Week six, good news!

I got some good news today! I went to visit my orthopedist this morning, six weeks and two days after I broke my hip. Today's x-rays look good. I'm healing well, and there's no sign of AVN yet. He has cleared me to immediately begin putting 25% of my weight on it, then 50% next week, then 75% the week after that, then 100% and no more crutches. (Assuming I can.) I'm also clear to go back to work immediately. I can start riding a bike with light resistance on a stationary trainer in three weeks, and I can ride a bike outside in six weeks! Yes. I can also start sleeping on the broken side in six weeks. Right now I can't imagine that, it's too painful.

I put my left foot on a scale to see what 25% feels like, and it feels right. It is right at the discomfort threshold. Any more pressure on that foot is noticeably uncomfortable.

He said that, again, AVN can show up in a year, or two years. I am not out of the woods. Groin pain, and the kind of hip pain that requires narcotics are the warning signs. Pain on the outside of the hip is probably due to the hardware. He said he'd take the upper screw out in a year, if it's bothering me, but he would not likely take the lower dynamic hip screw (DHS) out, unless it's really bothering me. I am still hurting in a general way, so it's too soon to guess whether I'm feeling the screw head or not.

I'm so stoked to have a plan now!

     August 2014
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
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 3  4  5  6  7  8  9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16  <- Today is 8/11.
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31

   September 2014
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
    1  2  3  4  5  6
 7  8  9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20  <- Do you know what 9/15 is? It's ride a bike outside day.
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28 29 30

I sure think 9/15 means "week six". I'm going with it. Maybe he meant 9/22.  Nah. My daughter Lulu is getting a new bike, a Juliana Furtado. We've pretty much agreed that we need to do a father/daughter Downieville weekend in Late September with our friends Devin & Emily. Radness! Yes, in fact, riding the Downieville trails with a recently-healed broken hip is just fine. Totally fine.

Lulu and Emily, gettin' crazy

I know some people, right here in my little rider community who are going through the same thing; Adam and Steve. They're both a little earlier in the healing process. I hope I can be an inspiration for them. #gimpstrong

While I'm posting, these helped me, although sometimes the comments can get discouraging.

Recovering from the Big Break: A Femur Fracture
broken hip recovery advice needed...............

When I first broke my hip, the Tour de France was just beginning. Watching it in the mornings with my coffee really helped me get through each day, and look forward to the next. I'm not a tv guy, but my brain generally turns to mush after a day of sitting in one spot on my sofa and staring at a laptop. Lately what is getting me through the dead brain part of the evening is Trailer Park Boys. Oh yes, best thing on tv.

Downieville in chairs

This weekend I was up in the mountains with six kids, three grownups and two puppies. Some of those people were my family. I sat in various chairs and read books, watched a bike race, hung out in town and also by the river. I had a good time and got outside and wore the tips off my crutches. It was a nice break.