Monthly Archives: February 2013

Groundhog Day

This entry was posted in Racing on by .

Seems like I’m just stuck in Groundhog Day here. The time continuum here is in flux, never staying static. I’m having a very hard time keeping track of which day of the week it is. Plus, with the sleeping so hit or miss, the nights are longer than long.

I’m doing physical therapy in Vail twice a day, so that sort of keeps me on a schedule somewhat. Since it is President’s Weekend, it is crazy crowded up here, which makes the commute unpredictable. Just exiting in Vail can take up to 15 minutes.

Trudi dragged me over Old Chicago pizza last night to watch the KU/Texas game. There was an hour and a half wait, but we just sat in the bar and ate. KU seemed to be back to normal after their 3 game implosion.

My friend Ann, from Austin, is running the Austin Marathon this morning. Good luck to her. Maybe Lance can do that when he is 50 after he spills his guts to USADA? Do hold your breathe on that one.

I rode the erogometer for 15 minutes down in the garage here. No hands. I can’t say I felt stellar. Actually, I have no idea how I felt, I never once looked at the resistance. I plan to get on a schedule for that too, as soon as I can stay awake during the daytime.

Okay, have to get dressed and head over to Vail for PT. Today the sessions are spread out by 5 hours. Hopefully I can get them to squeeze them closer together. I would hate to miss my all afternoon nap.

Big 15 minute workout in the garage.

Big 15 minute workout in the garage.

We're watching Vincent''s dog, Jack. Jack always steals your chair as soon as you get up.

We’re watching Vincent”s dog, Jack. Jack always steals your chair as soon as you get up.

Breg Polar Care Ice Therapy

This entry was posted in Comments about Cycling on by .

Okay, hopefully this will be the last I post about anything to do with this stupid shoulder surgery for a while. These days are melting into each other and I haven’t really been reading too much cycling related news, plus my mind is a marshmallow.

Hopefully I have this gastrointestinal thing figured out and I’ll be on easy street today. It snowed up here in Summit County, again, so the “commute” over to Vail gets sort of ugly. They don’t use salt on the roads here so it is actually a little dicey even when it has snowed only a small amount.

Something that I didn’t even know existed and now use the majority of the day is this Breg Polar Pack I got from my friend Stacie in Louisville. They use Game Ready machines at the Steadman Clinic, but insurance doesn’t pay for it and the Game Ready machines are astronomically expensive. The Breg does all I need it for and it is super portable.

These machines are really just continuous ice packs. You fill them full of ice, with a little water, and they have a pump that circulates ice cold water to a compression sleeve, via insulated hoses. I’m obviously using the shoulder sleeve, but they make different sleeves for knees, ankles, wrists, etc. Anyway, you aren’t supposed to wear it all the time, but I’ve been wearing it on and off the majority of the day and nights, the past 4 days. The cold makes the pain much less, plus I suppose it aids in the healing process.

The physical therapist yesterday told me that 50% of the healing of this surgery occurs during the first two weeks, then 80% after 6 weeks and 95% at 12 weeks. I don’t talk to the doctor again for another week and a half, so I’m not sure what my schedule is as of now. The therapy is leaving me a little more zonked than I had originally planned for. I don’t know anything about this whole process, so I’m just doing what they say as of now. Hopefully I can convince myself to stay on this plan.

This is about the happiest picture I could take this morning.

This is about the happiest picture I could take this morning.

IT's just a little ice chest that holds ice and water, with a pump.

IT’s just a little ice chest that holds ice and water, with a pump.

I carry it around with me everywhere.

I carry it around with me everywhere.

This is Trudi in front of the skating ring by the Lion's Head Gondola. There is usually a couple hours between PT treatments and the walking does me good.

This is Trudi in front of the skating ring by the Lion’s Head Gondola. There is usually a couple hours between PT treatments and the walking does me good.