Saturday, September 1, 2012

More about Knees - If You though That Wasn't Possible

In the middle of the night I sat bolt upright in bed  and performed the old fashioned head slap when I realized that I had forgotten to include one of the most knee punishing activities of life.......Gardening.............gawd ......how could I?     The endless hours of dig, plant, weed, dig, plant, weed.  And that activity, once begun in life, never ends till they plant YOU.   

The percentage of time spent on my knees during this lifetime just went up to nearly 50%.

And, while sitting bolt upright in bed, I thought that I really should have explained that, in my current enfeebled condition, getting up from being on my knees is no small feat.  In fact, were it not for the beloved Yoga Downward Dog position in which you are on hands and knees, then curl your toes under to get a bit of purchase, hoist the fanny straight up in the air to form a human triangle between toes and hands and push off with the hands to rise to a standing position, I would probably have spent the past two years in a permanent kneeling state.  For some reason, getting down on hands and knees, while not beautiful, is possible, but getting up therefrom is another story.

If none of this makes any sense to you, it probably means you didn't read my last blog.  Shame on you.  Go back at once and all will become perfectly clear.

13 comments:

  1. I was wondering why you hadn't mentioned gardening!!! 'Cos I'm with you 100% there!

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  2. All of these. ALL of these. Well, except the art-thing. Not so much. Plus, kids. Lots of kids which require getting down on the floor a lot. And then yes, getting back up. Don't forget kneeling down to get to the bottom shelf of the library.
    I am at the point where I wish I could snap! be twenty pounds lighter to take off some of the weight which my poor old knees have to lift back up. I certainly consider whether or not each and every lowering to the ground will be worth the coming up.
    Bah! On older age. Bah!

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  3. I brought my garden up to me with 3 ft high raised beds! The ground has just moved so far away! I love my extendable reach tool too. But sometimes, I just gotta bend these knees!
    Daisy's Barbara

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  4. Hmm, I never thought of downward dog as being helpful for that purpose, silly me. Must begin practicing it at once.

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  5. Can't even blame the state of my knees on any gardening because I'm rubbish at it, and anyway, my back won't let me...(well, that's my excuse Lo!) It's a wonder to me that you have any knees left..

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  6. I am beginning to know what you mean. It's getting more and more difficult to get up when on the floor. *sigh*

    Ageing, in some ways is very, very good - take for instance the knowlege department.

    This mobility part is the thing I am not liking! It was a surprise when difficulty getting up from the floor started happening...having always been the limber type!

    Lo, I love reading your blog. It's probably one of the only ones I continue to read...I have even dropped reading my nurse blogs.

    Carry on! :)

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  7. Well you seem to be adapting well, Lo. After my knee replacement my ortho jock said "NO MORE TENNIS." So I adapted by giving up gardenin on my knees. No I carry a little plastic stool about and weed from the sitting position.... :)

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  8. I am so mad at myself, ashamed of myself,and sad. I always check to see if you wrote a new blog, before I check my email to see if you had written. Where in the hell was I going?? I just checked again and I had missed 3!!! When there was no blogs, nor email, I would get in this worried state (sorry, I know I promised not to) thinking something had happened. I had Beth asking me if I had heard from you everyday,,and she got the same answer,,NO. Being her mother's child she would get the worried look. Damn!!! I know now from your blogs that your knees are not ready to work in the garden, and you have to guard your hip and thigh,,so no gardening again. But you are with us, and sharp as ever!! I love your blogs,,I only read yours, and I promise that whatever dumb thing I was doing, when I wasn't finding them, I will do no more. Your blogs are therapy for me, and I imagine it is the same for some of your other followers. Oh how I wish I would have known you in our earlier days. Maybe you could have helped me make some of my clothes,,,It still amazes me at the things you have done, created, and accomplished. I am looking forward to your next blog,,,I love you dear.

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  9. Thanks for the tip on positioning from getting up from the knees. The only thing you forgot to mention was the "grunt".

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  10. Oh do I relate to the knee situation having just gone through buying and installing a computer with all the gizmos associated with set up. I'm with you -- the next generation of electronics will have to pass me by as my knees are screaming. Or maybe I can get one of those wheeled slide boards that mechanics use to get under the car -- ya think that would work under the computer table.-- barbara

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