When It Rains.... It Pours

Well, I don't know how to begin this update other than to say I think I have a big dark cloud hanging over me!

Last Tuesday evening (July 13), following 2 dislocations of my right shoulder, I was in my kitchen preparing dinner and dropped a knife which landed directly on my right foot causing a deep laceration above my right toe. So.... off to the ER again I go. To make a long story short, not only did I lacerate my foot, but I managed to sever a tendon! The nurse at the ER told me that I needed to consult either a Podiatrist or Orthopedic surgeon right away as tendons need to be surgically repaired within 48 hours.

Fortunately, since I was already being treated for my shoulder, I was able to see my Orthopedic doc the following day and had surgery to repair my right Extensor Hallucis Longus (EHL) tendon on Thursday, July 15.

So, presently, my right arm is constrained as a result of having to stay in an immobilizer for 3 weeks to help repair the shoulder, and my right foot is bandaged and booted. The good news is that they outfitted me with a weight bearing boot (since I cannot use crutches) which helps me get around fairly easily.

The nurse at the ER was really funny. When she discharged me she said that they normally give crutches to patients who have injured their foot. However, in my case, because of my already injured shoulder, if she gave me crutches, I'd be back in the ER within a few hours with a a head injury!!

I am doing my best to keep a positive attitude throughout all of this craziness. Fortunately, I have been able to work from home this week. Unfortunately, my running is on hold indefinitely. I know that I will NOT be running the half-marathons that I had previously planned in August and September. I think my earliest race will be in November.

Off to the doctor this afternoon for my first post-surgical visit. Everything feels fine down there so I am hoping to get a good report. He originally told me to expect a 4 to 6 week recovery period so it looks like I have 3 to 5 weeks to go!!

John

Injury Will Cause a Setback

Major disappointment here. Last Thursday while swimming in the Atlantic (actually, I was attempting to body surf) I dislocated my right shoulder and was treated at Shore Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House, NJ where they were able to 'pop' it back into place with minimal sedation. A very big thank you to my neighbor and friend, Sheree for being there with me throughout the ordeal and my brother, Steve who came by to visit me at the hospital as he was vacationing nearby in North Wildwood.

All seemed to be going fine until 6am on Saturday morning when my shoulder dislocated again as I was waking up. Off to the ER again, this time to Doylestown Hospital which is only a 10 minute ride from home. The docs at Doylestown didn't seem to be interested in mild sedation so they treated me with the 'Michael Jackson' drug of choice, propofol. Man, that stuff works fast!!

So, bottom line is that I have to stay in an immobilizer contraption for 3 weeks. At least I will be able to drive and get to work. Saw my orthopaedic doc earlier today and he told me that running is out of the question for the next several weeks so it looks like I will NOT be running the Minneapolis Half-Marathon in August. My next race will probably be the Philadelphia Rock 'n Roll Half-Marathon on September 19.

Had an MRI on the shoulder earlier this afternoon to see if there is an damage to the rotator cuff or ligaments. I'll find out the results next week.

Thanks to Tim and Sheree for being there for me during my times of need and to Doreen and Rob for the chocolate chip cookies.

Life as an adventure!!

John

Training for Minneapolis 13.1

Well, after tapering off from my running over the past 4 weeks, I am back in training for my next half-marathon event in Minneapolis on Sunday, August 22. I've hit the gym 6 out of the last 7 days and I am following a program that includes easy, speed, and long slow distance runs. I actually ran on the treadmill for 2 hours and 5 minutes on Sunday, completing a long distance run at a slow 5.2 mph pace. My iPod was a great companion as I coasted along listening to the fast-paced dance tunes of Donna Summer and Taylor Dane!!

http://www.131marathon.com/13_1_Minneapolis.htm

Stretching before and after my runs is really helping with my flexibility - I try to stretch for at least 10 minutes before and after each run. I am also including strength training in my regimen and I can feel the difference.

So, I now have 2 half-marathons lined up - Minneapolis on August 22 and Philadelphia on September 19. I've been considering North Carolina Outer Banks half in November but haven't committed to running that one yet. Anxious to see how I feel after completing two 13.1 mile runs a month apart - that will be a first for me....

Looking forward to visiting Minneapolis again and meeting up with some old friends from graduate school.

Happy Trails, everyone!

John