Pinless and Slingless closing another chapter…

Tuesday, November 20th at 8:15am was my lucky day. My surgeon removed the pin from my left shoulder. In the examination room, he pulls out a pair of everyday plyers like something in my toolbox and within seconds, yanks out the pin. Just an instant of pain and it was over!

It had been six weeks and one day since surgery to install the pin which stuck out of my shoulder for easy removal. I had been in the immobilizer throughout with no ability to move my arm. And although I cheated and occasionally removed that sling, when I had it on it was like a straightjacket. The pin that was keeping bones together allowing my tendons to reconnect could have been broken if I moved my arm, hence the need for that torturous sling.

Throughout the ordeal, I learned what exercise I could and couldn’t do. Riding a trainer (stationary bike) was boring and I sweated so much that it was probably the cause of the infection that sent me back to the emergency room for two days and that could only be eliminated with multiple days of intravenous antibiotics. Walking was my only active outlet. I would walk my normal four mile neighborhood running loop. It took more than an hour! Also, in the later stages, I was in the gym weight room doing leg workouts and sit-ups. People at the gym felt sorry for me and would help me adjust the machines.

That Tuesday afternoon, I had planned a bike and run with different workout buddies. However, I quickly learned that immobilizing your arm for six weeks did bad things to your muscles, including making my shoulder and arm very stiff, limiting my range of motion. I was not able to lift my arm past my shoulder and could barely rotate it.

However, I was hellbent on a run. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (Thanksgiving) I ran 4 – 6 miles each day. Aside from the limited left arm swing, I felt strong. I took Friday off as a rest day. I ran in the Turkey Burnoff 5M/10M running club race Saturday. It was a cold morning and I ran the 5m option. My buddy, Steve, showed up and ran with me. He was great company. We held approximately 6:30 mile splits throughout, placing 11th overall out of a low key field of about 50-100 runners. It was a good day.

Sunday afternoon was my first bike ride on my new bike (replacement from Bernie, my buddy and old college roommate, for the one that was stolen). I adjusted the seat such that the arm reach to handlebar was minimal reducing the amount of stretching my left arm had to do since it was limiting. I did a 20 mile loop through Beach Drive and Rock Creek Park with Harriet.

The following day, less than a week since pinless and slingless, I woke at 5:30am and was finally back on the W&OD trail heading to Herndon for work. This is one of my favorite things to do… and I missed it the most. At six o’clock in the morning, it was pitch dark and sunrise wasn’t for another hour at least. I was powered by IPod with headlight on to see the trail. I cranked out 18 miles to work in 38 degree weather.

My ride back was just as exhilarating. I left the office around 4pm. It was starting to get dark, but since I was on the trail, I had no traffic to contend with which was good when it started to rain. I was prepared for the weather and it was a great return trip.

So, it looks like I am back to my usual mischief. I had been counting down the days and hours, and finally, I was free of the sling! The funny thing is, on that Tuesday when I became pinless and slingless, the surgeon actually gave me another sling to wear along with two simple stretching exercises and told me to come back in two weeks. As you can see, the sling was gone before even leaving the doctor’s building and I haven’t looked back!

Next stop, Boston Marathon, April 21th 2008…