Bend! (and hip and collarbone...)

Jon and I decided to get away for the 4th of July and make a road trip up to Bend, Oregon. I've been wanting to go for a long time, and had it in my head as a place I'd maybe like to live. I fully expected it not to meet my expectations (sort of like 10 years ago I dreamed of living in Boulder and then I went there and it was less than I imagined). I was so wrong! Bend was all that I had thought. Beautiful and amazing scenery. From town you can see the snow covered peaks of the cascades in the distance, all of the surrounding area is covered by huge pine trees, and the deschutes river runs right through town. In town the river is peaceful and manicured, but just out of town it becomes wild again - roaring between huge walls and over big boulders. The path leading around the river is also manicured around town but it continues with a small dirt train winding over wooden foot bridges and around the river's edge for miles and miles out of town. If I could run, this would be the spot for me. Houses in town are my favorite kind - old 1920's bungalows, with some done up modern, with metal roofs and solar heating, and cool landscaping. The people were friendly, the pace slower, the weather perfect (except for the 9 months out of the year where it is cold and snowy! but even then apparently it is sunny 300 days of the year). Even the town has enough going on that we were more than entertained in the evenings - good food, good wine, a "first friday" with shops and galleries opening their doors and people milling about, and even a small 'critical mass' with a few cruiser bikes running through town. We loved it. Now I just need to get a bunch of friends and my family to move up there... and find a source of income up there... must begin plotting that move...

I know there has been a lot of backlash up there against the growth they've seen in the last 10-15 years, and all of the monied californians cashing out of the bay area and moving up there - inflating the price of homes and the cost of living. so, further investigation is definitately needed. Maybe another trip! :)

In other news, this past Thursday was my follow up appointment with my surgeon - 3 months post-op on left hip, and 6 weeks post-op plate removal and clavicle break. First the clavicle. He took an xray and said the break showed no bone growth. He also said that is normal (?) for collarbones, and bones may not begin to grow in until week 6. that said, he was surprised I couldn't shake his hand - or at least that is how I read his reaction. He didn't say anything about more surgery to install a new plate, and in general, I got the sense he wanted to wait and see it heal on its own. He also said it would take 6 months to fully heal, and for the swiss cheese holes to fully fill in. Strange how this all seemed so minor before I had the surgery. I am actually starting to get mad about this.

My own research on the internet suggests that it can take a long time for breaks to heal without fixation. It could be another month or two before the clavicle feels good. For now, I can move my arm all over the place passively - no problem. I take it out of the sling quite a bit to let it move and not be stiff. carrying anything of weight in that hand puts a strain on the clavicle that I can feel - and it doesn't feel good. The same is true of reaching my arm up in the air unassisted - can't do it without pain in the spot where its broken. Mostly I am still sleeping only on my back, in the sling. so OVER that. I can turn now on my left side - but sometimes it feels like even that pressure pulls on the collarbone and it puts bad pressure on the spot with the break. I have been using a bone growth stimulator for the last 3 weeks. Its basically a large blackberry looking thing, connected to 2 electrodes that I have taped on either side of my collarbone - one on my neck and one on my breast plate. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I get a lot of funny looks and it is a huge pain in the ass - but if it helps it is worth it.

As for the hip... he was not happy that I'm still having looseness in the joint and said that he recommended we go ahead with surgery to go in and tighten the joint capsule. He said the sugery would be arthroscopic, and I'd be in a hip brace for 2-3 weeks and on crutches for 2-3 weeks. He would either sew up the capsule if it simply hasn't healed, or if it has healed, he would create another hole and sew it up tighter (by overlapping it). He would also clean up any scar tissue or other damage.

Of course, we can't do any hip surgery until I am able to put my full weight on crutches with my right arm - which I definitely cannot do right now. AARRRGH. So frustrating. We picked a date to go ahead with that surgery - one month from now - August 6. He said if the collarbone is still not strong by then we can push the date back. He also moved the leg around to test range of motion and says that I'm tighter than I should be - so I'm loose and tight at the same time. I'm also still having pain - sharp and achy. He said by 3 months he'd expect me to be 60% of normal and he doesn't think I am there. So, even apart from the looseness, this is not going as well as normal. Funny, in every other recovery in life I've felt like i was ahead of the curve, and now i'm behind it. Sucks for sure.

I want the surgery that is going to FIX me ASAP. However, another surgery that is just going to butcher me some more is totally unwelcome. So, in the meantime, I'm trying to get a second opinion on the hip issue. I have pretty much accepted that a second surgery on my left hip is going to happen, but I want to make sure that this surgery actually works. If my joint capsule needs to be sewed up or tightened, fine. But if the real problem is that my labrum is no longer good enough to seal the hip, then I want to address that. I have sent my films to another doc(in Vail) who sees lots of FAI patients. Hoping to hear next week. I am also considering going back to the doc in SF who will do two hips at a time - but is not covered by insurance. I am so done with all of this and it may just be worth the $20,000 out of pocket to have them done together. Only thing is, I'm sure I won't be happy having that $20k bill hanging over my head for the next few years. Of course, the longer this gets dragged out, i'm into 2011, and another out of pocket maximum to meet on my insurance. Plus all the time off of work, various contraptions that I have to pay for out of pocket, etc. Realistically, its not a choice between $20,000 or free. Its probably more like a choice bewteen another $5000 or $20,000. Something to consider for sure.
I am also getting a second opinion on the clavicle. I do not want surgery to replate it, but I also do not want to be waiting in vain if that is inevitable.

Who has time for work and life when you have all of these doctor's appointments and p.t. appointments? its insane. Luckily I was working a flexible schedule to ride my bike - now I just use that time for doctor stuff. Don't be jealous!

Today we are seriously considering a kitty. I'm sort of scared! but i know i'd love to have a kitty running around...