Preoccupations of a Body Sleuth
Back in 2023, I dedicated the bulk of a writing series, “Slow Forward,” to processing my total knee replacement. The story of my surgery and recovery is peppered throughout that series, but I describe the lead up and the surgery/recovery starting in Day 9
During the months after my total knee replacement surgery in 2022, I dedicated myself to recovery. PT every day, in the studio or at home. Walking daily. Massaging my scar. And, eventually, back to the gym and finally to dancing.
The first full dance I attended was 5 months after my surgery, and I was amazed to be able to dance mostly without pain. I fell into a pattern – go to a dance event and then dance one, sit one out. I did this as often as I could that spring of 2023, which was not a lot of often as I am one of the main dance musicians here in town and I’m more likely to be found behind the piano than on the dance floor.
I was working up to a full week of dancing that Dave and I had signed up for during August of that year. We were travelling to Pinewoods Camp, located on the lakes outside of Plymouth, Massachusetts, one of my favorite places in the world. First, we had to drive there over the course of several long days in the fully packed car. That was a challenge in itself. When the dancing started, we’d be potentially going from morning until night – doing as much or as little dancing as felt appropriate for me.
The first full dance I attended was 5 months after my surgery, and I was amazed to be able to dance mostly without pain. I fell into a pattern – go to a dance event and then dance one, sit one out. I did this as often as I could that spring of 2023, which was not a lot of often as I am one of the main dance musicians here in town and I’m more likely to be found behind the piano than on the dance floor.
I was working up to a full week of dancing that Dave and I had signed up for during August of that year. We were travelling to Pinewoods Camp, located on the lakes outside of Plymouth, Massachusetts, one of my favorite places in the world. First, we had to drive there over the course of several long days in the fully packed car. That was a challenge in itself. When the dancing started, we’d be potentially going from morning until night – doing as much or as little dancing as felt appropriate for me.
Dave grinning like the Cheshire Cat in front of our car packed for a 2 week trip north,
The main issue with the new knee was the swelling, which I could control with compression socks and wraps. Travel was the worst for that, and standing for long periods of time was a close second. I was concerned about my stamina.
I told you yesterday that I’m a self-certified Body Sleuth. Nothing prepared me for what was going to happen during my first workshop at Pinewoods.
The dancers at this camp, who come from all over the US, are uniformly at a high level of skill. People who are willing to travel far for this experience are generally the best dancers in their own communities, who are looking for a peak experience dance vacation.
The teaching was fast. The music was faster than we play at home. I was prepared for that.
During the dance, however, I discovered that a vital connection between my brain and my knee had not quite been restored yet. Knee replacement involves cutting through the nerves that run across the front of the knee, which is partly why the darn recovery is so painful. No one told me about those regenerated nerves needing to “connect back up.”
The dance leader would say “go right”, my brain would process that instantaneously, and then, there was a 1-2 second delay between that thought and the movement in my knee. I remember consciously standing there thinking “why am I not moving?” It was the oddest thing.
In the past I’ve also written about proprioception, the body’s ability to sense through an object. In this case, the object was me. Why was there an impenetrable block of wood somewhere between my brain and my ability to move my knee at speed?
It was a fascinating week, watching my body re-learn that connection. I found myself dancing at every opportunity, and doing a little less dance-one, sit-one out.
By the time that beautiful week of learning, fellowship and dance was over, I was back. Nerve pathway restored. I smiled broadly all day long on the day it happened.
I sometimes wonder if I weren’t a dancer or an athlete, would I have even noticed my nerves not firing up to speed?
These are the sorts of things that certified Body Sleuths spend their time pondering.
I told you yesterday that I’m a self-certified Body Sleuth. Nothing prepared me for what was going to happen during my first workshop at Pinewoods.
The dancers at this camp, who come from all over the US, are uniformly at a high level of skill. People who are willing to travel far for this experience are generally the best dancers in their own communities, who are looking for a peak experience dance vacation.
The teaching was fast. The music was faster than we play at home. I was prepared for that.
During the dance, however, I discovered that a vital connection between my brain and my knee had not quite been restored yet. Knee replacement involves cutting through the nerves that run across the front of the knee, which is partly why the darn recovery is so painful. No one told me about those regenerated nerves needing to “connect back up.”
The dance leader would say “go right”, my brain would process that instantaneously, and then, there was a 1-2 second delay between that thought and the movement in my knee. I remember consciously standing there thinking “why am I not moving?” It was the oddest thing.
In the past I’ve also written about proprioception, the body’s ability to sense through an object. In this case, the object was me. Why was there an impenetrable block of wood somewhere between my brain and my ability to move my knee at speed?
It was a fascinating week, watching my body re-learn that connection. I found myself dancing at every opportunity, and doing a little less dance-one, sit-one out.
By the time that beautiful week of learning, fellowship and dance was over, I was back. Nerve pathway restored. I smiled broadly all day long on the day it happened.
I sometimes wonder if I weren’t a dancer or an athlete, would I have even noticed my nerves not firing up to speed?
These are the sorts of things that certified Body Sleuths spend their time pondering.
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