Camp is Damp!

Due to a serious hamstring injury sustained in 2013, I have since been trying to avoid any prolonged sitting or driving. Yesterday, however, I felt obligated to take my son to a boy scout camping experience. He was very excited and looked forward to joining his cousins at the campsite.

My right leg already started to cramp up after driving for about an hour and a half. As the sun set, the camp site became very cold and damp. I grew up in Northern China so I do not mind cold weather at all, but damp worsens my old injuries. In this cold and DAMP weather, I had to use a blanket to wrap up my legs.

I managed to fall asleep in my sleeping bag and woke up around 5:30 in the morning. My misery started as soon as I stepped outside our tent. All of a sudden, my right leg and foot began to cramp and ache. I almost collapsed onto the cold and wet leafy ground. I would have screamed if I had not minded waking others up. I told my family that I had serious pain and had to limp around. Immediately we packed everything up and left the camp for home. I thought I must have torn my already injured hamstring and irritated my sciatic nerve. I have never felt his much pain even when I tore both hamstrings five years ago in track...

I was worried about my life and future because I did not want to have to limp in the office from one room to another to see patients. And I still want to play volleyball and coach my son... I was so desperate that I took two tablets of ibuprofen and rested with a couple of needles and a heat lamp over my leg for an hour. As we sat down at Boudin for lunch, I gradually felt my right leg began to warm and loosen up.

I felt good enough to skate to the park and play volleyball as I usually do. This was the real test to find out whether I was crippled or not. Thankfully, my legs are back in working order; it was the damp, cold, and windy environment that put me through this ordeal. Those with old injuries take note:  the camp is damp!

Frank He, LAc.
Edited by Sarah Tang, DTCM