Bumps & Bruises - neck and shoulder damage

Please note: recent updates are at the end of the postOriginal post written October 17, 2009As an athlete, I have had my share of bumps and bruises over the years. But, for some of us, we get an injury that could really derail our dreams.The day I sustained a serious injury started out like any other day.I distinctly remember making a decision between running a long run or riding that day.Naturally being a runner I leaned towards the run.But, being the end of August I knew the weather in Utah won’t allow many more rides which gave me a push to try to overcome my fear of riding (long story short – my middle school gym teacher get hit on her bike and she returned to school paralyzed in a wheel chair).Ultimately I knew I needed to spend more time on the bike to perform better in triathlons.I choose to ride.This was a solo ride for me and started out smooth.At the turn around point I stopped for a quick drink and a few bites of food I had brought with me, then started back for home.Just about as I got up to full speed (about 22/24 mph), my front wheel hit something and suddenly turned…I lost my grip and….my bike went to the right and I went straight for the asphalt…in an effort not to roll into traffic I took the blunt of the blow with my left outstretched arm, which jarred my elbow and shoulder shooting pain up my neck and down my back.My left knee also hit the asphalt noticeably hard and my hip hurt.It all happened so fast…since I was still overcoming a fear of riding I knew it would be important for me to get back on the bike and ride home (kind of like when a person gets bucked from a horse – if they don’t get back on right away they might never ride again).

(It felt much worse than it looked in these pictures)

It was painful, but I knew if I stopped I would probably pass out (I go into shock quite easy).In the ensuing months after the wreck I knew that I had done something serious and rehab or surgery would not be an option due to pregnancy (this was the only good news from the doctor visit).The intense pain subsided, but was replaced with chronic nagging pain, frequent head aches and muscle spasms; all on top of a high-risk pregnancy.It wasn’t until after my baby was born and I started training again that I realized the full impact of the injury.Since I am very restricted when I am pregnant and can only walk a little, I didn’t really know when to expect when I was finally able to train again.Most noticeably it affected my swim workouts.I found myself aching all day after swimming.I often adapt my effort going easy on swim workouts to minimize the pain.This was frustrating, as I like to work hard and want to do well in competition.

For those that have not tasted the difficulty of chronic pain or injury, let me tell you, it is wearing. Nagging pain seems to have no foreseeable end and rarely is recognized by others.Nobody could see the dull pain I feel every time I lift my arm or the disturbed sleep when I roll on it in the night (I don’t go back to sleep well).They can’t see the dull head aches or muscle spasms.Despite my careful attention, I fell victim to tendonitis on several occasions throughout the last three years and found myself out of the pool for the majority of this season.Although I have seen much success in my triathlon experience I have never been able to compete at 100%.Although surgery will take considerable recovery time, it may offer some needed relief and the possibility of training and competing at my full potential.I would like to come back stronger and better.Surgery is scheduled for this Thursday Oct. 22^nd, 2009. I plan to keep my readers updated on my progress.Thank you for your continued support and cheerful words.You are appreciated, thank you so much!

Since I won’t be able to use my arm, I am hoping on living vicariously through you and wanted to challenge you to use your arms and do the Hundred Pushup Challenge.Yes, you can actually get to the point of doing one-hundred push-ups.I plan to also complete the challenge when I am able.Here’s a link to the program. www.hundredpushups.com Please keep me updated on your progress.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. -Theodore Roosevelt

Related posts:The Climb

Updates:

10.21.09Shoulder surgery at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. (gulp!)I can’t eat after midnight – that is always hard, I love food!I am hoping for a speedy recovery – keep you fingers crossed for me.

10.22.09Well, it’s a little slower to type with one hand, but I survived the shoulder surgery.All went well (I think), but it looks like I will be retiring my running shoes for several months.Now I hope I can survive the recovery.

