I started a blog in 2019. I called it “Biking, Traveling, and Hiking (In That Order)”. My three passions in life. There was only one entry. I suppose all the biking, traveling, and hiking left little time for typing. I’ve decided to give it another go. This time with a new title and for an entirely different reason and purpose.

Things Changed

It all started as simple as it usually does. A knee issue in an avid cyclist. Nothing too extraordinary, especially for me. However, once I realized there was something more wrong with me than the usual trips to my physical therapist would fix, I considered keeping a journal. One) as a way to help track symptoms and doctor’s visits, and Two) as a therapeutic release for the over whelming thoughts and emotions I was experiencing.

How it Started, a.k.a, A Love of Hiking, Biking, and Running

I very much enjoy hiking. Being in the woods is mental therapy for me. I enjoy solo hikes and the solitude of being in the woods for hours on end as much as I enjoy sharing my surroundings with those I care about. On November 1st, 2020 I set out on a 16 mile hike. A few miles in I knew something was wrong. My right knee kept buckling underneath me. Every single step was becoming a struggle. I was more intrigued than worried. I routinely stretch and foam roll my legs due to the level of activity they endure in an effort to keep them injury free. Nevertheless, I persisted. I realized that resting for a few moments would allow me to walk issue free for a brief period of time. I was also able to modify my gait to keep my knee from constantly hyperextending. I managed the entire hike and was back to walking normally that evening. What happened was definitely odd, even for my temperamental knees. But, given the symptoms disappeared as quickly as they had appeared and I was in no pain, I didn’t think much more about it.

Until, I started to notice I was slowing down on my bike and taking more breaks than I would normally need. Given the winter season, I do a lot of indoor training on the bike. This is when my leg issues started to become more evident. It was the beginning of the season, so I blamed my lack of strength on poor conditioning and simply accepted the fact I was, for some reason, taking a little longer to adjust to the demands of the trainer.

Until, I went for another hike. Again, the issues with my right knee continued. Except it wasn’t exactly the same this time. I couldn’t pinpoint it. Was it even my knee that was the issue? My entire leg was jello and lead at the same time. Each step was an effort. I would take breaks, recuperate, and then trudge on.

I went straight for the usual culprit, my IT band. I started foam rolling like a mad woman and added extra stretches into my routine. I pulled out any and all PT exercises I had been given over the years for my hips and knees and worked them into my routine. But, nothing helped. I was getting weaker on the bike, not stronger. “Maybe I am overdoing it?”. So, I took a week off. It didn’t help.

At this point, I’m starting to really consider my symptoms. There has been no injury. I have no pain. I’m researching symptoms and am getting the same recurring info: IT band syndrome, arthritis, torn ligament, etc.

But, wait, was something else happening? Was there another symptom or was I just being paranoid? Sitting there at my desk, I could feel the weakness in my wrist as I used my right hand to grip my pen and push it across the paper. Of course, it’s got to be carpal tunnel syndrome, right? I type and write a lot. Oh, but it could also be the way I grip the handlebars when I’m on my bike. I’m sure that’s it! I’ll just work on making my workspace more ergonomic and be more mindful on the bike.

Also around this time, I saw a picture of myself and noticed my right eyelid was drooping. It wasn’t new to me. I had actually noticed it before, but like every other thing going on in my life, I had already explained it away. I’m in my 40s now. Of course my face is getting droopy. But, actually seeing it amidst everything else that was happening started to put things in perspective. I was having significant symptoms of something, and that something was most likely neurological. My research took a grimmer turn.