Melissa i
Strong

We went into winter without travel plans for several reasons. I was getting over carpal tunnel surgery, and my plaguing elbow tendinitis made me not excited to plan climbing trips.  Also, Adam did not have a foreman to take over the tree service, which made it very difficult – in fact, impossible to leave.  We were rolling with it and figuring we'd get to Hueco sooner rather than later.

 

Carpal tunnel surgery was a breeze and very effective!  The procedure was 20 minutes.  Anesthesia was a simple I.V. drug cocktail and a Bier Block, where they numb your arm and drain the blood.  I woke up and watched the surgery.  Doctor Yi narrated what he was doing as I watched it on a screen.  I saw some stitches being put in, and then I was back in the recovery room.  After, it was uncomfortable, but I did not need to take any of the pain meds prescribed.  I took nine days off from work and about four weeks off climbing.  Breaking up the scar tissue was the most critical part of recovery.  My hand felt weird and not strong, but with some time, it was totally average, in fact, better because all symptoms of the carpal tunnel were gone.  The elbow tendinitis was unfortunately not better.  The rest calmed it during daily activities, but as soon as I climbed, it was back in full force.

 

As usual, I charged ahead, strengthening my hand and hiking to beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park destinations with great friends.  The exposure and the challenges that winter proposed were becoming easier for me--with the proper gear, it was just another day in the Park.  To continue to make the best of what was looking like another month of winter in Estes, I purchased backcountry skis--Alpine Touring gear.  At this point, we were waiting for Adam's friend Bob to show up so we could take off for Hueco.

 

I was really looking forward to getting back into skiing.  I learned to ski when I was four in New Hampshire with my family. Every winter weekend and school vacation, my Mom and Dad packed the three kids and family dog into our wood-sided Jeep and headed to Waterville Valley, NH.  I still skied a bit after that, but not as routinely.   The family met at ski resorts out west when I was in college.  After moving to Colorado, I took my old Atomics to a few ski areas, but it's expensive when your parents aren't paying.  I tried some snowboarding and telemark skiing in Hidden Valley, Rocky Mountain National Park, but then I found climbing.  Once my passion for climbing started, the skis were no longer needed.  The winter plan was to get to warm climbing destinations with dry rocks.

 

Zach from the Estes Park Mountain Shop helped me choose and assemble my AT gear. I skied for four days, and at the end of each day, I couldn't wait for the next!  I loved that we were not at a resort and skinned our way up the hill!  It was great until my fifth day.  On February 2, 2016, I tore my ACL, damaged the MCL and lateral meniscus, and also had a tibia plateau fracture.  I did all of that without falling.  The powder was deep.  I was in the middle of a turn with my weight on the uphill ski and the downhill ski rose out of the snow.  I was attempting to push it back into the snow when I heard my knee on the uphill ski go pop, pop.  I immediately knew it was bad.  Adam fortunately got his split board setup, and it was his second day out.  Thankfully, he was there to help me and not at home worrying about where the hell I was.  I slid down to Trail Ridge Road, where I tried to put some weight on it.  My knee buckled and shot out sideway from underneath me.  Three and a half hours later, in 9 degrees, I was out with the help of Adam and some Denver folks.

 

Making lemonade out of lemons backfired big time in this situation.  The huge bummer is I was having so much fun embracing winter here.  Initially I was filled with anger that lasted about 2 minutes.  Then, somehow, I dug deep and could keep positive as I got out of the backcountry, got an MRI, and met with doctors.  With all that damage, I could eventually start walking again and walk into the surgery center two weeks later.  I did all of this two days before we were supposed to leave for Hueco.

 

Now I am still in recovery mode.  The first 48 hours were the most painful and the pain meds were most needed. After the first four post-surgery days, I felt like I was speeding along with the recovery until I had a few setbacks.  Someone accidentally tripped over my leg, and then I got a vicious virus.  Due to the combination of both things, I lost 10 days of my life.  The trip/kick of my leg happened the same day I was given permission to work on getting off of crutches.  The momentum forward was halted abruptly by this accident, and my positive attitude was challenged.  Then, the virus really knocked me out and made me feel like I was back to the day after surgery.  Instead of getting off of crutches that week, I couldn't even stand up or weigh it without feeling like I was going to vomit.  It took all of my strength to scoot myself up the stairs one by one; then, I would get into bed and just fall apart.   Thankfully, this flu was only four nights but backed up to the tripping; it took its toll.  I must admit I was super positive until this point, and these setbacks temporarily took the wind out of my sails.  Thankfully, I am seeing progress and walking a few hours a day without crutches and back to positive progression.

 

Most climbers would start hang boarding or doing some sort of pull-up routine or campusing, but sadly, not me.  Once again I am really hoping the elbow tendinitis will be healed when I am done with knee recovery.  To enhance the recuperation, I have been getting PRP and Platelet Rich Plasma injections in both my knee and elbow.  This entails a set of three painful injections, but they can help heal and strengthen ligament and tendon injuries.  After three injections weekly, the doctors instructed me to take it easy for three more weeks and then, fingers crossed, start seeing results.  My last injections are this week, so I won't be climbing until mid-April.  This is killing me, along with all of the downtime.  Really glad I am starting to walk and looking forward to going back to work, which will hopefully be the week of the 24th!

 

I am attempting to be patient through this long process.  I realize I cannot rush after major surgery.  I am also hoping this long rest will help me recover fully and come back stronger, fixing weaknesses I had in the past.  I'm keeping my chin up.   I am still so sorry to Adam for messing up our vacation to Cassidy, for not being able to walk her, and, of course, for myself.  But I'll be back!   In the meantime, I am staying busy with loads of physical therapy, abs every day, catching up on life, visiting with friends, and studying Spanish.