10.23.09 Yesterday was a blur, especially after I went into shock during the first IV attempt when they hit a seriously painful nerve.However, the third time was the charm and soon I remember getting situated on the operating table.The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room – I didn’t have much luck holding anything down and the nurse kept telling me to take deep breaths and she could smell the anesthesia meds.I don’t think I have ever been that nauseous in all of my life.Unfortunately I was a little out of it when the doctor came in and talked to me after the surgery; so I didn’t really understand what they found until today.The decompression went well, however they discovered that I have Degenerative Joint Disorder – which is not good news (this is a chronic condition – arthritis). I will know more when I go in for my post-op appointment on Wed.I have also scheduled a physical therapy appointment on Monday.Time will tell how this will impact my training as an athlete.For now I will not be able to run for several months, but soon I hope to be given the green light to do a stationary bike.

10.26.09 I went to physical therapy this morning. Good news - my range of motion is really good. They are encouraging me to use my arm (within limits) and gave me some exercises to do several times a day. Truly it is nothing like the intensity I am used to, but I am happy to be making progress and will patiently allow my body to heal. It was an encouraging visit and I have been giving the green light to exercise (non-jarring, and with some limits). Needless to say, I am thrilled.

10.29.09 I visited with my doctor yesterday and had the stitches removed. We also reviewed the pictures of my shoulder arthroscopy and they showed me the osteoarthritis (click on the link at the bottom of this update and you can see it in the picture on the first page at the bottom right). My joint is healing well from the surgery, but allowing it to rest and not doing too much too soon is important. I will be for sure out of the pool for 8 more weeks, but can do things using pain as my guide and keeping the swelling out of the joint by working within the restrictions of the physical therapist. Still no jarring or running. The best thing for the joint concerning osteoarthritis is to stay active and keep the muscles around the joint strong, which is simply my life anyway. The disease will progress but how quickly is unknown and it is unknown how it will effect me as an athlete. My spirits are up and there are many people that have it much worse then me. Honestly the pain from the nerve damage from the first IV attempt that put me into shock is worse.

It's not everyday you get to look at the inside of your living body - cool

click to view pictures from my left-shoulder arthroscopy

11.13.09It has been far too long and I need to update everyone on my progress. I am being diligent with the exercises given to me by my physical therapist and have done them as prescribed. I am progressing well and am trying to patiently heal. I must admit is it difficult to see others out running when I want to and can not. I have been putting in some miles on the my road bike indoors without the use of my arms. I feel a little disproportionately lower-body-strong at this point. Swimming is not even close to being an option for me, but with some hope I will be able to run on Dec. 3rd (yes, I am counting down the days). Tomorrow I will walk as all of the other South Davis Road Runners run. I am excited to meet some new area triathletes at the mingle. Things are looking up.

2.10.11Well it has been forever (obviously) since I have posted an update on my progress in relation to this injury. I really can't complain about my progress and I must say when I started swimming again last spring I was very discouraged with my speed. I simply decided to work on creating an even stroke and decided without having a good base that I would need to focus on sprint distance triathlons. So that is what I did last season, just focus on the short races. I spent a limited amount of time in the water and when I was in the water I did tons of drills to create and new and improved stroke, with a new and improved shoulder. I must admit I was very surprised with win my first race in March last year (the Canyonland Five Miler with 739 participants). Click here to read the race report. All went smooth, but the real test was doing a triathlon.

In my first scheduled triathlon of the season, the swim was cancelled. I was a bit disappointed. The other triathlons I did over the season naturally left me disappointed with my swim times but I quickly realized that my focus on improving the bike earlier in the season would help carry my through. Simply I had a ton of time to make up from the mediocre swims that I needed to "bring it" on the bike and run. Despite my slow swim times I managed to have 12 overall and/or division first place finishes during the season. I was thrilled with my decision to not overly put pressure on myself to go longer but to just stick to the shorter races. This allowed me the time I needed to work on the technique of swimming and I hoped for my speed to come back. After a regular winter training regime that I have been engaged in I hope to participate in some longer events in 2011. I am now inching closer to the swim times that I am accustom to (always with the hopes of surpassing what I have done before). I am looking forward to a fun filled season. Triathlons are a blast! Thanks for reading.

Off and Running,

Coach Lora

"Blonde Runner"

Do you live in the Davis County Utah area? Are you interested in being coached for triathlon? If so - join Team Blonde Runner (TBR). I LOVE triathlons! To learn more visit www.teamblonderunner.com Beginners welcome!