Ugh, hate when docs miss stuff that should be obvious. Happened to me in 2018. A distracted driver hit me while I was riding my bike. Broke and dislocated my shoulder, and separated the shoulder blade muscle, with the scapula obviously winged outward -- very visible in photos. That was the most painful part of the injury and took the longest to heal. The break and separation healed fairly well within six months, but the separation was still causing pain more than a year later.

Then they found I had thyroid cancer the same year, which took priority. Surgery removed the cancerous lobe in late 2018, no metastasis or chemo needed. I still get checked once or twice a year, so far, so good. I was physically wiped out and exhausted for months until the thyroid supplement meds kicked in.

And an old neck injury from 2001 (t-boned by an SUV that ran a red light at 50 mph and demolished my compact car, breaking my neck and back in six placess) was re-injured in 2018. Now instead of just the original C1-C2 damage, my entire neck cervical vertebrae are damaged.

But three years later when my court case finally came up (all on Zoom due to the pandemic), there was no medical record of the scapula separation or damaged C4-C6. The docs just skipped right over it. And I had three different groups of ortho docs at three different clinics. All they did was refer to the previous doc's notes and didn't look for any complications.

The insurance settlement didn't even cover my full medical expenses. My attorney had to settle with various claims to reduce their demands. Perfectly legal in Texas due to "tort reform" that benefits only the insurance companies and insured drivers, at the expense of injuried parties. Due to minimum liability insurance amounts, there's no other recourse -- no liens or claims on the offending driver's other assets, homes, properties, etc. Absolutely infuriating.

Fortunately I'm eligible for 100% coverage for medical care by the VA, and they were doing a great job until the pandemic came along. Now VA care depends on the individual doctors and clinics. Some are still very responsive, while others have ignored my calls and emails for more than a year.

But I'm also eligible for VA covered care in civilian clinics, and as a fallback now have Medicare. I'm lucky compared to my younger cycling friends who work but can't afford health insurance that covers anything less than catastrophic illness/injury. So I've chipped in $20 or so to Go Fund Me and similar fundraisers for friends who've suffered injuries while cycling. There but for the grace of god, luck of the draw, etc., go we all.

2021 has been my worst year since 2018. By 2019 I was doing fine in 2019-2020, riding my bike up to 5,000-6,000 miles a year, even posting some of my fastest times on Strava segments.

But by January 2021 my old neck injuries were causing so much pain I switched from mostly cycling to mostly jogging and walking. I've ridden only 1,500 miles this year, but have run about 600 miles so far, and nearly that much walking.

Then I got clobbered with persistent upper respiratory inflammation in late September that still hasn't cleared up. My doc says it's probably a virus, but probably not COVID -- my three COVID tests in October were all negative. I'm vaxxed (two Moderna jabs in springtime), had my flu shot as usual. But the doc said there are other viruses floating around with symptoms matching mine -- persistent inflammation without infection, sinus/ear congestion with vertigo, body aches, etc. Sucks.

Some days are pretty okay. I jogged 5 miles last Friday and 7 miles Monday this week. But I've been practically tied to the bed since then. Brain fog so bad I didn't even realize today was Friday until a friend mentioned it. Time flies when you're having no fun.

Hoping for a better 2022 for us all.