Kind of back in it

Cleared to swim, I went to the pool for the first time since August. In my mind I was pretty sure I could knock out 600y in 100y increments. I figured I'd do 100's until I was tired or sore and see what that got me. I was apprehensive as I jumped in the pool and not exactly sure I would remember what I was doing. I also wanted to try some of the techniques I'd been reading about and watching on YouTube. The first hundred went pretty well. I had forgotten a lot of the good habits I had learned, but still did it without much trouble. I did a better job of not crossing mid-line with my hands, but my body rotation still needs work. I also need to work on my core and tighten up so my hips won't dip. I rode the trainer for 30 min. at the middle setting the other day as well. It felt good to sweat. All may not be lost for this season, even if I can't meet the goals I set before my injury.

Follow-up & Therapy

I had my post-surgical follow up Monday and started therapy on Tuesday. I'll be going three times a week and I have a home program to follow as well. The exercises are challenging. Form is the most important thing to follow. The doctor has cleared me to bike at 50% and I can swim or even run in the pool. It doesn't look like I'll be doing the Resolution Run, unless it's just to run it and not worry about a time. I go for my next appointment on Jan. 6th. I'm off work so I can concentrate on getting better. I've been working in the modeling studio quite a bit and I have a couple of commissions to keep me busy. I hate to think how far my fitness level has fallen in two months. I hope I can gain it back quickly. I think my season will have to start much later than I had hoped, but I think I may salvage a couple of races this year. We shall see.

Surgery

Well, this blog has turned into more of a injury blog than a training and racing blog. I got a surgical consult this morning and the neuro-surgeon wanted to move pretty quickly. He and my spine center doctor are concerned that if I don't act, I risk permanent nerve damage to the C5 nerve root. I was looking in the mirror and feeling my scapula and I already have noticeable atrophy in my shoulder. I was hopeful that with the absence of pain and some strength returning that I could escape surgery. My doctors agree that I still have nerve root impingement and all the healing that I have so far is the absence of inflammation. I'm very hopeful for a good recovery. I think I'm in good hands for the surgery. Being off work for a few weeks is something I'm looking at with some trepidation. Sitting around and watching TV sounds like a dream come true. I enjoy that kind of thing, but I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy being forced into it. I think I'll be back at training by the first of the year. I'm hoping that I've built enough of a base that I can get back the times and distances quickly. I'll miss the Turkey Trot, but I think I can be back at it in time for the Resolution Run 5k. I hope so.

Tests and off-season training

I get an EMG on Wednesday. After I saw the Spine Center specialist he said that my condition didn't indicate any need for epidural injections. I was happy to hear that. Unhappy to remain ignorant of my condition and what kind of recovery time I'm looking at. I expect a couple of things; a nerve entrapment caused by a lifetime of sports, or some nerve damage caused by some other weird problem. I've been getting better more rapidly after a few days of remaining at a plateau gaining back strength. I'm off medication for the most part including Tylenol and Advil. I still take some Tylenol PM at bed time.

I had intended to have a half marathon and the training that went with it to carry me into the off-season. Injury has precluded that. I also intended to be well into a strength program that would have me in better condition overall. Now, with the injury, it's just run and ride the trainer. I wish I could get out on the road and I also wish I could do a little single track riding. For the time being, it's 4 on Monday, 5 on Wednesday, and 3 on Friday. A return to 10k for a long run is surely in the near future. I ride the trainer on Tuesday and Thursday for an hour. Hopefully after diagnosis and treatment I can get back to strength training. If I can get back to swimming by February, I'll be on track to meet my goals. If not, I may have to skip a couple of races early in the season.

Results and referral

I got my MRI results the other day and with the help of a good friend who is a Radiology Tech, I was able to see some of the things that I read about in the report. I have a couple of bulging discs and narrowing in the channels where the nerve roots exit the spine. I got referred to The St. John's Spine Center. I was a little apprehensive about this based on the initial call. After a little research, I think this will be the best place for me to get treatment. I only hope they won't get their heads too wrapped around my discs and ignore what I think could be a peripheral nerve problem. Meanwhile, most of my pain has subsided. The numbness has reduced to about one square inch in the center of my deltoid. I can live with all this. The weakness is about intolerable to my mind. Working over my head is nearly impossible, I fatigue easily and I just can't do some stuff. I'll continue to train. My distances are going to change a little, and I'll still be stuck inside for cycling on the trainer. I was pretty lazy today. I'll get back on the horse tomorrow. I think I'll be doing M/W/F thing and 3,4,5 miles. I'll probably do the Turkey Trot, but I don't know if I'll make my goal of sub 24 minute finish time. All that is provided they don't sideline me after my Dr. appointment.

MRI Etc.

Well, I got my MRI the other day. No results yet. I'm heartened by the idea that I don't likely have a rotator cuff injury. At the same time, the unknown quantity of what kind of neurological problem I may have is bothering me some. I've talked to a couple of folks who seem to have had similar injuries. I'm hoping I can come out of this just needing a couple of cortisone injections and some therapy. I did get back to running. I decided to do what I could tolerate. I did three on the treadmill and that was no trouble at all. I ran an outdoor 10k on my regular route on Friday evening. I intended to do 12 miles today as a test for the half marathon. I woke up very sore this morning and decided it was the better part of valor to skip it, and move to an off-season mentality earlier than intended. The half marathon was a collateral goal for the year. I exceeded my intended goal way back in the summer. I think I've gotten the bug now. I can't hardly stand to skip a training session. I kind of felt like I wussed out by skipping the half marathon, but I really want to stay focused on multi-sport. If I triggered another neck episode like I had last time I would be kicking myself for doing something I'd been advised against.

Having an in home PT has it's benefits. She has me on an exercise program to help strengthen where I'm weak. It's helping quite a bit. This lack of stability is what's causing most of my pain anyway. And with some kind of program, I at least feel like I'm being proactive in getting better. For the off season, I think I'll be running every other day, and doing the trainer on the opposite days. Hopefully by February/March I'll be able to swim again. My strategy is to 3-5-7, or 4-6-8 miles, and 1-1.5 hours on the trainer. I've been advised to stay off the road on my bike until I have more strength in my shoulder. Should I begin to wreck, I'm afraid I wouldn't have the proper strength in my shoulder to protect myself and keep it from more extensive injury. I'm not digging this injury business. Nope, not one bit.

Diagnosis and motivation

I got this video from USAT's facebook feed. I thought it was very moving. Being faced with injury that has sidelined me for a bit with so much uncertainty at this point I was inspired by these athletes.

I went to the Orthopedic Doctor yesterday. He's confident that I don't have a rotator cuff tear. He believes I have an impinged nerve root in my neck. If not at the neck then somewhere else that's causing my issue. I get a little stronger each day. I still have trouble sleeping all night long and I'm still taking meds for pain. I go for an MRI soon. After that, they'll know if I have an impinged nerve root in my neck.

The Doc gave me license to do whatever I could tolerate. I decided that I would run on the treadmill in case I had difficulty. It went very well actually. I was a little slower as one might expect after taking over a week off from training. I'll try six on Friday and if that goes well, twelve on Sunday. If twelve goes well, I'll go ahead and do the half marathon. All of this is obviously based on whether or not news from the MRI and subsequent visits to the Doc allow.