Gimp Updates: ACL and Thyroid
(Last Updated On: )
Just thought I’d throw in a quick update of how things are going with my two gimps.
Thyroid
Eight days after thyroid surgery I was riding my bike again with only minor pain. The pain in my neck was aggrivated a few days later while flying to Spain. Hours without sleeping and with my neck kinked in an airplane chair were the culprits. But, after a day or two there, I didn’t have any more pain. Pretty much two weeks after thyroid surgery, I was fully recovered- no pain, not tired- felt fine!
Since it was a partial thyroidectomy, I have the option of not taking Synthroid or other thyroid replacement drugs. However, I’ve been on Synthroid for 6 years already and going off of it- asking half of my thyroid to do what my whole thyroid hasn’t done for 6 years- would be too much. So, I’m staying on my current level of .88mg of Synthroid. I’ll have a blood test soon to make sure my hormone levels are where they should be. But, my energy has seemed normal, so I suspect my levels are probably at normal.
ACL
Overall, I’m healing. I’ll be skiing when the snow falls. But, I’ll likely play it conservative for a little while, especially with the early season snow cover. My knee rarely hurts and overall feels really stable. I have good control and balance with it, but the muscles surrounding my knee are still weak. I need to spend more time working on strengthening and plyo’s to get it ready for ski season.
Recovering from knee surgery always has it’s ups and downs. I finally started riding single track a couple of weeks ago. But, then I went to physical therapy and aggravated my hamstring (to the point where I could hardly walk) and my 10-yr old issue of patellar tendinitis. This caused me to take a few days off the bike. But, then I was at it again- feeling good! I was watching out for things that irritated my tendinits to keep it managed and was happy to be riding some of my favorite single track trails. Then, on Tuesday this week I started noticing a pain in my hip flexor. When I woke up on Wednesday morning the pain was worse, and it’s even worse today after physical therapy. I spoke with my physical therapist about it, and he thinks I’m probably over-doing it and perhaps having some compensation issues with my weakened knee. So, another few days of rest are needed.
Never-ending Roller-coaster
My recovery is physically and emotionally like a roller coaster. I go up and down on a monthly, weekly, even daily basis. Right now I’m frustrated with my knee/hip-flexor issues because I just want to be free of pain and do the things I love doing. I want to ride single track, because I’ve been deprived of it all summer. But, I am still a gimp. I’m angry because this injury is preventing me from accomplishing yet another goal: The Pearl Pass Aspen ride– happening this weekend, and we were planning on returning via an epic single track trail. I’ve wanted to do this ride for over two years now. I guess it will need to wait until next year.
I remember my ski team coach telling me when I was frustrated about the same things with my ACL surgery 12 years ago, “It takes a year to recover. Then, you’ll be back to yourself again.” She was right. On Saturday (two days from now) I’ll be exactly 6 months post-op. So, I’ll be officially a “half-gimp” 🙂 I have to keep that in mind, I guess. For right now, I can do the things I love to do… in moderation. I must remember that I’m still healing and that I need to listen to my body when it warns me. It’s just all part of the healing process. My goals will have to wait until I’m not a gimp anymore…
- Mount Buckskin (17 May 2020) - May 28, 2020
- Horseshoe Ski (14 May 2020) – The mountain whose journey nearly killed me - May 27, 2020
- Sayres X-Rated Ski (10 May 2020) - May 19, 2020
