Losing it...

[0leman]

When I was a kid/teenager going to the dentist was not fun.  It to for ever for the novocain to take effect, about the time I was walking out of the office.  Getting teeth drilled hurts but seems I also have a fairly high pain tolerance.   Thankfully a lot has changed in the last few years, what ever they are using now work pretty darn quick, either that or my reaction to the drugs have changed.

I have had the opportunity to rehab right elbow and shoulder.  From two different problems.  I found I could push myself further than what I would allow someone else to do.   I had the rehab folks tell me what to do, and I would do it.   If they tried to move me, I wouldn't let them hurt me.  Maybe it mind over matter, don't know.  But in both cases I was able to get full function to both joints in a shorter period than what I was told it would take. 

Now if I had taken better care of myself in the last 70 plus years, old age might be more enjoyable, not saying I am not enjoying it now.   But some mornings it takes some time to get abused joints to get moving.

[Valker]

When I was a kid/teenager going to the dentist was not fun.  It to for ever for the novocain to take effect, about the time I was walking out of the office.  Getting teeth drilled hurts but seems I also have a fairly high pain tolerance.   Thankfully a lot has changed in the last few years, what ever they are using now work pretty darn quick, either that or my reaction to the drugs have changed.

I have had the opportunity to rehab right elbow and shoulder.  From two different problems.  I found I could push myself further than what I would allow someone else to do.   I had the rehab folks tell me what to do, and I would do it.   If they tried to move me, I wouldn't let them hurt me.  Maybe it mind over matter, don't know.  But in both cases I was able to get full function to both joints in a shorter period than what I was told it would take. 

Now if I had taken better care of myself in the last 70 plus years, old age might be more enjoyable, not saying I am not enjoying it now.   But some mornings it takes some time to get abused joints to get moving.

Just a reminder:

[Daniel Meyer]

I guess the kidding part didn't go without saying like I had hoped.

Nah, I got the gist...but it prompted some thoughts and I wrote 'em down.

My wife would look at me with patience you with sympathy and say, "He's a writer. They do these things."

[0leman]

When I was a kid/teenager going to the dentist was not fun.  It to for ever for the novocain to take effect, about the time I was walking out of the office.  Getting teeth drilled hurts but seems I also have a fairly high pain tolerance.   Thankfully a lot has changed in the last few years, what ever they are using now work pretty darn quick, either that or my reaction to the drugs have changed.

I have had the opportunity to rehab right elbow and shoulder.  From two different problems.  I found I could push myself further than what I would allow someone else to do.   I had the rehab folks tell me what to do, and I would do it.   If they tried to move me, I wouldn't let them hurt me.  Maybe it mind over matter, don't know.  But in both cases I was able to get full function to both joints in a shorter period than what I was told it would take. 

Now if I had taken better care of myself in the last 70 plus years, old age might be more enjoyable, not saying I am not enjoying it now.   But some mornings it takes some time to get abused joints to get moving.

Just a reminder:

Trouble is/was there was not "Clean Living", now paying for it.   

[Daniel Meyer]

Accidental Travelage...

Wife: “Did your doctors tell you that you could ride?”
Me: “Ahem…Technically….they never told me I *couldn’t* ride.”
Her (with *that* look): “TECHNICALLY…did you ever tell them that you ARE a rider?”

Damn! She’s on to me!

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2018/04/06/accidental-travelage/

[Willow]

LOL!  Reminds me a bit of an exchange I had once upon a time.

"Did the doctor release you to ride?"

"Release me?"

"Didn't the doctor's orders say you were to stay off the bike?"

"I don't take orders from doctors.  I pay them for their advice."  

[Daniel Meyer]

LOL!  Reminds me a bit of an exchange I had once upon a time.

"Did the doctor release you to ride?"

"Release me?"

"Didn't the doctor's orders say you were to stay off the bike?"

"I don't take orders from doctors.  I pay them for their advice."  

I like how you think.

 

[DirtyDan]

Speaking of losing it

Went to the doctor Tuesday

Scale read me at 198 pounds

I graduated high school at 275

Dan

[The emperor has no clothes]

Speaking of losing it

Went to the doctor Tuesday

Scale read me at 198 pounds

I graduated high school at 275

Dan

You need some more of that Colorado medicine 

[Daniel Meyer]

Speaking of losing it

Went to the doctor Tuesday

Scale read me at 198 pounds

I graduated high school at 275

Dan

Awesome work!

