A visit with the surgeon...

A meniscus tear...

Friday, June 15, 2012

I went to see the surgeon for a one-week check-up and to have the stitches removed.  I brought along a couple copies of the magazine he’d requested and to make certain he understood what he was dealing with should he give me the green light to ride. 

“Wow!  This is really great.  You should autograph it and we’ll frame it and hang it in the lobby,” he said when I handed him an issue.

“Give me your pen,” I said.  I mean, how many times is someone likely to ask for my autograph?  Hundreds of thousands?  I can’t be sure...so I signed it ‘Stay in the game...cross train’.  He loved it since he’s a big proponent of cross training in general and particularly for me.  He pulled out the images of my scoped knee and began to explain.

“Here’s the part of your meniscus I had to cut out.  Quite a lot, as you can see.  Not so sure how you even walked in here.  You must have been in a lot of pain,” he said.

I realized I’d made a mistake.  Being a superhero and having inhuman strength is sometimes difficult to cover up.  “I was taking a lot of Advil.  I thought that way I could make it to the appointment so you could fix me up.”

He pointed out how the meniscus had been flapping around and rubbing the bones of the joint in ways it shouldn’t have and thus leading to the arthritis.

“Hold on there, Doc.  Did you say arthritis?  I’m not old...” I protested.

But my knee is.  We talked about what this would mean in the long run...that if I was likely to have an issue with either knee in the future, it would likely be the same one.  Then we got into my running. 

“I probably only run 3-4 times and around 20 miles a week,” I said.

This pleased him.  He felt at that level, I’d likely be fine for a lifetime.  We talked about the Survival Workout and he cautioned me about high jumps.  “You put so much more stress on the knee when you land from a height.  Your cushioning is gone in that knee.  The more riding you do...the better,” he concluded.

And I suppose none of that is a problem.  I truly enjoy riding and the more I do, the more I seem to enjoy it.  I’ve got big plans for riding cross country in the future and this all fits.  What I don’t like is being limited.  He was somewhat concerned about the hiking and step-ups I do with the sixty-pound pack, too.  I only do this when getting ready for a climbing trip and I suppose I can curtail it somewhat...biking does as much good for my legs.  Backpacking is a big part of my life, though and I’m not going to stop. 

I went home and, of course, hopped on the bike.  He’d said ‘ride 30 minutes and see how it feels’.  I multiplied that by 2 and subtracted 5 minutes...it’s a solid formula I invented...and rode nearly an hour without pain.  I did stay off the hills as he suggested...except for that one coming up Berkshire...and I stayed in the easier gears like he suggested...except when I wasn’t.  I’m trying to be good...but I’ve been off for a week.  I’m only human!

Bike Duration: 55 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 825.