Brad's Micro - Recovery advice?
Hi Coach-
As you know, crashed my bike 2 weeks ago, 1 week b/f IMMT. Broken clavicle and ribs. I delayed the needed surgery a week so that I was able to go to MT with Heidi to see her race. Travel was tough for me but I was glad to go... Although I'm not sure she thought it was so smart
My surgery was yesterday. Once on the table, the doc found the damage to be a bit more extensive than we'd thought - more pieces of bone had broken and I ended up with more screws than I'd thought. Pic posted on dashboard.
I know that you've been through this - along with several other teammates. Cronk has shared some things with me already. I am thinking that my road back may be a bit longer and bumpier than I'd anticipated. Maybe I'll be plesabtly surprised. But, for me, I need to have structure, or my mind (and body) go to shit fast. Tim's swimming 2 weeks after surgery seems inhuman to me, although he is a machine! My doc is a sports guy and gets it and is on the aggressive side. He said back on bike, upright, in 2-3 weeks with maybe some elliptical. I'm curious to get your take on this and maybe some help on how I can plan short term and bigger picture too
Mentally, I'm not so great. Flashbacks from my crash are frequent at night. I still do not know what caused it, which is killing me. I was traveling pretty fast in aero and I can guess I may be a bit scared when I finally get "back". I'm driving Heidi crazy - hate pain meds and I'm uncooperative when it comes to sitting still. But, beyond all, I realize how things could've been 100x worse!!
Anyway, any advice or knowledge on all this that you can share would be great. Don't be afraid to tell me that I'm acting like a jackass - I'm already aware of that
Thanks!
Brad
As you know, crashed my bike 2 weeks ago, 1 week b/f IMMT. Broken clavicle and ribs. I delayed the needed surgery a week so that I was able to go to MT with Heidi to see her race. Travel was tough for me but I was glad to go... Although I'm not sure she thought it was so smart
My surgery was yesterday. Once on the table, the doc found the damage to be a bit more extensive than we'd thought - more pieces of bone had broken and I ended up with more screws than I'd thought. Pic posted on dashboard.
I know that you've been through this - along with several other teammates. Cronk has shared some things with me already. I am thinking that my road back may be a bit longer and bumpier than I'd anticipated. Maybe I'll be plesabtly surprised. But, for me, I need to have structure, or my mind (and body) go to shit fast. Tim's swimming 2 weeks after surgery seems inhuman to me, although he is a machine! My doc is a sports guy and gets it and is on the aggressive side. He said back on bike, upright, in 2-3 weeks with maybe some elliptical. I'm curious to get your take on this and maybe some help on how I can plan short term and bigger picture too
Mentally, I'm not so great. Flashbacks from my crash are frequent at night. I still do not know what caused it, which is killing me. I was traveling pretty fast in aero and I can guess I may be a bit scared when I finally get "back". I'm driving Heidi crazy - hate pain meds and I'm uncooperative when it comes to sitting still. But, beyond all, I realize how things could've been 100x worse!!
Anyway, any advice or knowledge on all this that you can share would be great. Don't be afraid to tell me that I'm acting like a jackass - I'm already aware of that
Thanks!
Brad
0
Comments
My random thoughts for you:
1. Your recovery is your timeline, so don't feel any external pressure. The variety of types of injury there, plus in DR tolerance, will change things up. My biggest limiter was letting the scar heal...my DR said no sweating for 8 weeks to avoid infection. And I still got infected (there's a bacteria that lives in the human shoulder, but shouldn't be in the collarbone area; I got it) and have to have surgery again to get the plate out (prob better in long haul) but that was, you guessed it, another 8 weeks no sweating. 4 months just for surgery, sucked. So...don't get infected or get clearance on that from the doc.
2. Step one now is healing. So take calcium supplements, I went homeopathic and got boneknit and took that as well. Pain meds are good so you can sleep (at least take at night) as sleep is restorative. Better you can rest now, the better you'll be..sooner.
3. Find a good PT. You need a PT that's going to do manual work on your shoulder, both laterally but also on the shoulder blade (in back) as most "hang ups" are actually caught there (when you can't move your arm over your head..just ask Peter.) Weights and exercises are good, but you need to plan on 2x a week getting manipulation as it will drastically sped up healing.
4. I went on a diet / cleanse when I was injured...IOW put all my mental power into my diet...ate clean, tried new foods, no dessert, etc. I figured I could do that as I wasn't pushing my legs to suffer. But that's up to you...you are pretty lean.
5. Cycling upright (or block under front wheel of bike) is good...easy just turning legs for a while...but walking is also great. You can do that several times a day (esp after eating) and that is helpful.
6. When you can get back in a pool with your scar, I would aquajog (it requires moving the arm) and that could help. Elliptical after that.
7. On riding again..you'll be ready when you are ready. Hard to think about it now, but when you get there it's not so much a big deal. Just take any lessons learned around gloves, helmet safety, ability to contact Heidi, safety when riding (Road ID app?) to heart. My crash was b/c my hands were sweaty...I now wear gloves on every ride and use Road ID app for rides over 90' when I am far from home so I am easier to find.
Feel free to map out some stuff or just keep me posted...I am here!