[Daniel Meyer]

Met this dude in an elevator the other day. Didn't recognize him...




Very strange…this fitness journey. I’ve lost damn near 200 pounds. I’m still a bit away from my goal…with is a “fit” 15% body fat…something like 20-25 pounds to go I think.

…and I STILL see the fat guy in the mirror. One day I’ll figure out how to come to terms with that.

That said, the “almost fit” guy in the photographs is a bit freaked out that he can buy an armored motorcycle jacket off the rack in a “normal” size…and it fits.

One day those two dudes are gonna have to meet…

[Oldfishguy]

Wherever you go . . . there you are.

That is quite the life goal you have achieved. Be proud, few could even come close to what you have done.

[hubcapsc]

That was almost one of those "to infinity" pictures...

-Mike

[Willow]

    Major accomplishment!

Your achievement makes some of us feel that we've been a bit lazy.

[Daniel Meyer]

That was almost one of those "to infinity" pictures...

-Mike

Certainly a Matrix-y "Mr. Smith" moment

Wherever you go . . . there you are.

That is quite the life goal you have achieved. Be proud, few could even come close to what you have done.

   Major accomplishment!

Your achievement makes some of us feel that we've been a bit lazy.

I would consider it more of an achievement if I hadn't done it to myself in the first place...I still, for the life of me...have no explanation as to why or how  "it  didn't matter--I'll get to it later" applied for 40 years....

[Daniel Meyer]

The wife likes this pic...

[Rams]

As one that has been there and done that, I will only say that you need to keep this goal as the #1 priority.    I know how easy it is to push it down the list.   I'm 164 lbs lighter than I was a few years ago.  Everyday is a struggle to maintain what I want to weigh. 

It ain't as easy (being sexy) as it used to be.   

Rams

[DirtyDan]

Doing good Dan

Keep riding while you can

Dan

[Jess from VA]

The wife likes this pic...

So do we.   

Most of the time, when we refer to our better half, we're talking about our spouses.

Your other half was not better; it was sweated out at the gym (and starved at the dinner table). 

It's really a phenomenal transformation Daniel.

(Myself, I try not to look too close in the mirror these days.) 

[Daniel Meyer]

Suck it T2!





...if I can do this...anybody can. Own it! Get on it!

[Valker]

Suck it T2!





...if I can do this...anybody can. Own it! Get on it!

[Daniel Meyer]

The hardest part about my fitness quest is by far...the head game...motivation is key...and most people suck at self motivation...usually preferring some external influence to "require" them to achieve something...

Along those lines...

Fitness Wolves...that would do it!

[DDT (12)]

Daniel,

Interesting idea! I wonder that in congress, though, which be the predator and which the prey...? I agree with you on the best source of stimulation/inspiration/motivation! Your accomplishments both in health improvement details and in terms of personal intellectual growth have been impressive! I salute, you sir...

DDT

[Daniel Meyer]

So...had my left rotator cuff surgery done last Thursday...



A good look for me, yes? On donning the hair net the wife tells me, "There's not much for it to hold in!"

Wimmen, Sigh,


A difficult surgery...tougher than the last one actually...but I LIVE! Bwahahahaha!



Despite this shoulder being more functional pre-surgery than the right one was (couldn't even lift the right arm), the repair was much more difficult and really put my surgeon through his paces.

FIVE hours under general...I think he said 13 anchors...the damage was "catastrophic"...apparently I don't ever do anything "half-assed"...



Going to be a LONG recovery...I'll know more on how successful he was and the long-term outlook after a followup later this week.

Back to work tomorrow.

[DDT (12)]

Nope... nothing half-assed at all!!! At least you've managed to smile broadly throughout... Hope you have a speedy… and non-eventful... recovery...

DDT

[The emperor has no clothes]

Them doctors sure use a lot of big words to say your shoulder was f’d up. 

[Daniel Meyer]

Nope... nothing half-assed at all!!! At least you've managed to smile broadly throughout... Hope you have a speedy… and non-eventful... recovery...

DDT

Gonna be a long one...a year of rehab it looks like...but I predict 8 weeks to riding...

Them doctors sure use a lot of big words to say your shoulder was f’d up. 

I believe they charge by the syllable.

