I think this has been the summer of my discontent.  The first part of May I made a trip to Page and Hatch to visit with Bill and my family.  While I was there I loaded up the back of the truck with wood so we would have some for this winter.  When I got home I was unloading the wood.  I stepped down from the hearth and twisted my ankle.  I felt if pop and went down immediately.  I have had many sprained ankles and by morning I knew there was something different about this one so I went to the Dr.  He sent me into Santa Paula for x-rays, when I got back to his office the girls had made me an appointment with an orothopedic Dr. in Ventura.  I broke my 5th metatarsal and the fibula of my right foot/leg.  I was in a boot for several weeks.  One morning I was cleaning house (without my boot on) and I slipped on the wet floor and twisted my left knee hard.  I have already had 4 surgeries on that knee so I really cursed when I went down.  For quite a few days it was hard to tell which leg I was limping on.  I went back to the Dr. and in for more x-rays.  When he looked at them the Dr. told me I had quite a bit of arthritis in the knee and knee cap and wanted me to try some physical therapy.  He couldn't tell if the ligament had torn again from the x-ry.  I think it did because of how hard it twisted and how loose it still feels.  I start the physical therapy this week, I will see how that goes and if it doesn't tighten it up I will ask for an MRI.  I am determined not to give up doing the things I enjoy, such as golfing and hiking, even if it means I have to have a knee replacement.

By the end of July I was no longer limping and was thinking I was ready to try golf again.  We had planned a 4 day camping trip to Sequoia the first weekend in August.  I had 4 days off at schedule change and got an extra day off so we could get up there on a Thursday and get a camping spot.  Wednesday morning, August 1, we were loading the truck so we could leave early the next morning.  I was chopping up some wood for kindling.  I had one piece that needed just one more cut so I gave a mighty swing with the hatchet and cut the tip of my left forefinger off.  We went to urgent care to get the bleeding stopped and get it bandaged.  There was really nothing they could do other than cauterize it.  It is still pretty nasty looking and very tender, especially if I bump it on something.  Looking for something positive about this, I am fascinated at watching it heal.  I am surious to see how much of it will grow back.

So, I have spent the whole summer with one injury or another.  The girls at the clinic know me well and just shake their head when I come through the door.  We were both so looking forward to the trip to Sequoia and it was pretty much a downer when we had to just sit home for 5 days instead.  When these things happen I tend to feel foolish, and very old.  I don't know that age really has that much to do with it but I always seems to associate the two.  I have tried to console myself this last week or so that I get injured because I do things.  If I just sat home and didn't do anything I wouldn't be getting hurt, I try to tell myself this means I am living life instead of just watching it pass me by,