Emerald Lake

It's been a while since my last post, sorry life just got busy.
I've started work again. I've got mixed feelings about that.
A) I was starting to get really bored at home - so it's good that I'm now "busy" doing something
B) I feel so exhausted nowadays. It's not too too bad in the mornings, but after a while, it really plays a toll on you. My one leg (the good one) starts to hurt, and then the bad leg isn't getting enough bending/range of motion, thus then it stiffens. Also I'm told I need to get a better knee brace. It'll cost me $1600... and insurance only covers about 70% of it. *Sigh*

BAH. There is some good news. I was told by my doctor last time that it would've been a while before I saw one of the Banff Ortho-surgeons. Like 2-3 months before I got a phone call to set up an initial assessment. BUT luckily, they called me just less than 2 weeks after the referral was sent through and I have an appointment to see one of the 3 doctors this Tuesday! So I guess I'll find out soon if I can get me an appointment :S, fingers crossed that it's before September (for many reasons - some of you know and some of you don't, but I will disclose it another time. I just don't want to post it on my blog yet, ya know? So for those who know what I'm talking about. Hush!).

So in the mean time, since my last post I've gone to BC and back for a weekend. Just past the boarders of Alberta, is a quaint little place named Emerald Lake, BC. I found a deal on the internet to stay at this resort/hotel there for the weekend. It's awesome. The drive there was great too!


This place is very remote. From the main highway you need to drive about 15 minutes into the forest on this winding road. This place doesn't have any internet connection, barely any cellphone reception. Very pristine. Emerald Lake is located in the Yoho National park in BC.


It's so remote that there's a parking lot located a could of kilometers away where you'd park your car overnight, and then you call a shuttle to pick you up and drop you off at the hotel area. The hotel rooms were little cabins which faced the mountains or the lake (which I hear in the summer are gorgeous).

There's an outdoor hot tub (gorgeous when it was snowing), and every room was equip with a real wood fireplace. I was proud of my self. I started my own fire! It was great. We came prepared and brought marshmallows to roast :) Deeeeeeeelicious!

Taking advantage of the nature, I was hoping that me and my friend would go hiking (yes, hiking - the doctor said I could use pain as my guiding judgment for when to quit) around the lake, but most of the trails were for cross country skiing (something I totally wanted to learn/try before I busted my leg). Also the only hiking trail was told to be blocked off due to an avalanche that happened a month earlier. Spring-ish is the worst time for avalanches. They said it sounded like a train when it happened. I guess I'll just have to wait till it's summer. The hotel was really pretty with many nice locations. I think that one weekend there were 2-3 wedding parties there. Intense!

As you can see, I did get some pictures thought, but mostly everything was snow covered or frozen over.


In the morning, we went to go grab breakfast in Field, BC. That's about a 15 minute drive from the Lake. Along the way we stopped to try and find more hiking trails, but no luck. Everything was for cross country skiers. Blegh! We did manage to find a natural bridge formation. Basically there were these giant hunks of rocks that were pushed together by the earth's movements, and water used to fall from it. But, over time the water corroded the bottom and created an alternate flow path. Now there's this natural bridge. This is what it would look like in the summer (http://www.pbase.com/dennisalbum/image/44621421). But I got to see it like this.


The CP rail runs through here too! It actually even runs through the mountains. Usually in the summer they have these "look outs" open for people to watch for the trains entering in these tunnels that go through these giant rocky mountains. Sometimes if the trains are long enough, they say you can even see parts of the train entering and exiting the mountain. These are LONG trains.

When we got to Field, BC we actually have to cross the train tracks in order to get into town. We were starving and hoping to grab food at a place where my friend recommended. We got there when a train happened to be going by. We waited very patiently... for about 10 minutes. On the other side of the tracks there was an ambulance with it's lights flashing trying to get out of the town too! Finally after 15mins we start to see the end of the train, BUT as luck would have it ANOTHER train coming from the opposite direction was pulling in. We just said screw it, lets just drive another 1-2 hours until we get to Canmore, AB and snack on random stuff in the car in the meantime. I was not willing to wait there for another 30mins.

Once we got to Canmore, we drove around in search of "Spray Lakes" but we had to drive by a lot of avalanche zones, so we turned back. However, in the process we saw some nice things.





Final Thought: So... if my boss knows that I will require surgery, do you think he will let me go since I will need to take sick leave? Does that happen?

also, AR you are the cutest! Thanks for the toast :) For those who want a good french toast recipe go to http://farmeggs.wordpress.com

Little act of Kindness

Being slightly gimp, I've been treated pretty terribly on the public transit.
I've been push, stepped on, and had my leg squished up against a metal pole as a lady so rudely scowled at me, "EXcuse me". I was in a seat designated for the elderly and the handicapped. That's when I snapped back, "EXCUSE ME!" And pointed at my leg and the sign. The NERVE of some people!

Today I had some kindness shown to me :).

As I was running to the CTrain (the Light-Rail-Transit in Calgary), I was run/hobbling to try and catch it before the doors closed. Then someone who already got off the train saw me and shouted back at the people in the cart, "Hold the doors".

I think that was the first sign of kindness I've seen in regards to my gimp leg on the train.

