As many of you probably know by now my knees are not the best….Osgood Schlatter’s Disease as a teenager, followed by nearly thirty years of rugby and then a couple of thousand miles a year on foot take their toll. After a couple of years when the deterioration had become more marked and after spending nearly two years waiting I finally had another surgery a month ago. I had been expecting a knee replacement but the medical team did their very best to flatter me telling me “You’re too young for that sort of thing” and advised a Distal Femoral Osteotomy where a wedge of bone is cut out of the femur and then a metal plate screwed into the bone to realign the leg and remove excess pressure from the most severely arthritic part of my knee. It’s quite a major operation involving an oscillating saw and in my case the wedge was cut a bit deep and they ended up having to insert plates into both sides of the femur….leaving me with some pretty meaty scars and at least ten weeks on crutches! Thalia has done a fantastic job of looking after me but inevitably for someone generally as active as I am staying positive has been a bit of a battle particularly seeing other people off continuing on their adventures. Logic tells me this period of enforced convalescence is a small price to pay for improved knee function and the ability to continue doing the job I love but there have definitely been some periods of low mood even as the wounds continue to heal and I get back function slowly but surely. Simple things like making and carrying a cup of coffee or a sandwich become impossible when you’re non-weight bearing and being sat on the couch twelve hours a day I am drinking a lot of coffee….so, how to stay positive?
Well, the thing that has worked best for me so far is looking forward. Whilst there have been some enjoyable reminiscences about adventures past, planning for 2025 and setting some positive personal goals has been the best way to help keep myself sane. I have discovered a huge amount of really inspiring content on “Youtube”. Current favourites include the likeably goofy Abbie Barnes who specialises in multi day hikes and the somewhat more self explanatory “Scottish Munro Journey”. Both of these channels have had me itching to get North of the border as soon as mobility allows. They have also got me thinking about the possibility of trying to make a wee film of my own sometime if I can overcome a lifelong aversion to technology! In a couple of weeks time Thalia and I had been planning to visit Costa Rica, a country that has long been on my radar, obviously this isn’t now happening, but with guidebook and map laid out on the coffee table I am already deep into the throws of planning an itinerary for an adventure there in 2025. I have been working (finally) on completing a manuscript about the Land of my Fathers thousand plus mile walk I took around the borders of Wales in 2021. Working on this has reminded me just how much I enjoyed the physical and logistical challenge of a very long walk so I have been researching around this subject. After our pre-op trip to Stockholm Scandanavia has been very much at the fore and I am intriuged by the Kungsleden in Sweden and the St Olav Way in Norway. There are plenty of routes closer to home and geographically at least the GM Ringway trail (200 miles long) can be accessed literally from my doorstep. The recent development of this trail has also got me thinking about creating a long distance walk of my own, using the existing network of footpaths to link together places of meaning for me.
Put all these together, add in the purchase of some dumbells to keep my upper body strong, menu planning to ensure the my diet is optimising my recovery (thank you again Thalia) and ensuring that I stay in touch with a network of supportive friends has meant that what had the potential to be a very dark time has, so far, not been too bad. Of course I am only half way through the more serious part of my recovery and after the ten weeks there will be a lot of physio, gym work and getting miles back into my legs but I am fortunate to have found a vocation that means so much to me and the thought of getting back out on the trail is a huge motivation !!
You’re doing amazing with the recovery mate, I’d still like to meet up sometime at reasons to be cheerful to remind you. Unfortunately I start my new job next Monday so ran out of time 😕
Have you considered any of the ultra events? My friend did the full spine last year, it looked amazing.
Keep making those plans and focusing on your recovery, it’ll be a distant memory soon x
Yeah, it’d be great to have a catch up in Reasons. The crazy Spine people are a different breed though 🙂
Good luck with your recovery, you’re half way there to being back on your feet again, pardon the pun! Wishing you a full recovery and love hearing about all you’re travels, totally inspirational, good luck with all your plans, looking forward to hearing about the next adventures
That’s really kind Steph! You guys were there at the start of my expedition leading career in Uganda and I will always have very fond memories of that trip 🙂
Hey Ian! Glad to hear you’re feeling positive and making lots of plans. Vic and I are down in Pembs this week climbing. Fingers crossed you get here for work at some point. Hope the recovery continues well.
See you soon
Harry
Thanks Harry! I am very jealous, missing the Pembrokeshire trip was really gutting. Definitely moving forward with plans for 2025 now and I am sure I’ll catch you north of the border at some point!
Hang in there and try and look at the positives You will be even more well read and next couple of years will be planned out 2 things
You can get some really good decaffeinated beans for coffee now
And will send you some pics as we are doing a bit of a tour round Oman when the family visit next week
See if it interests you
Cheers Gav, thanks for the positivity. I’d be really interested in seeing something of Oman as I have heard positive things about it! Glad it’s going well and enjoy having the family to visit.
