A year ago today I published two blog posts that had a profound impact on my life.

In Part 1 I described the chronic knee condition I suffered that had me recovering on crutches for 7+ months, nearly half of which kept me in my apartment on glorified bed rest. I detailed the chronological list of events that led me to that state, and the specific cocktail of remedies that helped me get better.

Part 2 was all about my reflections, and how going through the injury-recovery process affected me. The chronic case of synovitis and patello-femoral pain I suffered was only one part of the journey. What started as a physical symptom ballooned into a mind/body condition that required some deep internal exploration to dig my way out.

Hitting the publish button on these posts was therapeutic. I needed to get my story out into the world for myself as much as to share them with other people. There was so much pent up rage, frustration, anger, joy, and triumph that I had to document it all in one place.

So much has happened since then. I’ve been amazed at the reaction these posts received from friends, family, and acquaintances. People who had no idea what I was going through reached out with offers of support and encouragement. Others resonated with the core messages, revealing their own stories of struggle and ultimate triumph.

And yet others have reached out asking me for help. These are folks who are still in the thick of it, still struggling through some mysterious, chronic ailment or injury, wondering if, when, and how they will recover.  Continue reading →