peru, continued

I had thought that my knee was feeling good enough to do some hiking, so I gathered some camping food and was ready to head out, but a night at a discoteca set me back, and the knee pain has returned (I guess I really am that bad of a dancer). As I was tired of hanging out in Arequipa, I decided to head to Cusco to let the knee rest, while seeing some interesting things. I hope that in a few days it will feel good enough to go back to Colca and do a five to ten day hike, though progress on the knee is slow.

Cusco has brought back a flood of memories from the trip that our family made here in 1991. I can't believe that I was here when I was 8, and it is pretty amazing to see some of the same things and bring back old memories.


The hotel we stayed in and the room that Sarah, Katie and I shared. I have distinct memories sitting looking out the window down at Cusco drawing pictures of all the red roofs.

Charo in the Cross Keys Pub.

Saqsaywaman

The slides at Saqsaywaman- I think it was Katie or Sarah and not me who cut their hand here in 1991, though I do remember being quite excited about an Inca slide. I had fun watching a third grade field trip as the teachers instructed the class that there would be no sliding for them.


Haircut number three of the trip, called the "gallo" here in Peru.

my kneesie

Things are looking up. Somewhat.

I talked on the phone today with my orthopoedic surgeon from home and he was able to give me a pretty good idea of what I may have done to my knee. Although my Spanish isn't bad, it was great to talk to an expert in English. Plus, my doctor is amazing.

He suggested that the problem was my plica. A plica is, in his words, a functionless piece of gristle, which he promised to draw me a picture of when I get home. Sweet.

Plica problems.

I also thought this article was interesting. And a little funny.

injured reserve

Here's an email I wrote to the Watson Office, explaining my current situation, should one be interested. I am, however, enjoying the symphony version of Queen's greatest hits in the internet cafe.


Watson Office,

I am not sure why I am writing you all this, I guess because I am frustrated. I have been having a great time in Peru, in large part because I bought a bike and have had fun using it to explore the Colca Canyon (as I wrote in my quarterly report). I have, since the beginning of the year, been having the best time imaginable.

Now, however, I have done something to my right knee, and whenever I ride my bike over 15km (sometimes even less) it starts to really hurt me, with the pain lasting for three or four days after.

As such, I have retreated to Arequipa to see a doctor, who told me, basically to try to take it easy for about a week, and take some arthritis medicine. I don't do well taking it easy, and I have tried this before. My knee hurt right before I went to Chile for a new visa, and I rested it for about a week, thinking it would improve. It hasn't.

I am frustrated by communicating the importance of being able to cycle to the doctor, the fine details of the injury, and the fact that it seems like nothing can be done. I don't know whether it is something genetic, my position on the bike, the angle of my feet on the pedals, the result of past crashes, or some muscular imbalance. The doctor isn't sure either. Perhaps this would be the same conclusion if I went to the doctor I know in the US from another knee injury (strangely, the other knee). Perhaps not. It is hard when you can't quite communicate what you want or feel and you have no idea about the skills and expertise of the doctor.

Whatever the case may be, I am feeling really little lost. I went from everything just right to being stuck in some sort of holding pattern. Any injury or illness would be hard, but especially an injury that keeps me from biking, which I love. This is a low spot.

I know that I can think of new things to do, and I can see some things in Peru without hiking and biking around. Peru is an amazingly rich country. That said, I want to be on my bike and in my boots in the Colca Canyon.

Where to go from here? To meet with the doctor and review my x-rays.

Thanks for listening as I figure all of this out. Perhaps a trip to Lima to see someone specializing in sports injuries is in order.

Hope all is well with you all,
Scott

photos of late

Altiplano, Chile.


Church, Sibayo.


"Mummy Juanito," not to be confused with the more famous mummy Juanita.


Cave art, outside Callalli.


Crossroads.

Mom

This is my mom. She is great, and I want to wish her a Happy Mother's Day. Fifteen years ago my mom and dad took my sisters and me to Peru and Ecuador. It was a formative experience, to say the least, and I think it has a lot to do with why I am here in Peru today. I can't say enough about how my mom and dad encouraged us to be curious about everything. I also thank my mom for finally getting ESPN, and getting me hooked on the Broncos and Monday Night Football.

I miss my mom a ton and am looking forward to seeing her and the majority of the family in Mexico. I can't thank my mom enough for exposing all of us kids to so many things growing up, (as much as I didn't like art galleries until Sarah, Katie, and I happened upon collecting mail from them). Of course, Mom's lessons don't stop there, and I can barely scratch the surface, so I hope she'll take a big thanks and a blog full of love for being a great mom (the best, in my biased opinion). I love you Modge. It was great talking last night too - I wish I were sitting around the yard in Taos with you all!

Grandote.

I was going to post some recent photos with some deep and insightful commentary but I brought the wrong memory card with me to the internet cafe. So, dear reader, you will have to do with old photos.

They go big here in Peru.


Cookie cutters. The size of my head.


Chicha. Also roughly the size of my head.

I do not have a small cranium.

Peru's elections

The New York Times ran an interesting editorial about Peru's recent (and upcoming) elections, echoed by many Peruvians I have met who talk about the upcoming run-off between "los dos locos." Perhaps things will not be as bad as is feared, though it wouldn't be surprising if the great disappointment and cycnism in politics here in Peru - itself a very understandable part of the problem - continue.