Being that this is Valentine's Day I felt it was the perfect time to post an update on my collarbone break and subsequent surgery of almost two years ago. (?) Here's what it looks like today:
You can see a straight line (that's the titanium pin) and then a prominent bump which I presume is one of the nine screws. (Hopefully, not working its way out.)
Here's a close-up:
(The top is a mirror shot; that's why it looks like they're opposite shoulders.) Admittedly, I'm sort of jutting my shoulder out a bit to make it more visible for the camera, but even when I don't it's still pretty prominent.
I never feel any pain or discomfort, I've got full strength and range of motion back, it never stops me from doing anything and I can throwing a baseball as hard as I could before the surgery (low 90s with good movement) but still ... there's something weird about the way it feels. The bone underneath doesn't feel straight; it almost feels like it's the shape of a spoon with a dip or divot in it. And right next to that is where the screw sticks out, which itself feels weird. I spend a lot of time just unconsciously touching it, tracing my finger along the weird shape, the way you unconsciously finger an earring after you've had your ear pierced.
So, I don't know if I'd have surgery next time were I to break my collarbone again. I also don't know what the long-range effects will be of having a titanium plate in my shoulder. And though I know that I can have it removed--seems like that's what the pro cyclists do--I'm fairly loathe to have more surgery 'lest it's absolutely necessary.
With that, Happy Valentine's Day!
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