Sunday, May 30, 2010
TITANIUM COWBOY RIDES AGAIN!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
THREE WEEKS (now YEARS) SINCE COLLARBONE SURGERY
For those of you interested in the progression of broken collarbone recovery, here're some photos 'n' such. (For the most current update, three years later, go here.) Below is me the day after surgery with a giant maxi-pad type bandage on my shoulder, feeling high on life and Percoset.
Now please take a moment to enjoy my scar photos!
Above is two days after surgery--or, as I keep wanting to write, sugary--mit large maxi-pad-ish bandage removed. Finally able to shower. Fetching scar, don't you think? I had Steri-strips rather than stiches and they had to stay on for about 10 days. Below is at about the 10-day mark, Steri-strips removed, and is closer to what it looks like today at the three-week point. (For those of you scoring at home, I had sugary a week after I broke me clavicle so the referred to three-week point is actually four weeks since I broke it.)
The scar is pretty Frankensteinish, about five inches long, but becoming smoother looking every day. With the swelling down, I can feel bumps (sorta) on my collarbone ridgeline which I can only guess are the screwheads. Feels like I'm part robot.
Mellow Johnny Boy Clark is about two-and-a-half weeks behind me on this whole thing (feels good to finally be ahead of him in something) and so we've been able to help each other in our recoveries, pumping our respective surgeons for info on what we can and can't do.
At three weeks, I'm pretty much 99 perecent out of my sling. I can finally drive a little (both our vehicles have manual transmissions and because I broke my right side, driving was verboten), I've done a bit of stationary bike, steep treadmill walking, some eliptical trainer and yesterday did my first 45-minute spin class which was super fun and super hard. (I'd forgotten what a great spin class Mary Latta leads.) No running until at least the six-week mark when I'll see my surgeon again. As for real bike riding, I took the single-speed out for a very mellow six-block ride a couple times last weekend. Felt great but also a little scary; I so don't want to fall on my shoulder. I don't really feel any pain per se, just some stiffness in my shoulder, and it's more the idea (or fear?) that I'll move my arm in such a way that pops all nine screws out of my clavicle bone-slash-titanium plate that at times gives me pause.
Been thinking how Team Unattacked has quite a few months here. Titanium Cancellara (Scott Young) broke his scaphoid last August, John and I got hit by a tree in November and then broke our respective collarbones the following April/May. Perhaps we should change our name--Team Always Attacked? Team WTF? Team Titanium (since John and I now have titanium collarbone plates)? Team Try-to-Stay-on-Your-Friggin'-Bike-for-a-Change? Team Try-to-Stay-Out-of-the-Friggin'-Emergency Room? ...
Thursday, May 13, 2010
CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL
Friday, May 07, 2010
THIS IS TOO FREAKY
About 1 p.m. today I get a call from Mellow Johnny Boy Clark today from his cell phone. (He never calls on his cell phone.) Guess where he is, he says. Sitting in a ditch off Birch Bay-Lynden Road with a broken collar bone. No! Unfortunately though, it's yes. He and the Titanium Cowboy were out on a ride and at some point, John, like me last week, found himself flying through the air only to come back down to earth quite rudely. Off to the ER, a sling and some meds and possibly a visit next week to a surgeon. All too weird. But Team Unattacked will be back!
Saturday, May 01, 2010
LAKE SAMISH TRIALS
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