[Daniel Meyer]

Post surgical followup this morning on the left shoulder...y'all may remember the words "catastrophic damage" were bandied about.

Tougher repair than the right shoulder was, but basically the same damage. FIVE hours to repair it.

Gotta love my doc...dude is an artist...y'all might remember that THREE other surgeons told me there was nothing to be done but a reverse shoulder replacement...a massively limiting, debilitating, life-altering, and short term fix.

It's frightening to me...just how much "dumb luck" was involved in finding him. There should be a better way...but that's another discussion.

Anyway, post-surgical followup...

*Doc pulls out the pictures*
"See this single beautiful, perfect tendon?"
"Yep."
"Well that's the only thing in your shoulder that *wasn't* seriously torn up..."

He managed to recover the retracted muscle, reattach the all the completely torn tendons to the bone, repair all the other tears, and mine out a bone spur and joint damage that come from a lifetime of hard work and the recent "out of spec" use of the thing...

Prognosis if I don't tear it up in the 1st year of recovery (30% recurrence rate, but careful, deliberate work seems to be the deciding factor)...is excellent for full function. Full strength possible in another year after that...

A long road...but I'm on it...

[The emperor has no clothes]

 

[hubcapsc]

  

[Willow]

...
"See this single beautiful, perfect tendon?"
"Yep."
"Well that's the only thing in your shoulder that *wasn't* seriously torn up..."
...

LOL!    Daniel, the lifestyles we have pursued do seem to come with a delayed price ticket.  I'm glad you found the good doc.  Some are just not willing or not skilled enough to put in the work.  

[Daniel Meyer]

...
"See this single beautiful, perfect tendon?"
"Yep."
"Well that's the only thing in your shoulder that *wasn't* seriously torn up..."
...

LOL!    Daniel, the lifestyles we have pursued do seem to come with a delayed price ticket.  I'm glad you found the good doc.  Some are just not willing or not skilled enough to put in the work.  

That's sure the truth...google "reverse shoulder replacement" if ya want to know why I was freaking a bit when the other surgeons told me that was my only option for BOTH shoulders...but this doc, was "No. There are other options..."

He then described the ideal, which is what he achieved...and the fallback he would be prepared for.

Typical rotator cuff op is 1.5 hours...many would have called it after that and spent the next half hour doing the fallback (an SCR if you're curious)...and he was prepared for that...but instead, came out and told the wife he was going to keep trying to recover the muscle for a while and anchor it.

FIVE hours later...he got it...finished up, the ideal...and as a result of his determination and passion...I expect to achieve 100% rather than a life-altering disability...note he doesn't get paid any more for that than the 1.5-2 hours expectation...

I may have mentioned this in my blog/etc...but I commented to him when preparing for the second surgery how difficult it was to find a surgeon that could do this and he looked up, not bragging, and said, "There are two..."

Blessed. Lucky. Fortunate...whatever...that I found the guy.

I've paid some dues...but I've had some amazing breaks too...

Heh...you and me both man...

I'll see you on the road.

[Daniel Meyer]

Made this to help me visualize what was torn up in my shoulder...and why I hurt so bad today...in multiple, distinct places...

The current is my left shoulder and the diagram is for a right shoulder, but yanno...right and left are the same in most humans (just mirrored)...

The yellow lines are all tendon tears that were repaired...the big yellow "X" is the muscle that was retracted and atrophied so badly (grade 4, which is as bad as it gets)...that will take a LONG time to rebuild...and the top muscle (supraspinatus) was also retracted to the line...

There was also damage to the biceps tendon (not shown).

Every one of those yellow lines hurts today LOL! (AND there are three incisions required to get in all that...and each one of them hurts individually today as well).

[Jess from VA]

That sucks.

And I suppose you're way out of warranty.

If all that was service connected as injury by VA (from military service), you'd be entitled to separate (compensable) evaluations for painful scars, muscle loss/damage/lost range of motion, and any damage or loss of bone/arthritis, and any nerve or neurological damage.  Except all those together can never exceed the amount payable for loss of the entire limb (the amputation rule) (but, if the entire arm is amputated from the shoulder joint down, it is rated 90% for either arm) (dominance irrelevant)
________

Daniel, didn't you report being a weight lifter, and using the gym for part of weight loss regimen, and (if so) do you suppose that has something to do with that shoulder?  Maybe not for traumatic injury(s), but in aggravation of those injury(s)?

