Training Log Archive: PrueD

My physio exercise regime is starting to become quite extensive and time consuming -so l have decided to start logging it.
l also forgot to take anti-inflammatories yesterday, and my knee swelled, so at least l know l will have to keep them going for a while.
l parted with Little Bub yesterday, after giving it a major service, new windscreen and drive shaft and a RWC. The purchaser was as happy as though he'd bought a rolls royce.

l might have to borrow JennyCas's saying 'attack of the killer physio' as mine apears to have been trained in the same techniques. However I am feeling better and better, which is good, and start pilates next week. The physio (Naomi) is not yet convinced l am past my running 'use by' date as she thinks the worn cartilage is not in the weight bearing part of my knee and that the pilates will help retrain the right muscles. So maybe there is hope after all.

Speaking of 'past the use by' date - we had much discussion at work today regarding Eddie - whose comments may have been acceptable last century, but are certainly not now.

Recovery is progressing well. l went to tbe physio yesterday and she resumed the icing and voltarin routine to control rhe swelling. She also massaged my leg and knee (PAIN) with bruising noticeable afterwards - but the whole knee felt much better as a result. l am religiously doing my exercises, which take about 45 minutes several times a day - so all good.

Car disposal is going well. l've sold the little Mazda bubble to the bloke who lives in the flat upstairs of mine and who is unemployed (factory worker) and doesn't have a car. At least he should be able to get to interviews now. I'm getting a new windscreen, service and RWC first, so that it lasts. Next for the suby.

C • Be careful 6

I'm recovering well and can walk around without crutches. I visited the surgeon this morning and the recovery is going well. However the long term prognosis is not really good as the cartilage is completely worn through in one area - bone on bone - and my patella will never really align perfectly. The surgeon seemed to think I'd be running on the flats OK but the ups and downs will always be problematic, which is a shame as that is what orienteering is all about. I am going to the physio and will be doing pilates over the next few weeks to build up the quad muscles. I'll also get a new pair of orthotics to see if that helps. We can only hope.

On the positive, I didn't read that bit on the outpatient instructions advising against making any major life decisions while recovering from the affects of anaesthesia, and bought a new car yesterday. A silvery (a bit goldish) Nissan Dualis is on its way - ETA Friday! I could only get a $3K trade-in offer on my Subaru Impreza so will keep that in the meantime, maybe selling privately, where the value is about $8K.

C • Subaru 5

Arthroscopy went well yesterday, alrhough l wouldn't be in a hurry to be re-admitted to hospital. The major issue was that l hadn't read the bit in the instructions about fasting including no water and had drunk 4 larges glasses before leaving home. The nurses were horrified but the anaesthetist fine with it, so all went well in the end. My sister eventually arrived and took me to her house at Mornington, where l plonked onto the couch and watched Skyfall and then Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. l never just sit and watch videos, so enjoyed them, the waiter service and the view. A lifestyle l could get used to.
l haven't any medical results other than that they shaved a bit off the bone and pinned up the cartlilage, which has got somewhat thin. l am hoping this won't lead to the suggestion of not running. Anyway, l have an appointment with the surgeon on Thursday, so will see then. My knee feels fine, but l am following the recovery instructions to the letter, just to be sure and to give it the maximum chance of recovering fully.

C • Recovery 2

Tomorrow is my big day. l have to be at Vimy House in Kew at 7am. The biggest issue has been who is coming to get me and who is staying overnight as the hospital wont perform the procedure without this detail. Even my work colleagues were starting to look promising. Luckily my one relatve in Victoria (sister) is available, but l have to go with her to Mornington for the weekend. So l cant even help on Sunday at the SS event , which my club is running. l am looking forward to getting rid of my 'injured' status.

C • Good luck tomorrow 1

Nice session of yoga in the DSE - no, now the DEPI gym - after work. I have a substantial number of bruises and grazes from the weekend, which made some of the poses awkward. Both knees are sore - still, we wouldn't want the hospital on Saturday thinking there was nothing wrong with me- even though l look more like a victim of domestic violence rather than an athlete with a sports injury. My ring even has a chip in the gold!

Swim in the Benalla pool.

Bike ride near Moyhu with friend Peter. Although a beautiful day, it was very smoky as there are a number of planned burns underway nearby. Our bikeride (Peter had a surprise destination) headed from the centre of Moyhu straight towards one of them. After about 6 kms we arrived at a recently burnt area - the Moyhu Timber Reserve - and rode our bikes around the perimeter. There were a lot of timber cutters using chainsaws as it was a firewood collection area. Unfortunately it got steeper and steeper and we had to get off and walk. We cut through the burn on a small track, but it ran out, so we then pushed our bikes uphill through the burnt ground. Then we got onto a ridge track with a steep rocky dozer trail.

We headed off downhill,,,,and then my brakes failed ....and I hurtled over the handlbars into a pile of rocks. I couldn't disentagle myself from the bike as the handlebars were twisted and my legs caught. Peter had to pull the bike off me. There was not too much damage luckily - scaped legs and arms and a bit of blood - I was lucky it was not worse. The handlebars had completely twisted loose. I then walked down the steep bits.

When we got to the flats I got back on and the chain came off. Peter then did the chivalrous thing and lent me his bike. We then rode back to Moyhu. Time is slow as it includes the uphill walk and the periods upside down and adjusting chain, seat etc several times. I love MTB NOT!

C • MTB 13

C • Surprise 2

Street O at Waverley Parklands on a warm evening. It was a mcmansion territory but the streets wide and the parklands nice.

Got myself motivated to swim in the Nunawading pool before work. It's going to be a beautiful autumn day!

Another walk around Blackburn.

I am feeling a lot more positive about things, which is good. The surgeon said wrapping my knee in a compression bandage to stop the swelling after exercise was good and that l could continue to do things over the next few weeks. So l walked around Blackburn this morning getting garden ideas. A desert themed garden with rocks , a dry river bed, stunted gums and a few black boys is the current plan.

PS Please excuse the political incorrectness of the above garden plan. However the BBs do remind me of Peter!

Swim in the Nunawading pool.

A verdict at last! Arthroscope (general anaesthetic) booked for Sat May 18 and a week off work planned, followed by physio and pilates!

I am not normal (as you all know)! Apparently my knee groove is much flatter than eveyone else's (obvious on the MRI scan but not in the report), which causes my patella to easily slide out of place much more easily than everyone else. The surgeon suspects a skiing injury years ago was misdiagnosed and was in fact a dislocated patella. The subsequent irritation of the constant patella 'misplacement' causes joint inflammation and the subsequent development of the Baker's Cyst (behind the knee). So a keyhole arthroscope to clean out the joint and help it track better, followed by physio and pilates, is in order. The problems I am having on the other side of my body (which I thought were back related) are related to quad and core strength issues and, after the arthroscope, the pilates should help.

I wont be cured forever, but it was a problem I was always going to get (rather than being brought on by an injury) and I should be able to get a few more years of activity out of life. YAY!

C • verdict 2

Street O at Blind Creek. lt rained and the map, the control card and my hair curled. Then my pants fell down. Off to the surgeon tomorrow. Of course my knee feels much better now!

C • surgeon 4