no frozen toes

What the hell was that last post? Waste of digital space is what. Meanwhile life goes on and on. Bridget is in her 3rd week of work at the new job! Going well with few frustrations along the way getting settled into her position. I stayed home with Nora last week when there was no school because of the snow (if you blinked you missed it) and then she got sick on Friday. Of course it was friday when she got sick, always does. And of course we should have gone to the doctor on Friday but I thought, maybe she'll get over it quickly...she didn't Sunday at 10am she still wasn't well so I took her into Urgent Care. Urgent Care, of course, costs 2x as much as a regular visit, and it turns out she had strep. Should've gone in Friday. Didn't feel well myself all weekend and that combined with taking Nora in kept me from even watching Froze Toes. So now with that out of the way, I have 7 months to build up to 'cross season. Normally of course running is required in cx but since I can't run, my dismounts will have to be slower and i will step over the barriers instead of jumping. All this means I will have to be faster on the bike. Actually maybe by then I'll be able to jog slowly and even if I can't I'll have to work on my dis- and re-mounts so I don't lose anytime there.

happy happy joy joy

Was at the Doc's this morning. Seems my knee is doing great. Cartilage seems whole and everything is healing nicely. It's just a matter of strength and time now. No running yet; more leg presses, etc. I am really looking forward to running again. Right now it's out of the question because it would hurt too much and I am not really strong enough. If the pain went away I would like to but Dr. Smith says to hold off another year yet. That means my '08 CX season may also have just been called off. I don't go back until next January.

there are no strings (or braces) on me!

Saw the Doc this morning. He was pleased to see that I am seemingly whole in body again. Not only do I have a working ACL but also it appears that my femur has healed. Evidently if it wasn't healed then I would certainly be in much pain and agony. I told him it was still tender inside the joint and had a sharp pain once in a while but he thought that was normal and was unconcerned about the cartilige fragment we were so worried about.

So...I can ride without the brace now. I can start weaning myself off the brace otherwise. And I don't have to go back to physical therapy. Still need to do muscle exercises like leg presses, quad curls, swimming and elliptical machine, etc.

tuesday nite ride

Last night was the Brendaville Cycling Team's first training ride. All went really well. Sam, Jordan, Steve and I rode up to Jason's house (we're an inter-'hood team) picked him up and rode to Grindstone where we hopped on the trail and rode it to McBaine. I had never ridden with Jason before but he is a strong cyclist. He is only 12 and rode a bike that was a bit small for him. If he had a bike that fit him with larger wheels he would have hammered Sam and Jordan. We all were tired and hungry by the time we returned but it was a satisfying ride for sure. I hope this was just the first of a long series of rides.

When we stopped at McBaine we met up with some people from Pennsylvania who were riding the length of the trail from St. Louis. They were loaded down with camping gear but wanted to head to Columbia for a bed rather than a sleeping bag. So we escorted them into town. Evidently they have done several different rails-to-trails trips around the country. Sounds like a great adventure and a great way to take a bike trip. There is one along the Erie Canal they would like to do next. I would like to do that one too.

I am off to the Doc's this morning. I hope I get a big thumbs up. I am a bit nervous as I have ridden 5 days in a row now and have already had my biggest week this year with 84 miles and it's only Tuesday. I just hope my knee is not hurt by that. It's kinda sore and tender in the joint. But is has been before and only gotten stronger and better afterward.

back in the saddle (part 2)

Ever look at your "tight pants" and realize that they are baggy? I do. Actually they are only half-baggy. They fit pretty well on my right leg but as for my left, I might as well be wearing mtb shorts. That will change soon though! I have ridden the trainer for 2.5 hours so far this week.

One of the good things about riding the trainer in the backyard is that it doesn't matter how many cold beers you get from the fridge, the bike stays upright!

back in the saddle again

Started riding my bike on the trainer a week ago. Beginning with 5 minutes in the morning and 5 in the evening, I slowly worked up to 18 minutes each time yesterday. All this without having the rear wheel touch the flywheel of the trainer. Actually started intervals of using only my left (bad) leg yesterday; one minute one, one off. Was kind of tough. I haven't decided exactly what I will do today. I think I'll start with resistance and try the one leg pedalling again but maybe not for as long as yesterday. One on, one off for ten minutes maybe.

And good news (or not) depending on your persuasion:
All the Columbia Public School Board candidates are against teaching how the magic man done it. http://www.columbiatribune.com/2007/Mar/20070324News001.asp

even better

The doc was surprised when he saw my knee this morning. He expected the worst and now is thinking that I am healing as we hoped for. The latest time line is in three weeks I may possibly be able to get on the stationary bike. That would be twelve weeks after surgery and twice as long as he expected. You may remember that at the 6 week point I started walking and rode a bit with unpleasant results. Meanwhile I'm keeping my fingers crossed and gulping those chondroitin pills.

better

Saw the doctor last week and we are now, "cautiously optimistic." Since my knee quit hurting so badly and I have had no further episodes he thinks perhaps I irritated some scar tissue or something. It has been getting better since then. The swelling is less than ever I think and I am able to walk on it with one crutch with no problem. I still use two and try to take it easy on my leg. I want to take it easy on it for a while still and let it heal as best it can (assuming it still is).

