Thursday, April 25, 2013

Knee problems


A few days after my parents left I went to a yoga class and hurt my knee pretty badly.  It was so stupid. I was in an almost-split position, obviously doing something wrong, and all of the sudden I felt like I couldn't move out of the position without my knee seriously hurting.  I rolled out of it, waited till the end of the class, and then couldn't walk.  My friend Anna drove me to the hospital on her motorbike...

Sigh..  I'm pretty sure I hurt it initially rock climbing in Chiang Mai and this made it worse doing this.

After many days back and forth to the hospital and lots of waiting  (+ a lot of free rides from Thai strangers!)  I get MRI results that I tore my meniscus.  Requires surgery. (3rd one)  Looks like this summer will be the same as last summer.

A week or so after I tore it, we went to a Lisu Village for a day trip with my class.  We went on a day that was one of a 3-day ceremony for the worshiping of their ancestors and elders.  We drove down to a site where the graves were, and it was almost like a festival atmosphere.  The Lisu people were very generous, and gave us lots of homemade whiskey, beer, and food!  (Probably too much).  In Thailand drinking is pretty much a regular thing on our school field trips, as is and hanging out/drinking with professors.  (Not just my program  - in general for Thai students too).


There was a Shaman there and I asked him if he could heal my knee.  He said not really because we didn't have anything (like a chicken) to sacrifice, but he said he could try.  He rubbed my knee for a while, blew on it a little bit, and then told my professor that it should be better by the next day!



Didn't happen.




All in all, it's okay though!  I'm in Thailand and can still do a lot of cool things!  I recently read a book that Natalie recommended (thanks girl) about a woman who got in a horrible accident on a bus in Laos.  She was right at the point where the other bus collided into hers and it was a miracle she didn't die.  Her organs were smashed up into her shoulder, and she broke most of her bones.  She was in such a remote place and had to ride back many hours in the back of a truck in horrible roads to get any care, and then it wasn't until a few days that she actually got quality care.  It was kind of terrifying reading this book as I was speeding down the road on an overnight bus to Bangkok.  The other cars driving on the road seemed like they were parked because we were going so fast.

So I'm thankful that I'm not hurt that badly.   And my family can be thankful that I'm not going to Laos.  (Met some one else recently who knew someone who died on a bus there.)

Speaking of motor accidents... this is why I never got a motorbike.  Most of the people in my program have them, but most of them have been in accidents.  It sucks to walk everywhere, especially when walking hurts, but I didn't need to risk it.  Even though driving one makes you feel so freeee!!!  I guess I'm growing up a little bit...?  After 2 knee surgeries and coming up on a third, I know that I'm not invincible.


Overnight bus to Bangkok...  spoiler alert - TO SEE SCOTT!!! 




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