Walk, don't run...

I was hoping for this...


But the doctor said this...



And this...



My post-op exam and consult went...

Good: Healing up well. No more clicking and grinding in my knee. No pain. Normal swelling and fluid build-up. Plan on 2-3 months rehab. Swim, aqua-running, walk, stationary bike, and cross country ski (late season). Maybe strength training in February.

Bad: No long distance running, ever. No more Ironman's, ever. No running down hill, ever. Feeling kinda bummed out right now.

Ugly: I have several pairs of running shoes that need a home. Mens, Size 8.5 neutral. Let me know if you want them or they'll go to a charity.

The upshot is that this latest knee fix should last me 20 years if I don't run. 10 years or less if I do run. At this moment, I plan to do everything but run and get strong and fast on the bike.

Glory Days: There was a summer back in the mid-90's that I managed to stay in the top 10 of my age group throughout a 13-race mountain bike series. It was great fun and I was the rookie on the team. I'm gonna try to get that mojo back.
Right now, I've got to ice and elevate.

Two weeks after surgery. Still swollen.

Knee-peat

1983 - Motorcycle accident with a severe impact to the front of my right knee.

1992 - After a ski season with knee pain and swelling, had a 'lateral release' surgery to free up my kneecap and allow it to track centered on the joint.

2001 - More knee pain and swelling with clicking and grinding. Arthroscopy for cartilage removal from the back of the kneecap and 'micro fracture' procedure to fill in the area of missing cartilage.

2008 - November 11, Kneecap began severely clicking during a short run. Walked home. Swelling and stiffness for 2 days. No running for 3 weeks. Clicking all the while.
- November 30, walking the dog, knee locked up and could not straiten it. Stiff and sore.
- December 1, exam and x-rays revealed nothing. All bones and knee joint looked fine. Knee still stiff and not bending easily nor able to straiten it.
- December 3, MRI revealed a piece of cartilage hanging loose from the back of the kneecap and a small piece of cartilage lodged in the knee joint.
- December 4, Arthroscopic surgery to remove the cartilage pieces and then an incision to reflect (expose) the back of the knee cap and fill in the nickle-size void with a piece of plastic.
- December 6, back at work with a stiff limp.
- Today, very minor pain, still swollen but walking fairly well.

This is the third surgery on my right knee. I hope this third time is the charm.

The good news is that the recovery is fast. Swimming, biking, hiking and skiing are still in my future.
The bad news is that this ski season is shot.
The real bad news is no more long runs or running down any declines whatsoever. Only short runs on the flats if at all.




My right knee before surgery.


Before surgery, leg bathed in betadine.


My knee today.

I had the spinal (numb from the waist down) so I could watch the whole procedure on a video screen and interact with the doctors and nurses in the operating room. That was kinda fun. I managed to crack a few jokes and share some stories of travel and triathlons. Total surgery time was about 70 minutes.
I have a post-op exam this coming Thursday and will discuss my rehab PT and what my future with triathlons will be.
Anybody need a good swimmer or biker for a relay?

Tracks in glitter and a dog

Chipmunks.


Dog.

December is coming

Oh, December is here already? Yikes, where does the time go?

Happy Thanksgiving

Wild turkeys in an aspen grove.

Yogi? is that you?

Yogi Bear and Wylee Coyote.

I went for a hike today and found these prints along a creek. Most likely were set in the mud on Tuesday or Wednesday after a wet snow had fallen. I still paused and looked around carefully and kept looking over my shoulder until I got back to my truck.