NOS88

I can't beleive they sent you home with inadequate pain medications. Glad those 12 hourss are over for you and hope the mending process is quick.

Allegheny Jet

Thanks NOS88, they did write a prescription but my wife made sure that I only took the prescribed amount.

jhw,

Did you do today's cross race? My brother in law stopped over after the race, he raced in the C's and scratched the B race. He said it was a frozen/mud fest and that a lot of guy's rear derailleurs broke off during the race due to the frozen mud.

jwh

No, I missed the last race, family obligations.
Yea I heard it was a mess, I thought it would have been a fast dry course.
I'm pretty sure I finished 3rd in the Masters, nothing I would have done could have changed my standings anyway. (not that it really matters)

Allegheny Jet

Of course it matters, it was a race series! Your first foray into racing was cyclocross, you are one tough dude. Great job.

jwh

Thanks, it was alot of fun. I plan on doing it again next year.
Will I have to go up to "B" or do you have the option of staying in "C" class?

Allegheny Jet

Unless you are consistently placing in the top 3 places there is no reason to leave the "C" race unless you want/need 15 more minutes of pain. Additionally, the 50+ series is based on "C" race results. Last year I did three C races and finished 6th twice and 5th once. I guess that I convinced myself that the additional 15 minutes were a good thing this past season.

John E

When I worked at Bikecology bike shop in Los Angeles, one of my customers had a fused ankle. He walked with a noticeable limp and said, "I can't run worth a damn, but I can ride like hell on wheels." Having watched him ride out of the shop, I can attest to the latter statement.


Best wishes to you!

Red Rider

Sorry to hear of your ankle troubles, but glad you're getting it handled. I'm sure you'll blow your PT away.

Here's to a speedy recovery.

jwh

I think 30 min. is a good level of pain for me.

billydonn

Get well soon.

seenoweevil

+1! Is the new joint butted or lugged? Heal quickly!

Allegheny Jet

Had my first doctor visit today since the operation on 12/1. Healing is going well, sleeping is improving, and I now have a walking boot (no walking or weight bearing yet) and will be able to take the contraption off at home for icing, resting and sleeping. I'll also be able to take a shower and not have to balance against a vanity stool in front of the bathroom sinks while taking a sponge bath. (in the full mirror that just looks gross)

I was more coherent today when speaking to the doctor and got a much better understanding of the procedure completed on my ankle. So here is a status report in " bicycle person style":

Allegheny Jet's left ankle has been reworked in order to correct prior flaws and install upgrades to a badly worn out classic version and is now "retro modern" . Special care was taken to leave a finished product mimicking the drive side ankle which remains "classic and vintage". The badly deformed bone around the outside of the ankle was strategically removed resulting is a weight savings plus an aerodynamic advantage. The weight savings was used in the surgical steel hardware used to fortify the ankle. During the design and reworking process mechanics decided to insert a small plate on the front of the ankle secured with 5 screws as a measure to improve vertical compliance. As planned, three long screws were inserted down through the talus bones to secure the bones and improve lateral stiffness. An added bonus was the special screw and washer which were added securing the lower shin bone to it's larger neighbor. This simple procedure should result in overall increased stiffness of the lower frame, which will be noticed during out of the saddle efforts, while the purpose of the special washer is to remove flex and vibration, thus enabling the rider to "fly to finish" on long rides and century's. Limited test riding begins in Mid-January, increasing to full trails in February.

This is a picture, of a picture, of an x-ray of the finished work.

Louis

Oh man, AJ. That looks like an X-ray of a pipe bomb!

But seriously, I'm glad the doctor is pleased with the way things are progressing.

JanMM

Those large screws would be lighter if they had small holes drilled through them up and down the shafts.

cruzinator

Yeah, those look like 105 instead of Dura Ace bolts.

BluesDawg

steel is real

Speedskater

This sounds a lot like my story. December 9,1994 Arthoscopic Ankle Fusion. Day 71 first real bike ride 22 miles somewhat down hill with group. Day 80 ice skating with Ankle Foot Orthoic (sp) took the inner bootie out of hockey skate. Day 155 two day bike ride, 100 miles per day TOSRV.

Now the differences, my surgery was Arthroscopic and very tidy. After a few days I realized the the lable on the pain med said "Take for pain' when I stopped taking them the pain went way down.

Luckily it was the correct ankle for speedskatings left turns, but I still had to modify my boot.

Allegheny Jet

Thanks for the report. Currently I'm only taking the pain med at night to sleep. Hope to be off the stuff within the next couple days. I get the stitching out on Monday. I hope that in early Jan, when I begin weight bearing exercise, I'll be spending some time on the trainer. The original plan was 12 weeks to "full on". I see you are a fast healer and only needed 71 days. Did you have any troubles riding a bike with the lack of ankle flex? My ankle was in effect fusing itself and only had around 7 to 10 degree flex before the fusion. I'm hoping that I've already made most of the transition of pedal form.