R is for Ripped: Mr. Etherknitter speaks

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.)

Comments

[Cate]

Dude, Ow! Your lower extremities are way too needy and you need to tell them to CHILL OUT already. No more vacations for you!

[Mel]

Why is it always the legs?

[Paula]

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.

[pumpkinmama]

You and the legs. Maybe its time for YOU to try knitting?

[Marcia]

Ouch, indeed! Healing thoughts!

[Ruth]

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.)

[Danielle]

Aaaaagh! That sounds painful. Hope it heals up well.

[Kat]

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.

[kelly]

Ow! Feel better soon, and here's to a speedy recovery.

[--Deb]

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!

[Manise]

Ouch! Glad for surgical success and wishes for a speedy recovery. Nice photo btw. Anyone knitting/ crocheting up a "Knit Some Tendon" tendon?

[Kristen]

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...

[(formerly) no-blog-rachel]

Oh ouch! Though I'm sure that's a huge understatement. Sending healing thoughts your way.

[Caroline M]

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.

[gayle]

Not for the squeamish is right! Sorry I looked...
And ouch!
Knitting is much better exercise than volleyball. Ask anyone.

[jody]

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. ;)

[Carole]

We could teach you to knit, you know. It's far less likely to cause injury.

[Margene]

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?

[Judy]

You were having TOO much fun. Not fair.. but it isn't always the age thing.

[Teresa C]

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.

[Angie]

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.*

[Marcy]

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.

[claudia]

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.

[Norma]

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.

[Lee Ann]

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 :-)

[Suzanne]

Yikes, I hope you feel better soon.

[Chris]

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!!

[maryse]

let me know if you need me to knit or crochet a tendon. (i'm the bone crocheter).

[Anne]

EEEOUCH! That is not a fun injury. (Are there any?) On the mend soon-ish, I hope! Be careful out there.

[pat]

Did you take the picture?? OUCH!!

[Kathy]

Another example backing up my theory that exercise is, at best, seriously overrated and, at worst, dangerous. Speedy recovery!!

[diane]

Sounds like someone may need to take up... knitting? :) Looking forward to all that pt?

[Janine]

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 :-)

[Teyani]

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)

[Melissa G]

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!

[Alicia]

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.

[Sylvia]

Ouch. Been praying for you.

Hyaluronic acid. I sent L the link.

[Lynn]

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.

[JessaLu]

yikes! Stop breaking yourself already!

[stephie]

My hubby had that happen just walking, so my thoughts are with you!

[vanessa]

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.

[Susan]

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.

[Barbara Parry]

Good Lord. I am so glad you are recovering well. Who took that picture?!

[Connie]

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.