Crooked Frames

My daughter and I both have a family malady that has been passed down to us from a great-great grandmother. Her name was Josie May Harr and she later because Josie May Houmand when she married my great-grandfather, Holger John Houmand (Grandpa Holly). Grandma Josie was extremely knock-kneed and Rachel and I are proof that family genes are passed down through generations. Rachel is 4 generations away from Josie but has legs just like Josie. Grandma Josie was a beautiful, beautiful woman but her legs were crooked as are Rachel's and mine. We have pain almost constantly. Hiking, running, walking, biking and even getting out of a chair are all painful knee activities for us. I don't mean to complain but truly staying in good physical condition is more of a challenge for us because our pain prevents our stamina and always has even as children. Grandma Josie had two knee replacements at the end of her life. Thse are things we are born with and adjust our lives and make allowances for.

There comes a day when you can no longer run, jump, skip or even take the stairs. Walking in sand is difficult and getting on a bus or into a truck is scary. It's the pits!

When I worked in rehab I learned about all kinds of body types. The women in our family lean towards endomorph. The men are all mesomorphs (athletes). This stuff is completely fascinating to me even though I'm not flattered by it. http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/bodytypeinformation.html.

One last thing: Houses are all built upside down. Bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchen, home offices along with a play area for the kids should all be on the ground floor - - ALWAYS! Family Rooms, Living Rooms and activity rooms, TV rooms should always be in the upstairs or basement areas. Home designers often forget that putting a laundry room at the opposite end of the home from the bedrooms makes no sense for moms who make many trips from laundry room to bedrooms every week. I will always live in a rambler or a home with elevators because of my knees. Down with stairs!!! Down with crooked legs! Down with pain!


I have a crooked body frame,
It creaks and cracks and whines.
When I try to walk or run,
It tangles like a vine.

Sometimes it even makes me fall
Of which there is great pain
Not just upon my body but
Moreso in my brain.
I remember one time I was playing
Duck Duck Goose,
I tried to run around the fam,
But my legs just cut me loose.
I fell and bounced and there I was
A lump upon the ground.
The people in the circle looked,
Trying NOT laugh, faked empathetic frowns.
Eeek!

I grind and pop and squeek and drop
And move cau-tious-ly slow,
Then watch others with their macho builds
and wish that I could go grow
A body that is straight and strong
And knees that never grind;
And hips and back that let me walk
And bring me peace of mind.

Now I do have other traits
that make me happy in myself.
The creaks and grinds and snaps and pops
I’ll just put on the shelf - -
Until I try to walk again of which I do dislike
and resort to the only exercise I can - -
My Bike.
Even then my hips and knees
Will try to tempt me – “stop!”
But I just persevere because my HEART says
"Better NOT!"