It is now May 9, 2005. Hard to believe that it has been a year since my injury. My knee is far from perfect. I still cannot straighten it entirely, and I probably never will, but it doesn't seem to affect me or my walk at all.

I still feel occasional pain. The weather affects my knee. Cold weather stiffens it. Rain makes it ache. Part of my knee is still numb and tingly. I can't put all of my weight on my knee when I crawl. I can't bend it all the way if I want to sit on the ground. It is certainly not the knee it was before my injury.

Despite all of this, though, my knee really doesn't affect my day-to-day life. There is nothing that my knee prevents me from doing. I can perform all of my duties at work, which include crawling, climbing, jumping, running, kneeling and more. Most of the time, I don't even think about it.

My knee injury is something that I will undoubtedly have to deal with for the rest of my life. I am sure that, as I become older, I will become even more aware of the repercussions. But I will do my best to take care of myself and my knee, to keep my strength up, and to enjoy and make the most of each day as it comes, regardless of any knee injury.