Many readers will know that for years my knees have been causing trouble. Apart from aches and pains there have been occasions when I have fallen and sprained tendons or ligament and each time recovery has taken months. Up until now, X-rays and scans have shown nothing broken or damaged. Nevertheless, the pain has meant that I have had to use crutches or a walking stick and to adopt ways of walking that minimise problems.

Recently, just as my knees were feeling at their best for years, things suddenly got very much worse. Late one evening I tripped on the bottom step of our staircase and as I landed I twisted my left knee with pain so intense that movement was close to impossible. This blog is about what has happened since and, more particularly how I have learned to cope with some of the frustrations of immobility and, by dint of necessity, how I have acquired a trick that I have come to love.

The morning after the fall, with Rohan’s help I went to our local, ironically-named ‘walk in’ centre – after a further fall in the car park from where I had to be wheeled in! There, I was examined and X-rayed and within two hours had been fitted with a splint and given a pair of crutches. I was also told that if it was felt necessary, I would be contacted by an orthopaedic surgeon at the main hospital who would arrange to see me and review my treatment. 

I was duly phoned by the clinic and there, after addressing me as ‘Professor Collier’, the consultant listened attentively to my story, examined my knee, told me what she had found and explained that she would get me a new splint and order a special scan of my knee. 

Then she stood back and with the warmest of smiles said that she was so pleased to see me as she was once a student of mine at the medical school! For me, moments like these are very precious and for a minute or so concerns about my knee evaporated. Then, my mind’s eye I   ‘morphed’ Fiona’s face back 25 years as we briefly talked about times past. Next, with a gentle handshake and a goodbye she left to see another patient. 

The results of the scan showed that I had a partial tear – not a full rupture – of the tendon that attaches the big muscle in the front of my left thigh (the quads, or quadriceps femoris), to the knee cap and then to the top of the shin bone. This tendon is crucial for walking and once torn may need either to be mended surgically or left to heal by itself – whatever happened it would take 6-8 weeks to heal. Surgery was not thought necessary and for the next weeks I would have to wear the splint day and night and use the crutches whenever I walked.

From that moment, new tricks had to be learned. First, I had to learn to be patient – not easy for ‘A man in a hurry!’ as close friends call me. Nowadays I need help for instance with dressing and undressing and whereas it is in my nature to be in a hurry to get things done, now I wait patiently. Quite extraordinarily, I am beginning to find waiting relaxing, even a relief! Secondly, before I do anything, there now has to be planning. I use two crutches and am only able to use one hand at a time to carry anything. With all the to-ing and fro-ing of laying and clearing the table or collecting ingredients and utensils for cooking it  takes me four or five times as long as usual. Again, I have grown to like my methodical and tortoise-like approach – in some ways I suppose I have become more normal.

Finally to washing. Bathing and showering are impossible and, after a suggestion from Rohan, I have started cleaning myself with damp flannels — and I love it. Rohan found me some flannels, told me what to do and for the first time in my life, each morning I have the pleasure of  washing away the night’s sleep with piping hot and rung out flannels – my favourites are a red flannel for my face and neck, and a blue one for elsewhere (see illustration). The new discovery has brought with it a conundrum still unresolved ; how is it that the water on the flannel never seems to run or drip?

My recent fall, no matter the pain, disability and inconvenience, has brought with it some important changes in my approach to everyday business and also a new pleasure. Hopefully all will last.

The illustration is a photo of the two flannels I particularly like.

For helping me write this blog I would like to thank Fiona, Sarah,Rohan and Vivien.

PS My next blog will appear not in two, but in three weeks so on Saturday 4 January 2025.