Good News, Bad News

I figured it would come to this.

But good news first: Dr. Schmeling, the leg doc, said I was healing quickly, months ahead of schedule. He told me to ditch the cane, and go ride my bike a lot to strengthen the leg. Not a problem, doc!

So yesterday, I rode my cross bike with road wheels down the trail all the way to the Milwaukee Athletic Center. It used to be my warmup, but Tuesday it was a blast just to be able to ride. I was pretty tired this morning!

Today, I saw Dr. Grindel, the shoulder doc. I expected to hear bad news since the shoulder was simply not healing. It hurt often, especially with stupid quick movement when I forget I'm hurt.

At this moment, while I wait for Grindel's nurse to confirm, I'm getting surgery next Thursday. Grindel will either screw the loose bone back into my shoulder or push it back in and sew it into the bone. (If it wasn't my shoulder, sewing bone into bone sounds kind of cool.)

While it will heal as my leg heals, I probably won't be able to meet my goal of racing July 4 in Eau Claire. Grindel says these things take up to 12 weeks to heal. That means 8 or 9 weeks for me! And that means more weeks of riding the trainer.

Needless to say, I'm getting out tomorrow for as long as I can stand it. Same with the rest of the week until surgery day.

It'll be nice to put this all behind me. Except for the scar, and the limp, and the sore shoulder...