Current Resupply Plan Now Includes A Partial Knee Replacement

New Plan to Get Back Out to the PCT

I got off the trail to rest my knee and get answers. Goal was to figure out what the best course of action was for me in order to get back out and hike the unfinished part of the PCT.  Spent the first couple of weeks working on getting the swelling down with anti-inflamitory meds and ditching everything associated with the task of backpacking.  They took both bone and soft tissue scans to clearly look at the structure of my left knee.  Results showed that the inner part of my knee, the weight bearing side, had a Grade IV chondromalacia of the medial compartment with complete loss of articular surface femoral condyle. (laymans terms: complete loss of cartilage where my femor and tibula bones interface which creates a bone on bone experience when walking or hiking. Just typing this creates a “fingernails on a chalkboard” experience for me…….

Surgical repair of the Meniscus was not an option.  Bummer!

Options:  non-surgical option include activity modification, pain medication, PT, bracing and injection therapy. Orthopaedic Doctor did not anticipate that formal physical therapy or injection therapy will provide long-term or significant relief.  Not a good option at all in my mind.

FULL Knee replacement.  12 months to recover and way more than I need as the other parts of my knee structure are good and still have plenty of tread left on the old tires.  An Overly invasive and not really needed option in my mind.

PARTIAL Knee replacement.   can recover in 6-8 weeks and minimally invasive yet highly effective in addressing the problematic part of my knee.  Around 90% of the people who choose this option never have the need for further surgeries down the line.  Orthopaedic doctor was confident that this option would give me a great chance with high probability to be able to be back out Hiking without pain.  I have committed to this option.  Actually excited about the possibility of real pain free hiking!

So we are moving forward with this plan with a scheduled surgery date of October 1, 2024.  If things go as planned, I will be home that same night, although hopefully on a “Magic Carpet Ride” to Lala Land.  I will try to be a good patient for Nurse Mary (wife) as I do not want her to go out on strike for better work conditions!

With the Physical Therapy that will follow the surgery, I will be prepping for a return to hiking and backpacking hopefully in the spring of 2025.  I will have my Motivational Map of the PCT showing me the miles I have yet to walk hung up on my wall.  Once I know how my knee is handling the PT work, then I can figure out the best plan for me to to finish off hiking the rest of PCT.  Maybe I’ll be in the running for Comeback Hiker of the Year (an award I just made up)

Musings of a Hiker on The Injured Reserve Hiking List (IRHL)

I suppose I should now put my Backpacking gear in their normal storage spaces.  For some reason I put everything in my gear room as though I needed to keep it as a ready “Go Bag”…. Hope Springs Eternal…..

Having a GREAT State Fair like we do in Minnesota does not provide a “controlled envirenment” to responsibly put some needed weight back on these bones with all the MUST HAVE food on a stick options.  I’m not apologizing for indulging, but now that it is over, I am willing to become responsible again….Still down about 15 lbs. of the 30 lbs. I had lost….  But I know I need to be careful as my understanding is many of hikers find it is a slippery slope once they get off trail. 

I had a wonderful cool interaction with my Primary doctor who is a longtime hiker/backpacker.  While we were dicussing my situation, he was clinically discussing the initial findings, probable scenarios, along with the diagnostic steps we needed to execute to get a good understanding of the viable options.  However as we conversed, his innner hiker started coming through and he was getting emotional about wanting to help me get back out to finish the PCT.  He had to stop himself and apologized for blending the emotions into his role as my physician.  Of course that only made me feel much better about my situation knowing I had a doctor that understood the call of the trail to a hiker; and who would help formulate the best plan for me to have a chance to re-answer that call. 

While I’m currently not able to be Backpacking, my wife and I are going to take our Granddaughter Nora on her first overnight tent camping at one of the MN State Parks this weekend.  She is 2+ and definetly has an adventuresome personality.  My big logistical conundrum is:  Should I show her what a “Ramen Bomb” is yet?

After several days walking around our state fair this past week, and todays task of mowing the lawn, I am keenly aware of how sensitive and weak my left knee is during even routine activities and sooooo wanting that to be over with.

Finally, like I mention in many of my past posts:  if the trail calls out to you to come hike and you benefit from that experience, consider giving back your time to help make a trail near you sustainable for future callings.  My experience is that you will get just as much, and maybe even more, out of that experience as you do when walking the tread.  And for sure, thank any trail workers you run across for their time and sweat.  There is always more work to do than workers and financing available.

Not sure how it works but hopefully The Trek will consider to allow me to Blog again when I get ready to come off the IRHL

Peace and Happy Hiking 

Jerry CrampPa Tillman