"The best way out is always through."

For the life of me, I can't remember who said that. Probably Emerson, but maybe Thoreau.

Three weeks after my injury, I am better though not healed. I am in the gym with my trainer two mornings a week for 45 minutes each, working on upper body and core strength. I am seeing a physical therapist at least once a week for my knee, also at that magical 7am time.

I am back in the groove at work, with some hard work on understanding that I have more than one deliverable to juggle if I am to enhance the momentum I have already built up.

I'm looking at three deadlines, all of them involving writing, which is a good thing. I most enjoy reading and writing of all things I do, and neither requires being in large crowds or negotiating disputes.

Best of all, I'm practicing personal risk management. As I feel more like my old self, I am trying to remain cautious and careful rather than become overconfident, especially where the knee is concerned. So, world, look out -- I'm coming through!

"We are the mirror as well as the face in it." -- Rumi

It takes a lot longer to do anything when you have to be careful. This is tough for one who generally does what she wishes, with gusto. But being physically slower seems this round to have opened my mind, probably because there is time for thinking while you are resting and icing.

I learned Friday morning that a very old friend, a television/radio journalist who has lived all over the world, is now in an assisted care facility in Denver. She has early onset Alzeimer's Disease, and she is only 55 years old. Her husband, the CBS-TV journalist Barry Peterson, is finishing a book about her that will appear in June. He sent me the cover, which was the easiest way for him to tell me why she was in assisted living:
http://www.behlerpublications.com/titles-petersen.shtml.

I cannot imagine a crueler fate, especially if you are as smart and passionate as Jan. We have kept in touch for years, usually via Christmas cards for years. Now I know why they stopped coming.

There's an example in almost everything you come to know. This one suggests to me that I should cherish and celebrate the magic of my life and my work on a more regular basis. No one knows what lies ahead. Live here. Live now.

Now I have a plan.

I met with Kate, my physical therapist at Seattle Orthopedic Center, this morning. She's right up my alley. We started with the anatomy of the knee and good pictures and explanation of how it works. She listened, examined, and while doing so, indicated that she will look at the MRI report. There's so much arthritis of the patella that it's possible my pain and the 8 repetitions came from patellar subluxaton (dislocation of the kneecap sideways, out of its up and down track). The tear may have been there awhile, undetected, perhaps from my inglorious fall in 2008 or that year's 3 day walk, where I wore a brace the last day. Not clear if the MRI indicates if it's fresh or not.

Either way, my knee is now taped to hold the kneecap in place, and I am hoping not to have to wear either brace most of the time. Having the cane with me for extra help is still a good idea. I had a electrical stimulus treatment for the tissue under the kneecap and to the outside of it where I still feel tenderness. That should reduce the swelling that is still there.

Now that I have a plan for treatment, I don't feel so apprehensive. I feel like I can fix it.

Endorphins, awake!

I've not been sleeping well, busy running worst case scenarios about my knee.

So it was a real pleasure to return to the gym and my trainer this morning, two weeks after I wrenched the knee. Though I was in a full brace and using a cane, the upper body worked just fine, and we did about 40 minutes of work. It was such a release to be working in the gym that I am sure I'm getting this much work done today because of all the little endorphins now scurrying around in my system.

Then I had a good consult with Dr. Daly. The knee continues to improve, with only one little setback on the 30th. I can start on some leg lifts and physical therapy as well, and "as I am able" I can use the knee to climb stairs. On the trip back east in February, he left it up to me. He pointed out the knee could go out again here as well as out there; that there are wheelchairs to move in airports and trains if necessary. He offered to drain off any water on the knee before I left, if I decided to go.

In the meantime, I should continue to use the cane as I need it; and the soft brace for work, and the firm one in the gym. I'll start physical therapy this Thursday morning, and we'll see how it goes and what the therapist has to say.

As far as the trip goes, I have decided to postpone it until I have improved to a condition where I can walk without a cane or brace. Now that's what I'm always preaching in my line of work -- "risk mitigation."

End of a decade....Happy New Year!

This spectacular photo of a blue moon is from the "Astronomy Photograph of the Day" website and includes the planet Jupiter with its four largest moons.

"Once in a blue moon" is a phrase that refers to a month in which a full moon occurs twice. Tonight's will be since November 2001. So much has changed since then!

There is a wonderful tradition at Green Lake that will take place this afternoon at 3:30pm. It's a walk around the lake with candles, lighting the way into a New Year. And tonight I'm hoping to see our new blue moon from the Ballard Locks.

What more do we really need than light?

The MRI has spoken.

I saw Dr. Daly this morning and the MRI confirmed a "medial meniscus horizontal tear." I actually feel good, and have started to walk without the cane. The swelling is way down and I seemed to have good range of motion this morning when Dr. Daly tested it. So the prognosis for now is to take it very easy and come back in one week. At that time, he may shoot some more cortisone in there to relieve pain, swelling or inflammation; or prescribe physical therapy, which would be a conservative treatment. He has not ruled out surgery yet, so I'll just have to be incredibly careful to ensure I keep healing without surgery.

And look at the bright side: the rest of my body, including my brain, works just fine!

"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light." -- Glenn Clark

Hyacinth and primroses planted into front pots, after trip to Swanson's Nursery.

Herbs containers by back steps were more or less empty, except for spring flowering bulbs, so I added hyacinth and winter pansies. Very satisfactory!

Clark goes on to say "Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears."

It's another beautiful sunny day in Seattle, and my knee feels more normal. Yesterday, I did some exchanging at University Village, then shopped at Trader Joe's, then went to see "It's Complicated," a movie that causes belly laughs in many places. Snug in last evening, mixing work and reading.

This morning, I'm traveling fast if not far to Ballard, to meet Lauren for brunch at Bastille, then take a look at Ballard's Sunday market, and fit in a trip north to Swanson's Nursery, for some plants that can go into my pots now that it is really winter.

I've been sleeping longer and better the past couple of nights, and am anxious to get back to work tomorrow after I see Dr. Daly.