Hey Ian, this sounds really tough. No wonder captivity is doing your head in, you’re not an animal that was designed to live in a cage! It’s great to hear you’re approaching it with positivity and forming strategies to get you through it and into a better, more mobile future, but the path sounds like a steep and stony bugger. Thankfully if I know one person who can kick its arse into next week it’s you. Hang on in there, the view from the summit will be worth it!
Loving the mountain analogies there! It’s almost like you’re a talented writer 😉 Congrats to you on the Half Marathon too, quite an achievement. Looking forward to the view from the next summit, it will have been well earned
Planning for the future is a terrific way to remain positive!
I’m also looking forward to seeing your manuscript of your long walk turned into a book so I can read it.
Thanks Kenyon! Hopefully the Pembrokeshire section will bring back some happy memories for you when it comes to fruition. I was very sorry to miss catching up with you on the trail due to the surgery!
Tempus fugit Ian (do I sound smart by putting one of the very few bits of Latin that I know?!😆)
The times are passing & the mileage on our bodies does rack up the need for regular MOTs or replacement pieces (just like any durable vehicle!!)
I’m looking at a rebuild/rehab on a few areas this Autumn/Winter, knees being one of those (rehab hopefully)
There’s nothing like a gentle beer to plan new journeys so let’s get one sorted soon huh or even more tempus will have fugited!!
Take care man
Cheers mate, we really do need to get that beer sorted….once I am on my hind legs again I’ll prioritise it, that’s a promise. Good luck with your knees too mate.
Sounds like some fantastic plans. Get well soon and get over your aversion to tech. See you soon!
Ha ha, thanks for the positive comments. I am working on my technophobia as one of my goals.
A good time to learn an instrument or read a good book.
I guess some down time will bring you some new perspective and time to think and plan.
Best wishes with your recovery.
Come back stronger!
Cheers Jonnie. I am definitely getting some good reading in at the moment, I am thinking about trying to learn a bit of Spanish too, make Costa Rica a bit easier! It’s good for perspective
Your mental, emotional and physical “exercises” should be done by every one of us. As I was reading your aspiring list I kept saying “that’s a great idea” and then I started thinking about the fact that I am not making the same kind of list, I am just toiling away each day on the same. I really wish I could be there to film your adventures for you or at the very least teach you how to do it yourself. One little gizmo that you should look into is the DJI osmo or Insta One. I am really looking forward to reading/watching your next chapter. Keep your chin up, do the work and stay positive mate.
Cheers Allen, I really appreciate that. It would be awesome to get you filming one of the adventures, I’ll have to look at getting one booked in closer to you guys. In the meantime I will have a look at the suggested gizmos. The kind messages I am receiving definitely help with the positivity!
Hello my friend! You are doing great – and as someone who once had to dig deep to try and stay positive – I know how damned tough that can be!!!! Hang in there, take it a mi Ute at a time when you need to & add a nice sunny trip over to us once you’re strong enough. Lots love cathy x
Thank you so much! I have, at least, the musings of Lady Muck to keep me entertained! And, my recovery is minor compared to what you went through. I would love to get over for a visit sometime, life seems so busy, but I’ll definitely try and fit it in
Very impressed mate and keep going with the recovery. Some good, positive activity too particularly around planning next potential destinations and also getting stuck into the manuscript. Plenty to look forward to!
Thank you. Really appreciate the good vibes. The planning is quite inspiring and I have enjoyed revisiting the walk, sparked off that passion to look at doing another one! Maybe you can come and join for a stage or two?
Hi Ian, as you know, I’ve been where you are more times than I can remember, and I recognise that the uncertainty is challenging and frustrating. I am due for another knee replacement and cervical spinal discectomy and fusion before the end of the year before another period of rehabilitation of my own. However, I am certain that you and I will both be back on the trail, for work and pleasure, in the first quarter of 2025.
I have been captured by the Cape Wrath Trail, so how about that as a joint goal?
Or perhaps a few rehabilitation walks in Snowdonia?
Stick with it and before long the discomfort and frustration will be of the past and you will be realising your ambitions!
Iechyd da!
Diolch butty! I am sorry to hear you’re looking at more work 🙁 but I’ll take some of your positivity and keep moving forward. Cape Wrath is definitely something I’d be interested in. Once I have some better understanding of the timescales we can start to look at some plans. There’s always the Gower Way too!
Glad to hear you’ve found some things to keep the spirits high! Would certainly advise getting some more Munros under your belt when the opportunity comes! I know you love a good read so would suggest Clanlands (TV series as well). Rest up and look forward to following your adventures soon!
Cheers Barry, I’ve heard a bit about Clanlands and it’s all been positive so I shall do some investigating!
Lots to look forward to, Ian. Ups and downs are inevitable but we’ll see you walking in the Highlands again before you know it!
Cheers Davey, the support I have had has been fantastic. Looking forward to working with Thistle again in 2025 and sharing the beautiful Scottish landscape with your clients 🙂
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