March Snow, Merlot and The "S" Chronicles

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Being Friday night I have a 2006 Lindermans Bin 10 Merlot in the glass. This is a great selection with "...juicy plum flavors with a smooth finish". Very nice and highly recommended.

I actually got out twice this week on the bike which really whetted my appetite for the upcoming season. Sadly I sit here typing while we are suffering through a late season snow storm which is like a dagger through my cycling heart. I had planned on going on my first club ride of the season Saturday morning but now have resigned myself to the gym. The weather should be decent tomorrow with plus temps and sun but the roadways will be sloppy. Without fenders I would not ride a club ride and gain the displeasure of my mates.

That said I can`t help but feel rather pathetic. My friend "S" has sent me another update regarding her shoulder and the lack of progress. I`m complaining cause I can`t do a club ride in March and she faces a potential loss of the sport she loves and(possibly)never healing 100%. I`m not worthy and should be thankful for the simple things.

Even with the bone graph the bone has not mended yet and the prognosis is beginning to look dubious. In "S`s" words(with permission)are some excerps......

``I can't lift my arm that high yet. I can't even brush my hair with my right arm yet. On a positive note, I can now eat with my right arm and floss with both hands (I was using a flosshandle). On the 6 week x-ray the collarbone still had not joined, but all the problems are from the frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), not the collarbone.

``The physiotherapist figures we have gotten as much range of motion with the frozen shoulder as I'm going to get and that I will need to have another manipulation under anaesthesia to get any further motion... It has actually been the massage therapist performing myofascial release (very painful) that has given me more range of motion, moreso than anything I've done with physiotherapy. I have an appointment...with a chiropractor to try active release therapy, it sounds similar to what the massage therapist has been doing, but I figured I'd give it a try since it is supposed to help frozen shoulder. The only information I've gotten from others who have had it done for other conditions is "it hurts". If it gives me some improvement I can handle the pain.

``I'll have another x-ray done then and it better show that the bone has joined or I will not be a happy camper (no running or biking outside until the bone has joined, although at this point I don't even have the reach or strength to hold myself up with my arm on the bike). At that time he's also going to evaluate the frozen shoulder again and discuss options (I'm hoping it is miraculously cured by then). I can't have the manipulation done until the collarbone has joined. The manipulation has a 70% success rate of increasing the mobility and speeding the recovery into the final stage. There is also a chance he could break another bone or cause the frozen shoulder to get worse.

``I got more bad news from my G.P. today. It was the first time he saw my x-ray since the plate was placed. He said there is a lot of space between the two pieces of bone and it is expecting my body to produce a fair bit of bone to get union. The other downside is the ends of the two pieces of bone are smooth and smooth ends are less likely to produce more bone and join together. Also, the noticeable gap between the two pieces of bone probably means my body has resorbed the bone graft that was placed there. He said if the bone hasn't joined on the next x-ray then I should be asking the specialist how active of a lifestyle I will be allowed to lead, based on the assumption there won't be union.``

``On the other topic of the frozen shoulder, he said if it were his decision he wouldn't undergo another manipulation under general anaesthesia. He said he hasn't seen anyone that it has worked for and there is too great a risk of putting me back to square one or worse. He recommended just giving it more time and accepting the gradual process.``

Holy Hanna! Healing thoughts your way Champ. I can say you are dealing with the adversity better than I. Then again would we expect anything differently from one who suffered this injury mid triathlon yet finished the race.

Best wishes!

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