2012

Well 2012 will get off to a slow start for biking.  Still in my splint, still have pins in my finger so I can't go riding.  Trainer is fine, but very boring and it hurts my finger to rest of my hand, so I have to sit up the entire time which is painful on the butt.  Yea I know probably more than you wanted to know, but hey I'll adjust the saddle in a little while.  I hope to run, and got in a good one before I got sick with a head cold.  I just can't seem to win right now.  I'm trying not to get discouraged and frustrated; but it's hard when all I seem to do is sleep, take showers, eat, work on my project for school and waste copious time on Facebook.

I have eyeballed many races, both bike and running that I'd like to do this year, but I hesitate to jump overboard and commit until I know when I can get back to serious riding/running.  I looked up my New Year's post from last year to see what goals I had. 

Here's what happened:

• Make it a point to ride long road rides to new and different places
• Well sort of. I did ride road some, but not nearly as much as I'd hoped for.  Add this to 2012.
• Find some new trails to explore on my bike
• I did finally get to ride at Pandapas this year, but still looking for new places.  Will hopefully realize this goal in '12 as we've got a good willing group of people now!
• Make each opportunity to ride fun
• OMG, yes the Wednesday Night Chicky ride has been the most fun I can remember.  We've got a good core group who just enjoy the trails so much.  I look forward to this every week and '12 will be even better.  I also enjoyed going for group rides on the weekends, hopefully we can continue this in '12.
• Ride the Metric Century @ the Storming of Thunder Ridge
• Nope, didn't happen.  I think this fell on the same weekend as one of the MTB races in Bedford.  For '12, I think I'm going to be on vacation (if I have enough PTO).
• Ride to Blacksburg by bike this year, take a picture of me and my bike at Virginia Tech, then have lunch then ride home
• Didn't happen - lack of road miles and time.  Maybe in '12, but more likely '13.
• Ride my bike(s) in more than one state (I did this in 2010)
• Yes indeedy!!!  I did two lengthy road rides while vacationing in Lancaster, PA.  This goal will stay with me for eternity.  '12 will see me and Punkin' racing the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek in NC in April and hopefully a MTB in the fall in Tennessee. 

There's a lot I want to do this year, just gotta get past this broken digit!!! 

Happy Holidays!!!

SPLINTY AND I WISH YOU ALL MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Long Live Splinty!!!

So of course, I'm crazy and named my broken finger Splinty.  It's been an awesome name on facebook and with my family.  Everyone loves Splinty.  I have 6 weeks to go in a splint.  Hopefully at my followup appointment in 4 weeks, the bone will be healed enough to have the pins removed otherwise I guess we wait even longer.  As far as work is concerned, if I'm in a splint and have restrictions, I can't work.  SIGH - my PTO will be gone soon and hopefully my FMLA kicks in to hold my job and my short term disability is approved to give me income.  From all indications I get, both will be approved, so I'm not too concerned with going back to work. 

My plan is to keep being kind of laid back until after Christmas then I plan to start running.  I can't get my hand on the handlebars otherwise I'd ride.  I can't bend my knuckle enough yet to clear the brake lever.  Running is fine with me anyway - may have to go get some "winter" shoes so my feet don't freeze.  Will likely stick to roads and greenways right now - too much of a risk of falling on the trail and breaking my finger again or the pins that hopefully speed the healing process.

Anyway, will be working on my final project for my Master's Degree while I'm off.  I was going to have to use PTO to do some of the work anyway, so it works out I suppose.  The more I get done now the better off I'll be in the end.  My program finishes in March, and I'm very happy about that. 

 

Anyway, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

stuff that's hard to do with one hand...

