OT: recuperation

[Ken Robb]

Yesterday my surgeon cleared me for driving and beginning strength training in addition to range-of-motion exercises with my physical terrorist. When I grumbled a bit about my slow progress he verbally smacked me and pointed out we were ahead of expectations as we were "only two months post-op".

Well "only two months" to a guy who isn't house-bound may seem like a short time but to the previously active prisoner it seems a lifetime. :)

Tonight I managed to get one of our Rivendells off the ceiling hooks and mostly packed for shipping to a forumite. But that was the limit of my endurance. I am treating back muscle cramps with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and it is working very well.

I know I am DONE riding motorcycles but I think I might still want to pedal where automobiles can't get me. The doc said that my bones and titanium had fused to where I would not be at any more risk from a bicycle crash now than before my recent wreck. OTOH, he said if I had a disastrous crash now he couldn't predict what might break: bones, titanium, bones and titanium, etc. He said another disastrous crash would present a surgeon with a real challenging jig saw puzzle. :)

FYI: Medicare has been wonderful insurance. I never felt like I was being denied first-class treatment but I was impressed with the cost-control detailed paperwork that was part of the routine. :banana::)

[alessandro]

The doc said that my bones and titanium had fused to where I would not be at any more risk from a bicycle crash now than before my recent wreck.

That is fantastic! Good for you for fusing up nicely and quickly. Amazing what the body can do in two short months.

I think I might still want to pedal where automobiles can't get me.

Then you will! Good luck with your physical terrorist and your continued recovery. :banana: indeed.

[Elefantino]

Good luck with your PT. And your surgeon is right: You've done wonderfully.
:banana:

[weisan]

Ken-pal, you have come a long way, give yourself a pat. Glad to hear you won't let this stop you from continuing to ride your bikes. Doctors tend to be over-conservative, that's their job.:rolleyes:

[tumbler]

Good luck with the recovery. Do your PT exercises! I slacked on them and always felt that my recovery was not as good as it could have been if I was more committed back then.

[eippo1]

Take it easy and take it slow. Recuperation takes a long, long time and if you try to do too much too soon, the bad far outweighs the good.

I had shoulder surgery (2nd time for slap tear) May of 2013 and wasn't back really riding until September. I couldn't handle a mtn bike until late October and that was still shaky. Didn't really feel like my old self until 12 months later. Part of this was because my insurance would only pay for 2 months of PT and so trying to get my strength back on my own was a real challenge. I'd recommend staying with your PT as long as possible.

The fast part of your recovery is now over with most of your motor function returning, but now is the slow, steady climb to full range of motion and strength.

[merlinmurph]

Good luck in your recovery. And I'll repeat what others have said - do your PT religiously.

[FlashUNC]

You sound about like I did with my docs after my elbow reconstruction. And it also seems you're on track with the same frustrations I started to have mentally.

Just chip away at it bit by bit and follow the doc/PTs advice religiously. Enjoy the good days in recovery and try not to let the bad days get you too down.

And be sure to apologize regularly and profusely to your PT for whatever you say in the heat of the moment.