: gayle | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 06:21 AM
but...uhhh...there are *supposed* to be needles involved in tinking and ripping, not so much with tendons or volleyball.
here's hope for a speedy recovery!
perhaps a bit more yoga and a few more facials and books on the next trip. ;)
Posted by: jody | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 07:11 AM
We could teach you to knit, you know. It's far less likely to cause injury.
Posted by: Carole | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 08:17 AM
You're right, that was not for the squeamish. Yesterday I took your side, hoping you would know your own limits. Today I take Laurie's side. DO AS SHE SAYS! You do want this to heal, right?
Posted by: Margene | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 08:57 AM
You were having TOO much fun. Not fair.. but it isn't always the age thing.
Posted by: Judy | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Was that photo taken during your surgery? If so, pardon me for thinking that is such a hoot! Not the huge gap part, but the photo.
Here's hoping you are back on your feet asap! Take care of yourself.
Posted by: Teresa C | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Wow, I looked. Heal quickly, Mr. E. (no pun intended.) That "having fun" stuff seems to be false advertising. Try knitting and only rip *yarn.*
Posted by: Angie | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Awww, poor bubbie! No fair. But "knitting victim"? I'm thinking there may have been some household discussion of that claim. Hee. Heal fast and easily.
Posted by: Marcy | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Cool picture.
Mr. Etherknitter, you are a very smart man so you know this already. Be extra nice to Laurie. A nice present wouldn't go amiss either.
Posted by: claudia | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Mr. Etherknitter, we have not even formally met, but I feel that I can say this to you anyway: You spend so much time on your arse mending (tsk-tsk to you docs) that you should start a blog. Heeheeeeheeeeee.
Posted by: Norma | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Laurie told me about your upcoming guest appearance on the blog and the fact that she photographed it...God, I love that woman. Big gap, very bad indeed.
Sending knitting together vibes for you, but keeping a few for myself, for the same reason that I cannot lecture you about resting yourself. I'm about to run a 5k next weekend on a broken toe, so I haven't got a lecturing leg to stand on :-)
(At least I can blame the horse that stood on my foot, though...)
Also, yes, send nice things to SuperWife. You don't even have to get up from your chair. That's what the internet is for, dude :-)
Posted by: Lee Ann | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 06:13 PM
Yikes, I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by: Suzanne | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 07:06 PM
I don't think it had to do with either of those. I think you subconsciously were trying to give Etherknitter some blog fodder. But that's the wrong way, dude!! Cool pic, though. Gives me some idea what my wrist might have looked like when I accidentally put my hand through a pane of glass and sliced through the tendons to 3 of my fingers. Happy healing!!
Posted by: Chris | Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 11:20 PM
let me know if you need me to knit or crochet a tendon. (i'm the bone crocheter).
Posted by: maryse | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 07:33 AM
EEEOUCH! That is not a fun injury. (Are there any?) On the mend soon-ish, I hope! Be careful out there.
Posted by: Anne | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Did you take the picture?? OUCH!!
Posted by: pat | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Another example backing up my theory that exercise is, at best, seriously overrated and, at worst, dangerous. Speedy recovery!!
Posted by: Kathy | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Sounds like someone may need to take up... knitting? :) Looking forward to all that pt?
Posted by: diane | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 03:51 PM
Ow! sympathies from over here - My Hubby did the same thing a few years back running for an ambulance (but that is another story);-)
Thankfully his was a partial rupture and he was spared the op - just had the boot and all the rehab - Good luck with the healing :-)
Posted by: Janine | Monday, September 29, 2008 at 04:10 PM
oh my - not good. that's one nasty, incapacitating, long-term-healing mother of an injury. ick. (skipped the photos, thanks for the warning)
So sorry to hear this has happened to you.
and despite the cuss words that you might hear in the air when we frog, tink,or rip.. it's a 'healing' process in the knit... honest :-)
Be good to your personal MD - or she'll play sandman. (heh heh heh)
Posted by: Teyani | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 10:54 AM
She still has a knit bone icon on her blog, for the love of Pete. Heal well so you can play again. What kind of suture/pattern do they use? Dogs just tend to sever flexor tendons and rupture ACLs. Cats are less the weekend warriors (smarter?/lazier?). There's a company in CA (of course) that grows cell lines from adipose tissue for vets.
With my best wishes for mending!
Posted by: Melissa G | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 02:01 PM
EEK! I hope your on the mend now! I can't believe you actually got a shot of your own... thanks for sharing... I like that sort of stuff ;) Big bag IS bad. Hopefully feeling a bit better.
Posted by: Alicia | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 04:06 PM
Ouch. Been praying for you.
Hyaluronic acid. I sent L the link.
Posted by: Sylvia | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 05:02 PM
I'm always fascinated by technical medical lingo like 'big gap.' So, rest up, and then take up spinning on a double treadle wheel when it's time to exercise that tendon back to normalcy. I'm sure Laurie could find you a suitable spinning wheel in some upcoming fiber adventure if you ask her nicely.
Posted by: Lynn | Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 09:12 PM
yikes! Stop breaking yourself already!
Posted by: JessaLu | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 09:45 AM
My hubby had that happen just walking, so my thoughts are with you!
Posted by: stephie | Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 12:21 PM
ow ow ow ow owwwwwww!!!!!!
laurie, seriously ow!
thanks for my alaska comment, my computer is acting up, and i haven't been able to email.
Posted by: vanessa | Thursday, October 02, 2008 at 05:38 AM
Bad ouch! Great photo though, but then I like things like that. Ummm we knitted you a bone, I guess we can work on tendons now.
Posted by: Susan | Thursday, October 02, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Good Lord. I am so glad you are recovering well. Who took that picture?!
Posted by: Barbara Parry | Friday, October 10, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Oh, fascinating. I'm going to make it into the viewing station of the operating room yet! Truly impressive Mr. Etherknitter. As I mentioned to Etherknitter, better an aging athlete than a young, portly, couch potato.
Posted by: Connie | Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 08:28 PM