The day my knee fled Benevolence Way

So our real estate nightmare I blogged about a few week ago took place on a property on Benevolence Way.  We have since made many friends who live on or near this fated road.
On Sunday, the day before Labor Day 2011, I attempted to visit said friend's house--this is what happened.
So I thought the drive out would be wrought with raw emotion and sadness--the drive itself was extremely easy, bumpy road aside.  I managed to make it to my friend, Nikki's, gate and all changed--it an instant the visit became very dramatic and emotional.  I got out of my car, two girls buckled in back seat mind you--we were headed to Nikki's to craft homecoming mums and rings with another friend whose children had never had mums etc.  We were super excited.  Amber has a pet snake.  Reese was beside herself.  So I got out of my car to open their gate.
I have shallow grooved in the ends of my femurs and my patellas do not have a stable place to rest.  Usually I do not have a problem unless I fall or bump them.  This time all bets were off.  I lifted my right leg into the explorer, pivoted my left leg to get the rest of all of me in and WHAM!  My knee decided that Benevolence Way was indeed cursed for me.  For no apparent reason my left kneecap slid to the outside of my thigh--I lost all  ability to bare weight on that leg (which at the time was baring ALL OF ME and I am ALOT of woman).  My torso leaned to the side with no knee to keep my femur in-line with my lower leg and I bit the dirt--HARD.  I did what I instinctively know to do--this is the fifth time this has happened to me in 17 years--I straightened my leg.  Usually this forces the muscles, ligaments and tendons to push the knee back to its correct position but not this time.  My kneecap decided to hang out on the left side of my thigh.  I couldn't stand.  I could barely move.  I tried to get my phone but I couldn't reach it.  I did the only thing I could, I sat up.  Told Reese to unbuckled.  And go to Nikki's door to go get help.  SHE RAN as fast as her little legs could take her!  I was so very proud of her.  They told me later that she cried after she told them I fell.  :0(
She got to the door and knocked, and knocked...the storm door was closed and her little knocks were just not strong enough to be heard inside.  I yelled for her to open that door and knock on the other one.  She did and seconds later Amber, Nikki's daughter, met her at the door. 
They bent down to Reese and within seconds those women were out of that house so fast you woulda thought there was a fire inside!!
Barefoot on sharp rocks these women ran to me.  I just smiled--what else could I do.  I asked Nikki to place her hand on my knee and reaffirm for me that it was still dislocated--it was. 
When I fell I dropped my sell phone.  It somehow managed to fly under the explorer to the passenger side and burst apart in the process.  I asked Nikki's daughter to get it for me so that I could call Jason.
As I mentioned, this wasn't my first rodeo.  I already had a brace at home.  I knew that if he could get me that brace that even if my knee were dislocated I could at least stand to get into the car to go to the hospital to get it reset. 
It rang and rang and rang and rang.  Three times I called to no answer--he ALWAYS answers!!!  It was Sunday and he had muted his phone for church and had forgotten to unmute it afterwards. I knew that if I couldn't get him we would have to call 911 to come get me off the ground and to the hospital.
By this time Nikki had soothed my girls and they had headed indoors with Amber to craft.  Finally I got Jason.  I told him what had happened and there was SILENCE.  I can't lame the man.  I must have like a yearly injury quota.  He takes good care of me even in my quirkiness.
As I got off the phone with him, my other friend who was coming to craft rounded the bend to Nikki's drive.  She smiled with curiosity at the sight of us nestled on the ground by my car then slowly her smile turned to a frown.  Once she realized I was covered head to toe with dirt and stickers she dashed out of her car--"Oh NO!  What Happened?  Are you ok?"
I assured her that I was.  Just in pain--not dying but not chipper!  :0)  I told her Jason was on the way and we all sat.
Then the phone rang.  He couldn't find my brace.  I was so frustrated.  I was soooo sure I had placed it under our master bed--but it wasn't there.  He said he would look again and then just come if he couldn't find it.
Nikki, Katie and I sat, talked, laughed, tried to consider the good things--it wasn't 110 degrees out, there were no ants on the ground.  It could ALWAYS be worse.
FINALLY after what felt like an eternity Jason arrived--no brace in tow.  I was happy to see him but devastated about the brace.  I didn't think I could get up without it.  I was OK if I stayed still but if I moved the pain was excruciating. 

THEN Katie had the idea to make a splint out of a board.  The two of them headed to the house to find something to use as I continued to tr to lift myself into the car. 
At this point my knee had been resting on the side of my leg for about an hour.  I was sure something internal was torn--never before had I straightened my leg and my knee not gone back into place. 
Then I saw them!!!  Katie and Nikki had a 2X4 an ACE bandage and a sheet to use for binding.  It was comical but encouraging.
Funny enough Amber had just cleaned out her bedroom and had found the board under her bed.  She was going to take it out to the shed but for 'some' reason Nikki told her to put it back under her bed.  There it waited for me.  It would soon bring me MUCH relief.
The girls helped me get the board under my bottom and my leg.  I began to wrap it to my leg with sheet scraps and Nikki tore them for me.  I bent to my toe to get the next scrap and P-O-P! 
MY KNEE RELOCATED!!!  HALLELUJAH!!!
The ground I was on must have been unlevel and when I thought my leg was straight it wasn't.  That board saved me a 911 call, ambulance ride and pricey ER visit.
Call me crazy but I wrapped my knee in ACE bandage and headed in to craft!  I wasn't about to miss it then!

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