Another operation on the wonky left shoulder that has been, with the help of my propensity for landing on it every time I fall off my bike, getting progressively wonkier for several years now.
Part of the operation wasn’t due to any specific injury, or at least that wasn’t the proximate cause. I decided that the plate that was installed 10 years ago on my left clavicle after I shattered that bone into three pieces after an awkward flying dismount from my mountain bike, needed to come out, since it seemed like it was often the cause of discomfort in my shoulder.
My awesome massage therapist had had her plate removed and she said that the rehab from the removal surgery was really quick, something like a few weeks, before she felt normal.
So that was the perspective with which I approached the surgery.
What I was conveniently forgetting were the other problems with the shoulder about which I had talked to my surgeon; like the sharp pain on the top of my shoulder during the recovery stroke while swimming and what turned out to be a small tear in the rotator cuff caused by some bone spurs.
So on surgery day I’m thinking I’ll be back to normal activity in a few weeks.
Well, it turns out that when your swimming pain is caused by the upper bicep tendon being torn at the insertion point into the bone, they cut the tendon and re-attach it further down. It’s supposed to be good as new after it heals, but the healing part, that’s the catch. It takes three whole months.
That’s three months of doing no strength training, as in no swimming, or outdoor biking, or weight lifting.
So much for back to normal in a few weeks. It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess.
I’m now one week post surgery. Eleven weeks to go…
The Terrible Triathlete 