I am worried about my ability to even walk now. My right knee is giving me trouble and pain. My left side is usually the problem, but now it is the right kneecap. I have always had bad knees all my life.

When I was fifth grade, I was walking home from school in a long dress, which probably prevented my knee from moving freely and I fell down in severe pain. My kneecap moved out of its socket. I was given a ride home from school that day, of course.

That was the beginning of my knee problems. The pain continued off and on throughout the years.

Later my husband and I were having our new house built in a nearby county. We walked across the front yard of our new house checking on its progress and looking at our new brick and admiring it. While walking, I slipped on some clear residue leftover from when the workers were cutting and laying the bricks.

I was in such excruciating pain that my husband had to carry me to our car. My kneecap was on the left side of my leg out of its socket. He rushed me to the emergency room. They told me they would have to pop the knee back into place first. Now that was unbelievable pain!

I made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon who scheduled me for surgery.

I was teaching at the time in an outside portable classroom. I had to use crutches to get around while waiting for my surgery. It wasn’t very easy to walk so far. It is a good thing that I was younger at that time. Then I had knee surgery and I had to stay home and recuperate. We lived in a rental house near my school where I would see my former students very often. I loved the kids, but not so close to our house. Any teacher would know what I am saying that there needs to be some separation from my home life and work life. I would see them and they would yell out my name so excited that could see me.

I was looking forward to the completion of our house getting finished soon. Planning our new home was exciting despite a painful recovery.