Book Review

So, I have been reading Five Cities That Ruled the World by Douglas Wilson. I was really anticipating this book because I am a history teacher and I have heard positive things about Douglas Wilson's books. But, this was a difficult book to read. The premise made me really excited. A look at 5 cities that have played an enormous role in the world both in its history and the world today. Jerusalem, Rome, Athens, London, and New York are all fascinating cities at how they have been founded and their role in world history. I was immediately drawn into the book as it begins with Jerusalem and the way the city was founded. It was neat to me as a Christian to see the Jewish, Christian and Muslim founding of the city. This city is the birthplace of three of the world's religions and its history was fascinating. Rome and Athens were interesting as well, but after that the book became difficult and dry to read. This is a book that I fear only historians and people with a deep love of history will find interesting. While the initial reading was interesting and held my attention, as the book moved further in, to me it read like a history textbook and not something that I would find as pleasure reading. The premise of the book is good, take 5 cities and show how they have ruled the world. However, in the execution, the story got dragged down and seemed like a chore to read. I learned several things that I did not know, but overall this book was a chore to read. I really do not recommend this book to anyone except those with a deep love of history or a professor of history.

To The Makers of Cortisone Shots

BLESS YOU!!! I had a shot today and already can tell a huge difference. My mom even said my face looked like I was out of the majority of pain. Here is the back story for you.

16 years ago when I was a mere middle schooler, I tore my patella tendon away from the knee cap. Now, this is the tendon on the outside of your leg that keeps your knee in place and allows you the proper turning motion that you are supposed to have in your leg. Thanks to the wonderful medical genes of my parents, I have weak knees apparently to begin with. This injury did not help.

Fast forward almost 2 years to the Summer of 1994. Summer after 9th grade. Looking forward to getting braces off and a driver's permit. But, alas, I got the braces off but my reward for that was knee surgery to repair the patella because scans showed I had stopped growing at 5' 71/2". So, surgery is commenced on a mid June day. Now, with this surgery, you are in a knee immobilizer for 2 weeks. It does just that, you can't move your knee, that and they have torn the tissue and have not bent your knee either. So, the day I am allowed to take a shower/bath unaided by my mother, the great flood of '94 occurs and there goes our water for 21 days. That's right, no water for 21 DAYS!!!!! I did get a shower at a friends house several times a week, but no ice at therapy and no whirlpool.

Fast forward about 12 years. Having knee pain so I return to the doctor who did the surgery. After a MRI, it is determined that I no longer have cartilage between my knee and bone and so its bone rubbing bone every step I take. I can tolerate this since I am too young for knee replacement.

Backtrack a few months, knee is again swelling and causing pain, but I am living with it. Then comes the fateful night a few weeks ago where Barney ran into my knee running full speed ahead on accident. I think his head hurt worse than my knee that night, but it did lasting damage to me.

Which brings me to today. I love my doctor. He is the original surgeon and we go back over half my life. Kinda scary to me to think he has been treating my family that long with our various knee problems. Dad (2 replacements and a tune up in one knee) Sister (2 patella reattachment's) and me. Today, he offered me two options, pain meds or drain the knee and a cortisone shot.

Much as I hate needles, I chose the drain the fluid and the shot. Not watching, I held my breath while he drained 2 vials of fluid and gave me a cortisone shot. Except for some achiness across my knee and stiffness, I have no pain from the actual knee and swelling is already going down!!!! Like I said, bless the men with the cortisone idea. If winter will ever end around here, I can get back to walking in my neighborhood which I love to do!!