I blew out my knee (well it felt like it!%!%)

Kielce mountain camping trip.  We have been looking forward to this all year!!!!
It's been a year since we have been here...a year since we have camped...A year since I was diagnosed with Lupus.  A year since I started blogging.

The Weather in North Carolina was great! The lows in 40's highs in 60's beautiful weather.  Only rained one night which made good sleeping in the camper.  Pretty sure we hit peak leaf color but they just weren't as brilliant as usual. Very few red leafs.  Yellow is everywhere and by far the most  prominent color.

We have had great family dinners with Teena and Gary in their cabin as well as our camp site.  We drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway and visited our favorite spots like the apple orchard and made many trips around Kierce Mountain in the 4 wheeler.  I didn't drive that much this time.  Mostly Rick drove and we couldn't go anywhere that Marley wasn't right there with us.

The first couple days here I was doing good, with little pain but I could tell the 4 steps up into the camper were wearing on my knees.
Hip pain was bad mostly getting in and out of Ricks truck.
Knee pain continued to get worse even though on prednesone...

Thursday was a bad day.  We went to Burnsville and shopped a little and I came back to camper and laid down most of the afternoon.

Friday worse day yet.  We did a tour of Hwy 197 climbing in and out truck to take pictures of beautiful scenery and waterfalls when we got back I was walking from camper bathroom to kitchen which is  down 2 steps and I had a pain piercing like a knife to my left kneecap.  I applied heat with a heated rice bag and later with a hand and foot warmer like hunters use and an Ace bandage. This make a great heating pad. Took extra Flexeril and max of pain and other meds I can take for one day and still in pain....

The nights were good and we slept well.  We were loving our flannel sheets.

Today Saturday is the last full day here...seems we have experienced the quickest week in all of history....

My left knee cap is swollen I will try to take it easy the rest of the trip but pretty sure it's serious as I can not bend and apply any weight on it.  As long as I keep it straight it's ok.  I have to remember to lead with my right leg.....

I have a  Rhuemotologist visit next Friday but I am thinking I will have to see her before then....

All in all a great trip.  We love our camper.  We love the North Carolina mountains and just getting away has done us both good. We thank God for the majestic mountains and the beautiful scenery that we love so much up here.

We thank God for loving us and keeping us safe and even for our pain.  Getting old is not fun but we find we are still blessed beyond measure.

NOT MY KNEE  :)
But how it feels!!



And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
 2 Cor 12:9-10