WOODBRIDGE, VA
It seems like I’ve been down this road before. Too many times. This makes five surgeries in the last eight years.*
Nothing comes close to the cancer surgery two and a half years ago at Johns Hopkins. For that, I could only tell Ashley “this sucks” when she called. Yesterday I was able to tell her a lot more. And “sucks” wasn’t part of it.
I had the same knee surgery in 2006 to remove the torn portion of my meniscus. For that, I was on crutches for two weeks. By the second week, I had returned to work, on crutches, but went to the fitness center at lunchtime to pedal a stationary bike.
When I got home from the surgery yesterday I walked very gingerly to the front door and into the house. I balanced myself against the wall as necessary but never picked up a crutch. Or a pain pill.
Today I got the bike out. I put on tennis shoes, not the clip-ins, and wanted to see if I could pedal.
I could!
I didn’t go far, maybe 200-300 yards. But I went. The doctor said let the pain be my guide.
Pedaling is easier than walking. Unless I’m standing out of the saddle, it’s not supporting my body weight.
I’m not ready for a long ride. But I’m ready to begin recovery. Let the healing begin.
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*Two foot surgeries, two knee surgeries, and one cancer surgery
