Is This an Injury, Or Am I Just Old?

                                                   

 

Once you have celebrated a certain number of birthdays, there is a phrase that you begin to hear more and more often. It is not comforting nor uplifting. It does not encourage nor empower. It is the dreaded, 'women of your age.' I first heard it from a physical trainer. Really? Then again from a physician. And more and more often from various people in the medical field. Then I had a partial tear in my labrum from most likely tennis or strength training. After some PT to relieve it, I was soon after introduced to the horrifying condition known as frozen shoulder. I once again was told that this was a situation that 'women of my age' found themselves in. If you are unfamiliar with this, the term is accurate in its descriptiveness. Your reach is ridiculously limited. After a while of trying to do the majority of necessary movements left-handed, a friend recommended I see a sports massage therapist. In desperation I made an appointment.

My first appointment was very educational. The massage therapist introduced herself and explained that she had a very high rate of success with people with frozen shoulder. We set up a six-week schedule of twice a week appointments. Then we started immediately. I was expecting an intense shoulder, neck and possibly upper back work out. But that is not what happened. She began with my calves, worked my quads, (painfully, I might add) my glutes and my entire back before she reached my shoulder and arms. She explained as she worked that she focused on the entire body because the body was connected. Everything worked together. And not just the right side, but the left as well. This went on for six weeks, twice a week. 

I was astounded at the results. At the end of my relationship with this Angel, (ironically that was her name), I was amazed with the results. Within two months I had full range of motion back. I felt it was just this side of a miracle. And I have never forgotten the lesson I learned about the body. Everything is connected. 

That was somewhere around ten years ago. I've had a new injury to deal with: a partial tear in my meniscus. I do wish I could tell a story of something adventurous I was in the middle of when I injured myself. But sadly it is just a poor, old knee showing her age. Literally. Rather than an expensive pair of  jeans someone paid too much money to have professionally frayed and torn, this is like the pair that wore out at the knee and hems through years of actual wear. Therefore, surgery is not a viable option. Sewing something that is degenerative isn't a real solution. Picture sewing thin denim with strong thread...it will most likely just tear again beside the thread. Poor old knee.

So the prescription is to take a cortisone shot to relieve the inflammation for a while. Then do what I can to strengthen the muscle structure around the knee to support the inherent weakness that probably will not change. For a lazy girl, that probably isn't the best solution, but all pills aren't easy to swallow. And I was reminded about the body being connected and working together. My knee needs the rest of my body to help out right now. I can be frustrated at being a 'woman of my age' and having my knee reflect that or let the other parts of the body rally around the weaker parts and do what they cannot do.

It reminds me so much of The Body. I was talking with a friend just yesterday. She sent me a screenshot this morning of her prayer journal, where she was praying for me. We had been talking about how we are so different in our gifts and abilities; in our strengths and how God uses us. There is no part that is not important. When I am feeling weak, discouraged, tired and uninspired, I can open my phone and see that Janice is praying for me. She prayed for God to guide my decisions, that He would bless my mind, and bless the gift He gave to me. I thanked God for friendships. And for making the Body work together, to strengthen each part. For making it work together as a whole. And mostly, that He is the Head, and that all parts fit together jointly, for His purpose.