In August 2012 I was in a very good place in my life. I had the man of my dreams, life was good, I was at my fittest with going to the gym regularly and had lost weight.
6th August 2012 my life changed.... we cannot take life for granted.
I was on duty as a Police Officer responding to a call with a colleague to a male who had gone missing and was suicidal. We turned out from a night shift with the team. We searched for the male, with air support managing to locate him in a shed. Time was of the essence. We escorted the male out of the shed towards the vehicles and whilst a decision was being made unfortunately the male tried to run away from us heading towards water.
It was a split second decision in having to take him down so both my colleague and I took him down to the floor. Unfortunately for me, my knee hit the concrete as I landed and I heard a crack. I knew then that something bad had happened. Colleagues picked me up of the floor and I had difficulty walking and was taken to hospital. The male was taken home by colleagues to a relatives home.
In the days that followed my knee was increasingly painful. Physio commenced and it was believed to be a muscular injury to my quadricep! Physio continued for about a year and I was on crutches, very immobile and life became restrictive in what I could do. Light duties at work and complications there (which I cannot disclose on here). The only thing I shall say is that there was a real feeling that no-one really understood what had happened to me. No-one ever asked the impact it had. The pressure to get back to full hours was immense and I was not capable. My social life changed also.
Friends that I had known for years became distant.
Finally 18 months later the physiotherapist referred me to an orthopaedic consultant and it finally felt I was being listened too. 8th January 2014 An MRI showed my kneecap was misaligned! Shortly after I was booked into surgery on March 28th 2014. They literally needed to saw my bone and refix it with screws to fix it back into place, as well as release my thigh muscle. It would mean intensive physiotherapy to enable me to walk again and to achieve a full extension and bend. I ended up in a full leg brace for about 9 months due to complications with muscle wastage and also my leg just wouldn't bend! Further surgery took place in order to manipulate the leg to bend under general anaesthetic.
I was so fortunate to have the support of new friends and family throughout this time. There were some very lonely times particularly when friends who I thought were friends didn't visit me. Baring in mind I was still very new in the church that we attended, these are the people that were there for me in this time. A wonderful couple bought me an exercise bike to help with my physio, for this I will be eternally grateful. I was surrounded by Acts of Kindness People bringing meals and gifts to cheer me up throughout. Coming round to paint my nails or even just to sit with me in the sad frustrating times. I built firm friendships with some wonderful ladies who are there for me no matter what to this day.
Not only this, but a new relationship some guys may just have run a mile, however my now hubby stayed by my side throughout. Spurring me on during physio and physically having to help me bend my leg on a daily basis, which wasn't a particularly pleasant job for him seeing his loved one in pain.
Finally in December 2014 progress was made with the leg and I achieved a full bend - still more physio carried on as there was significant muscle weakness and wastage.
My leg has never been the same since with constant pain and weakness which means I can no longer continue with running, that I used to do as well as going to the gym. It isn't the be and end all of exercise but it makes it increasingly difficult to try and do a lot of the stuff I used to enjoy doing. walking, cycling, running, Zumba! All exercises that are quite impactive. Invictus games spurs me on though to be fair! These people are just inspirational! This is what I need to take onboard. This injury shouldn't define who I am, instead I need to concentrate on what I CAN do and not what I CAN'T Do. In 2015 we had our first baby - in 2017 we had our second. Life has been tough with the LEG not being able to run around after the kids when they started walking as easily as I imagined motherhood would be. Not being able to sit on the floor easily without pain, and to be able to kneel has been an impossibility. As they get bigger I hope this resolves itself with further surgery. In August 2018 the metal work was removed and further surgery is to take place due to more complications.