About that femur transplant. I asked. It wouldn't be the whole bone. Doc would take a piece from a cadaver matching the area of my femur which needs repair. just a thin peice with bone and cartilage. Not that I want to do that but that doesn't sound so bad as replacing the whole damn bone. Still that would have to be the last resort I think. What if that didn't work either? then what?

In other news...
We have decided to tackle our attention deficit disorder head-on. Bridget's been reading a book on adult ADD and how to organize your life and home. Lots of good tips to retain order and maintain clutter. Those of us with ADD are mentally incapable of maintaining a system of organization. One big thing I have to work on is finding a place for everything. Right now there is so much junk which has no home of any kind except a pile on the dresser or counter or table or...

not so good

Last Monday I went to the gym to ride the stationary bike again and do some leg presses as prescribed in my physical therapy regimen. Great. I had been feeling good and walking with one crutch. Basically on top of the world. The world came crashing down on me after ten minutes on the bike. I developed some pain in my knee which grew progressively worse until Tuesday night. I hardly slept. Went to the doc's Wendesday and he was not optimistic at all. He fears that the catilage patch he put on my leg wasn't healing. That would be Bad. He mentioned "femur transplant." I don't know about you but I am not excited by the idea of replacing my femur because a bit of cartilage is torn off but I guess cartilage is like that; once gone always gone. I'm hoping for some new stem cells to find their way into my leg.

I am supposed to call him again tomorrow and let him know how my knee is doing. Right now I would say it is doing pretty darn good. The excruciating pain I experienced Tuesday night disappeared almost completely and every day there is less. Of course, I haven't ridden and have protected my leg from putting much weight on it. Basically I feel like where I was two or three weeks ago. We'll see what he says tomorrow and Wednesday after I go to see him in person.

The upshot of it all is that it may be a while before I walk let alone ride.

back in the saddle

I rode on one of those fat-saddled computerized "exercise" bikes today. Five minutes, 34 seconds total time. I have permission to ride my bike on the trainer again starting at 12 minutes a day.

rehab begins

Got my new knee brace today and I can start putting weight on my leg. It (the brace) is cool in that it takes the stress off the part of my knee that was really messed up. It actually separates the bones so they don't rub each other. That way I can start regaining some fitness and continue to let my knee heal.

Here is my starting point (sorry, I know it's not pretty). Note the disparity between my right and left legs and even my good leg has shrunk!

1 more week

Then I start learning to walk again!

4 weeks down...two to go!

Needless to say the closest I have been to a bicycle lately is watching the Tom Boonen win the Tour of Flanders on dvd.

I have been somewhat disturbed (but not surprised) by my complete adaptation to being cooped up in the house and on the couch for the past 4 weeks. I seem to be perfectly content to lay on my couch watching television and reading. "Made for TV" you might say. Nevertheless I am looking forward to the day I can move about again without crutches. The ability to carry a plate of food from the kitchen to, say, the couch is something I will never take for granted again. If I knew this injury was permanent I might be more freaked, that is for sure.

Just last night I was laying on the couch with my knee in the CPM last night thinking that even if I don't ever regain use of my leg and lose my job and house and have to go on welfare I would feel really happy because I have such a great family. My kids are the greatest and I know that when they grow up and are rich and famous they will take their ol' Da and Mum in off the street.

riding again

Went on a great ride this afternoon. A bit chilly at first but with the gorgeous sunshine that didn't last long. Explored the roads off of M west of Ashland down toward the river. Needless to say this was a gravel road ride. It was nice to be back out after the holidays when I didn't get out on the bike much. The hills sure didn't get any less steep during the same time! Damn there are some steepies out there!

three weeks down...three to go

Then I hope to start walking and eventually riding again.

operation and recovery

Here's a drill going into one of my bones in preparation for attaching my new ACL. (which it turns out was the simplest part of the entire surgery)

And here is my new ACL.

Here's my ripped and broken femur. Turns out I basically broke a bone. So six weeks no weight on it while it heals. See that pink part in the middle? That's exposed femur bone. It should be covered in a nice white cartilage.

Here is the cartilage reattached (with nails). It was floating around in my knee joint area.

Here I am on the couch with my newly reconstructed leg watching the 2006 Tour of Flanders (thanks John!).


Headed back to the doc today for an update.