Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Back on Two Feet (and some crutches)!

I have had March 8th circled on my calendar for what seems like an eternity. Not because it is International Women's day (in Russia and former USSR), or because it is the long awaited day of the Memphis School Consolidation vote, but because it was my three month appointment with my orthopedic doctor.

Ever since I was lying in the hospital bed swollen and sore, every doctor kept telling me that three months was the earliest I could even have a chance to do anything, walk, use my arm, you name it. I could not walk if my leg was not healed enough, and I also could not use crutches or a walker if the shoulder could not support the new strain.

I have been doing everything possible to make all of those things happen today. Chugging milk at home. Religiously using my bone stimulator. Killing it at physical therapy three times a week. I have ridden almost 100 miles on a recumbent bike over the past couple of weeks or so to get that much needed blood flowing to my ailing leg. You name it, I have been doing it in the name of healing as quickly as possible.

There was some nervous anticipation this morning as obviously you never really know what is going on under your skin, but I had within me a quiet confidence that only a runner can have before a race when they feel really good, but do not want to say anything for fear of jinxing it. The doctor came in and was incredibly upbeat. He informed me that everything was almost done healing. Almost done! I was hoping for on the way to being done, but this was far better. He said the arm looked great and same for the leg! We looked at XRays and was very excited by what he was able to show me.

There were several other neat portions to the appointment. He described the break in my arm and told me that they cannot even accurately recreate in cadavers the kind of break I had and where I had it. I simply had just absorbed an incredible amount of force to a part of the body that can actually handle an incredible amount of stress. Lets also not forget my leg was broken in four places, and now, it appears that I will have a complete and full union. The doctor said the only way that I could have healed faster is if I had been 17 or 18 years old. So I take that as, I am as healthy as a teenager, I will take that as I creep up on 30.

My wife's grin was stretching from ear to ear, and we were incredible ecstatic as the doctor told me that I could start bearing 50% of my entire body weight on that left leg, and I had the go ahead to start walking with the aide of crutches, and to start strength training on the right arm. Prayers answered! and sooner than expected!

Physical Therapy was like a dream come true. I was walking around, and doing all kinds of new exercises that I had only been dreaming about for months. I feel like I should go out and about for the heck of it.

So in my mind, July still looks like a reasonable time to start running again. Just so you all know, half a mile a day, tops for a week or so, and we will see how we progress. I am not exactly planning my next races or anything, but there are a few I have my eyes on. Right now I will enjoy not being so dependent on everyone else, and begin paying everyone back by helping them as much as I can. We are still fighting with insurance so that they will continue to cover my Physical Therapy, so here's hoping that goes well.

Thank you again everyone for your support. Things are getting really exciting and normalcy seems to be on the horizon!

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