Date: 2009-03-23
To: Houston...We Have a Problem (T-19)
Miles today: 0.0

So, the news is as follows: ANKLE INJURY: Last weekend, I went hiking in Hanging Rock State Park and I somehow managed to injure my ankle. I had been meaning to get my left ankle checked out for some time, but the constant pain finally forced me to see the doctor. It was a sharp, stinging sensation which only occurred on the way down the mountain ¢ never on flat land or on the way up. I have a history of weak ankles: I had surgery on my left ankle in 2003 at the University of Richmond and, again, on my right ankle while playing soccer at Iona College. Both surgeries were largely for the same problem: cleaning up the cartilage fragments around the talus bone. These problems never really improved and I¢ve just had to deal with the pain, swelling, and discomfort¢¦ PROGNOSIS: Rather than explain all of the running around just to be seen by a doctor, I'll go right to my ankle prognosis. The MRI showed that I have several ¢hotspots¢ in 3-4 different points around my ankle, which is where the talus bone creeps up and has to jam through existing cartilage or bone. These spots on the MRI were exactly in the places where I felt pain while hiking downhill. So, the GOOD news is that there are no loose cartilage fragments. Yahoo!!! The BAD news is that I don't have very much cartilage to begin with. Crap!!! When I went under the knife in California, the doctor removed all of the loose fragments and most of the other cartilage ¢ leaving nothing behind except bone-on-bone rubbing. What has grown in its place is fiber cartilage, which is naturally cartilage naturally produced by the bone. Unfortunately, it is far from being a functional buffering system. My doctor last week told me that arthroscopy was an option and that he could potentially clean it up, but that there is the potential that surgery will cause more problems ¢ at least in the short term. I asked the question that I was absolutely dying to know: "Given the condition of my ankle, can I physically walk over 2000 miles?" The answer that returned was simple, but comforting: "Yes..but with pain". RESULT: In the end, I opted not to go under the knife and instead to have an injection on Thurs, April 2, nine days before I head off to Georgia. The injection is supposed to calm the nerves in the area, to loosen up the joint, and to do away with any inflammation that might exist, otherwise. I¢ll be going to physical therapy from now until I leave, they provided me with a secure ankle brace while I am hiking, I've downgraded from trail runners to Asics running shoes (paradoxically, these provide me with more ankle comfort), and I'll be taking Aleve, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin tablets for the pain and joint lubrication. If only they could make me a new ankle¢¦ EXPECTATIONS: I would be lying if I said that I don't have any reservations about the thru-hike ¢ both from a mental and a physical perspective. I¢m glad that I'm at least going into the hike with a sense of realism. My goal is no longer to finish the thru, but to really have the time to enjoy the tranquility of nature, to watch spring flourish right in front of me, to enjoy the camaraderie with my fellow hikers, and to have some time to listen to some great audio books and language tapes. These are my expectations. Simple as that. If I have to get off the trail for whatever reason, I¢ll be okay with it. I¢ve learned to accept things the way they are¢¦ ABSOLUTE EXCITEMENT (!!!): Although my expectations have been lowered, I'm still very much looking forward to heading off to Springer. Over the weekend, I spent hours and hours on end preparing my mail drops that I will be sending to various post offices and hostels in towns close to or along the trail. For a while there, our dining room really looked as if a bomb had gone off. Thankfully, my wonderful housemates, Dominique and Candy, are able to put up with the boxes (and with me!!!). Only 19 more days to go! Happy trails to those who are out there already...