Thank you mysterious man whose face I did not see :) You made my day.

Final Thought: I wish this world was filled with more people like him.

My First Flames Game

I've been to the Saddledome for a Hitmen Game, but not for a Flames game yet.

On Friday, one of my friends had a free ticket and decided to take me to the game. He assured me that "you haven't experienced Calgary until you've gone to a Flames game". Well you know me, I like the word "Free" so I took him up on his offer.

The Calgary Flames were playing The Columbus Blue Jackets. Just to aggravate him I secretly cheered for the blue jackets to win. I even wore blue! (Of course I did it stealthily - I still can't out run people who would beat me up).

When I got there the place was FILLED with Red and Yellow. I couldn't see any bit of blue in sight! Our seats were located in the very top, the nose bleed section really . On a gimp leg, it was a LOOOOOOOOOOONG walk. Random fact, did you know that the Saddle dome actually seats about 1000 more people than the ACC in Toronto or the rink in Vancouver? Yeah, it didn't look it...but apparently it does.

Every time the flames scored the crowed would go wild. Flames would shoot out of the score board. Every time the other team scored it was silent. Actually I should be happy it was silent versus filling the rink with "Boos". What annoyed me the most about being in the nose bleed section was, since tickets are cheap, you get those people who go there and are drunk and ruin the game for everyone. The snide comments, profanity in front of children, it's upsetting...kinda. To see an 8 year old boy have to cover his ears because the jerk behind him is chirping his friend talking about Blowjobs, swearing, etc. Very Classy Calgary.

In the end Flames won, and Blue Jackets loss, but it was still fun :).

That's Harvey the Hound working the crowd.

Final Thought:

In between the periods they have games, a woman won a truck for 12 months. Only in Calgary would you hear a chick behind you say, "Mmmmm, that truck is sexy".

OH

Physio Update:
Last week my extension was -10 deg from the perfect 180, this week it's -5 deg.
Last week my flexion was 90, this week I can bend it 115 deg!

Doctor's Orders

So I'm sure you're wondering, "What now with your leg". In my mind I was thinking, "How damaged can my leg be?" Well let me be the one to inform you...

Sat Feb 19:
Damaged my leg, went into the hospital, they said it was a partial mcl tear and a partial or complete acl tear. Came home with a brace.

Sun Feb 20:
Damaged leg, hobbled around, had people yell at me for not sitting or lying down 24hr a day

Mon Feb 21:
Saw my friend Dan to the airport. Was saddened by the departure of my dear friend. Felt alone. Started freaking out about what to tell my mother and how.

Tues Feb 22:
Decided to stay at home and rest my leg a little more. There's nothing to do at home. Ugh.

Wed Feb 23:
Went to my first session of physio. It's located right next to my building. Bonus! I don't need to hobble that far. Based on what my physio said, she said I should be able to get to work.

Thurs Feb 24:
Went into work. Described to my boss what happened. He was not happy. Agreed that I could work temporarily.

Fri Feb 25:
Went into work. Left hips starts to hurt from excessive amount of weight on leg.

Sat Feb 26:
My other friend from Ontario celebrated his birthday in Calgary. Attended party, sitting of course. Got kicked in the leg by someone not paying attention to where they were going. Winced in pain silently.

Sun Feb 27:
Relaxed all day. First day of sitting around doing absolutely nothing. It was great. Finally told my mom. She's been requesting to skype with me everyday since. *sigh*. I'm not gimp!

Mon Feb 28:
Went to work with the intention of working all week. Found out at about 3:00pm that I needed to vacate the premises. I apparently need clearance to work. Went home, but received some lovely flowers from my dear friend Alex :)

Tues Mar 1:
Hobbled to my doctor's appointment in the SW part of calgary. A good 1hr commute - one way *whoot whoot, go public transport*. Here's what he said...
Because it's still really inflammed, it's not 100% but prob 90% correct...
- I've torn my ACL completely - 3* tear
- I've torn my MCL partially - 2* tear
but here's the tricky part. I can't do a 0* extension.
What's the issue with not being able to extend? Well... if you don't use those muscles, then you lose it = bad.

Suspicion: My flab of ACL that's hanging around is preventing me from extending my leg full.

Treatment: Extensive Physio sessions to help increase the motion range, hopefully to extend my leg.

Time: I have 2 weeks to do that before I see my specialist again

End Result Options:
Extension Achievable: Continue with physio. There's is no immediate urgency for surgery, but will eventually require reconstructive ACL surgery.

Extension Unachievable: Will need to be referred to a Orthopedic surgeon immediately and will be seen within a week to have a scope put into my knee (aka surgery) to remove the block. That's one of 2 surgeries. The other would be the reconstructive one. I don't know why they won't just do them all at once, but they don't...

So... I might just go under the knife twice. I've been watching YouTube videos. It's not cool....

Here's the animation ones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTV5Yo3E7VQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96M0jRqn7k&NR=1

For those who have a hard stomach...:


Wed Mar 2:
Physio says, I'm currently 10deg away from the perfect 180 extension. I'm starting to worry. Recovery looks painful. It also doesn't help hearing it from 20 other people saying the same thing lol.

Final Thought:
Am I going to get fired for going on sick leave?