Bum wheel, new deal...

So apparently 2016 is the year my body starts to fall apart <insert sad face and copious sighing>.  I entered the new year with a sore left shoulder.  I "lived with it" for about a month and finally decided that it wasn't getting better on its own, so I better go see someone...  A free Rockwell Recreation Center physical therapy assessment determined the root issue was tendonitis.  The cure? Rest, ice, ibuprofen...  SUCK!

Then about mid-February, we finally started to get some spring thaw.  Of course, this accelerated my desire to get outside!  I mistakenly took this warmer weather as open invitation to do some night-time running (yes, bad idea).  About a block from my house, I stepped on what I thought was a solid snow bank, and it turns out it was a misleading pile of slush.  I slammed my left leg down through this pile of slush, about a foot of it, and locked knee as my foot hit the concrete at bottom.  The pain was so bad I hobbled home and proceeded to not wear heels for over 2 weeks (that is serious folks!)  After several more weeks of limited running (and limited heel wearing), I finally scheduled an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon mid-March.  Having already had ACL reconstruction on my left leg in 1996, I KNEW this wasn't getting better on its own.

Well, 5 minutes of x-rays and 5 minutes with the surgeon resulted in my diagnosis.  I have arthritis in my left knee, most likely from the ACL surgery of 20 years past.  The injury caused a flare-up in the joint and while I could opt to do a scope to clear out some of the snaggly bits, every time I cut open the knee, it will continue to degrade/exacerbate this problem.  SON OF A....

But you know what that awesome doctor had?  A magical concoction called a cortisone shot!  While the shot itself was painful, the relief I felt upon walking afterwards was pretty much instantaneous.  In fact, it felt so much better, I asked if I could get one for my shoulder too!  Doctor happily obliged and I now feel back to normal (or as normal as I'll ever be??)

The long term prognosis is I'll have to rely on shots to get over flare-up symptoms indefinitely or until the knee completely wears out.  AWESOME (not really).   This sobering event has caused me to take a hard look at other long-term exercise options that I can utilize once my knee gives up the ghost and I just can't take the impact of running anymore.  Naturally, this brought biking and swimming to the forefront of my list.  I had already been thinking that in 2016 I'd like to try venturing into a triathlon.  However, since I can't swim (besides to stay alive) and I don't own a road bike, this thought line hadn't progressed very far.  Apparently all it takes to accelerate this idea is a swift kick in the knee?

So on my spring break vacation day this week, I found a swimming instructor and am happy to report I start private swim lessons next weekend.  I hope to be able to work past newbie stage in a few months and then transition to the Milky Way Masters swim club.

And I finally made it to World of Bikes in Iowa City yesterday and brought back this beauty.  RAGBRAI, here I come!!!  (Yes, the cute little bag suckered me in...)  Here's to new options towards maintaining a healthy me!