A couple of weeks post surgery

Hi. The pain from surgery is heavy still and I think it will become my long-term companion.  Surely, physical rehabilitation was meant for younger folks.  I walked with the walker 100 feet up the small hill to the corner and back to the house this morning.  I am making it a three-times-daily event.

A dip in the ocean is a long way off; I have yet to hit the shower since surgery.  Tomorrow is shower day.  Staples were removed yesterday.  Wound healing well.  I can get in/out of bed much easier now.

My doctor's instructions are walk, walk, walk.  OK, OK, OK. 

There has to be a goal of some sort to energize the soul.  Mine is the swim, even though I don't know whether I'll fully swim again.  I can see myself in the water but swimming a smooth crawl stroke may be beyond my body's future abilities.  A bad neck, one bad shoulder, and waiting for this back to return to use fill my plate, but I can make adjustments. 

For now I'll do my little exercises and plan for slow, steady progress.  This will lead me downstream toward the beach.



"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Will He Swim After He Gets His Bionic Parts?

Tomorrow is a big day for this half-assed swimmer.  I get my spinal fusion surgery, L5-S1.

The rehab process is something that I don't want to experience, but that is my lot.  My hope is that there are ocean swims ahead for me still; I so miss the cold chill of the water.


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

I can't do the Oceanside Labor Day Pier Swim, but you should.

http://labordaypierswim.com/index.html



"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Torn Rotator Cuff in Swimming?

http://www.seahiker.com/anatomy-of-the-swimmers-shoulder-and-impingement/


A link to a good article with illustrations of the shoulder.




"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Lightning Struck at the Beach

     Yesterday at Venice Beach


http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_26226371/lightning-strikes-venice-beach-boardwalk-la-another

I don't know anything about lightning, except that in the US it strikes most commonly in Florida.  This is another reason why I will never go to Florida.  My paramount reason for avoiding Florida is the presence of alligators.

So, this poor fellow is in the wrong place at the wrong time, for sure.  And fourteen others left buzzing by the strike.  Things like this are why we don't worry about sharks in the water. 

By the way, I am STILL waiting for insurance approval to get my back surgery.  I am now a big fatso who does nothing.  The insurance is making me see a neurologist/surgeon--only four more days to wait for that appointment.  This is a one-month wait to see this guy as a mandatory second opinion.  I bet I'm in the office for ten minutes.  What I don't get is that my L3, L4, and L5 discs are all herniated or leaking or bulging, and the technical description goes on about L3 & L4 damage, BUT the orthopedic surgeon plans to fuse just ONE disc (L5 to S1).  Seems to me you'd fix all three discs but what do I know?



"The first time you quit is the last time you try."