Rrrar!

A torn meniscus. Maybe.

That’s what Hanshi says.

Hanshi, whose day job is as a DOM (doctor of Oriental medicine). Hanshi, who has had four knee surgeries. Hanshi who had to write a thesis to get his godan (5th degree black belt). The thesis topic? The anatomy and physiology of the knee. Hanshi, who I had an appointment with this afternoon at 1:30pm and who treated me with needles, moxa, infrared heat light, a trauma pill, and analgesic wrap.

The only way to know for sure is with an MRI and there is another month before I’m back on health insurance. In the mean time: rest, treatments, good intentions, hope, and patience. I will not throw a fit over this. I cannot. My energy must go into more important things – the writing, namely.

So much for any yellow belt test in March. And so much for an indestructible body. Clearly, sixteen years of sports takes its toll, even on the least athletic of the athletes. When a little overuse can trigger a tear that needs surgery for mending, there’s a lot of history that’s gone into such an injury.

But we’re not there. Not yet.

There will be only one way to enter Spring: Breathe.