I almost fell down some stairs last year and grabbed the rail and jerked the dickens out of both shoulders as I left my feet (beyond ordinary range of motion).  One is now good, but the other still has some residual (of something or other; I don't go to doctors).  And that was my favorite side to sleep on.  I've been pretty careful, and it's nearly back to normal (whatever normal is for 65yo's).

I'm way out of warranty too.

[Daniel Meyer]

That sucks.

And I suppose you're way out of warranty.

Heh...yeah, just a bit...

If all that was service connected as injury by VA (from military service), you'd be entitled to separate (compensable) evaluations for painful scars, muscle loss/damage/lost range of motion, and any damage or loss of bone/arthritis, and any nerve or neurological damage.  Except all those together can never exceed the amount payable for loss of the entire limb (the amputation rule) (but, if the entire arm is amputated from the shoulder joint down, it is rated 90% for either arm) (dominance irrelevant)

I never served...would have methinks...and would have loved the college opportunities...but I came of age during the Reagan "cold war" era...he had built up the military and they were done with the expansions (and shrinking a bit) so they got "picky" on who they'd take. I already had some scars/injuries and was born with asthma (controllable, but as I said, they were picky at that time).

So all private sector...a lifetime of hard work...(and other things)...I'm damn lucky I have insurance that will cover fixing it at all. They've interviewed me about 6 times now trying to determine if there's somebody they can sue to recover these costs...

Daniel, didn't you report being a weight lifter, and using the gym for part of weight loss regimen, and (if so) do you suppose that has something to do with that shoulder?  Maybe not for traumatic injury(s), but in aggravation of those injury(s)?

I do lift...and was lifting...and did aggravate the situation with a bad lift (overhead press, bad form)...but primarily it was a bunch of old injuries accumulating, Including totaling a mini-van (and likely a car) with my shoulders in Alaska...and of course, the lifetime of grueling construction work, hay hauling, a few "scraps" that any man that stands up for what's right occasionally gets into...

...and then I topped it all off with an awkward fall (arms out in a bad position).

When my doc first consulted with me on the MRI's he said, "Holy sh!t dude! You didn't do all this at once!"

I almost fell down some stairs last year and grabbed the rail and jerked the dickens out of both shoulders as I left my feet (beyond ordinary range of motion).  One is now good, but the other still has some residual (of something or other; I don't go to doctors).  And that was my favorite side to sleep on.  I've been pretty careful, and it's nearly back to normal (whatever normal is for 65yo's).

I'm way out of warranty too.

I wish I'd understood shoulder/tendon injuries don't heal on their own...I'd have addressed some of this in years past I expect and had less severity to deal with...but I was young and stupid then (as opposed to being old and stupid now )

[Daniel Meyer]

…and if you’re not ready, it ain’t gonna work.

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2018/09/17/not-an-alien/

Own it.

[Willow]

…and if you’re not ready, it ain’t gonna work.

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2018/09/17/not-an-alien/

Own it.

It's quite true.

It’s tough. You have to get your mind right. That’s the challenge. Own it.

LOL!  When I read that line I couldn't help but think of the warden saying of Cool Hand Luke, "... You ain't gonna need no third set, 'cause you gonna get your mind right."

[Daniel Meyer]

"What's your pain level today?" says that nice little lady I pay to torture me twice a week (PT doc).

I'm sure I looked at her like she'd grown a third arm...

"Uh..."

"You okay?"

"It's zero. Zip. Zero. Nada. I'm not sure how I feel about that..."

1st time since a year ago or so...strange feeling...light at the end of the tunnel on these shoulder surgeries. Getting more functional every day. Still got in excess of a year to rebuild the strength, but I WILL regain full functionality. Some of y'all may recall *that* was in serious doubt prior to the surgeries.

So yeah, no serious pain (only muscle soreness nowadays), increasing functionality, and 100% expected recovery.

[Willow]

 

[Daniel Meyer]

Got the arms to the point where I have 100% motion and 100% control...but in some directions almost zero strength...(diagonally, think "drawing a sword and going overhead with it)

But that is progress!

So...back to my trainer starting Monday. My target this year? 15% body fat, rebuild shoulder strength, with as much muscle as I can pile on during the process.

Should be fun...if I don't die...haven't had a full-body intense training session in a year