• use q-tip in ear of affected side
• blow dry hair
• put toothpaste on toothbrush
• shave your legs
• shave the opposite side's armpit (tmi?)
• text message
• type
• answer phone and write message 
• cook
• open a pocketbook that has a zipper
• open a wallet that has a zipper
• button jeans/pants
• tie shoes

and you can forget riding a bike...  not only is it forbidden, but i can't get my hand on the bars.

oh i forgot,  opening pill bottles and ziploc bags...

i'm bad according to mr mackey!

drugs are interesting for sure. for someone who generally hates medications and about the only things i've had in the past have been antibiotics, prednisone and otc pain relievers. this week i've had narcotics and benzos. what a wild experience. no i didn't try drugs when i was growing up because nancy reagan said not to. call me a lightweight, i don't care, but i'm sure that's the drugs talking. it will probably hurt my feelings, but will i know if i care? who knows. seriously though, read on for the latest in my Guillotined Finger Saga.





so when last i left you, i had a fracture through the last bone in my finger, 7 stitches and a ton of pain. i met my MD thursday morning - very nice, liked her right away. due to where the fracture is, the best way to fix it was surgery, she had already scheduled this, so at 1p i had to be at the hospital for pre-op. mind you i've worked in healthcare a long time - this is when you wish you were ignorant. i was full of dread and anxiety; however i was fortunate to get some of the best caregivers i could ask for. and of course as was the case monday, a lot of people knew me.

i won't bore you with tons of details or this will get long... let's say - versed makes you really not give a hoot about anything, jackson juice (propofol) gives ya a good sleep, dilaudid is a great pain reliever, but caused me to drop o2 sats which got me some oxygen, and phenergan kicks nausea, but puts ya to sleep. glad the surgery is over, it took 45 minutes longer than planned because the wound was very dirty - i'd say so since we had ridden at the cove on sunday. from what i understand, the er repair was completely revised, two pins put into the bones and my fingernail is now glued to my finger. i have a giant, half plaster bulky cast wich restricts movement from wrist down. thumb is free. this splint goes away monday. my pain is much less. i think probably from not having moving parts inside. still throbs occassionally and stings every now and then; but it is tolerable. pain is prob 2/10 and increases to 6/10 at its worst now. will be glad to get rid of bulky splint, but totally understand the need.

will try to post a new update after appt monday - gonna have idle time as we're looking at 6-8 wks with restrictions. sigh.

on the injured reserve list

seems i had a little accident while trying to remount the backwheel on my mountainbike last night.  it got stuck while i was trying to get the axle in the dropouts.  i guess it freed itself and felt into the drops.  i spun the wheel using the pedal/chain etc.  i don't remember my next thought honestly, i remember severe pain in my left middle finger and blood splattering.  i grabbed my finger to hold pressure on it and ran upstairs yelling for help.  i made it to the sink where i attempted to wash out the cut.  i remember feeling lightheaded and lowering myself to the floor.  passing out really is an odd feeling especially coming to.  my 60-something parents who live with me were freaking out.  mom called 911 (embarassing), dad was trying to get my dog who thought i was playing with him and wanted his belly rubbed (per their story).


ems guys arrived and helped bandage my finger which i had done an excellent job of stopping the bleeding (direct pressure and holding it in the air above my supine body worked well).  the ems guys helped me to mom's car and she drove us to the ed.  of course, i work there so i knew 8 out of 10 people who wandered by.  everyone was super nice even the housekeeping guy i pick on each day got me a pillow and blanket.  the docs i knew all stopped by to ooh and aah.  ultimately i had a great md who i gained mucho respect for and lost all of my previous bad feelings towards.  hours of er involved: betadine soak which was chilling literally, a missed iv, a successful iv, iv antibiotics, xray then repair then another xray followed by bandaging and splinting plus 3 prescriptions..  i wasn't too happy about anything, but remained calm and pleasant, after all this was my fuck up.

the er md was awesome, numbed my finger well and put at least 7 sutures in.  the broken bone is messed up so i have to see hand surgeon thursday.  hopefully i will be able to grow a fingernail in the future.  it's there now, sewn in by the doc.  i'll try to post an update.  won't put the pics up b/c they are gross to some people meanwhile if i flip you off it's not intentional, it's my splint.

i have two theories - either i was tightening the skewer and finger got in hole in the brake rotor and caught it on the frame or somehow i managed to get finger in spoke vs frame.  i don't know and haven't studied the bike enough to figure it out.  there is dried blood all around my bike and it was splattered nearby and all over my shirt and jeans.

i will never work on mt bike again. flat?  forget it, i'll just pay someone.  this is going to be expensive.