Warning: this is a rant/whine post

This morning I hit 162 on the scale, which is the lowest I've weighed in... like... ever, or maybe since I was in Jr. High.

But I can't ride. I've been off the bike for nearly 7 weeks because of emergency surgery and subsequent complications. I started riding a couple of weeks ago, and despite being extremely weak and lacking in stamina, I felt like I was on my way back.

But last Tuesday I had to have another tube installed, so there's no way I can ride a bike for at least another couple of weeks.

The summer is wasting away. I've missed several of my favorite annual rides already, and it's likely now I won't be able to make Bike Virginia at the end of the month.

I'm as skinny as I'll ever be in this lifetime, and I should be motoring up the mountains. Instead I'm sitting here packing gauze into my leaking belly and dreaming of bike rides I can't do...

Sorry for the whine. You were warned

On the plus side, healing from surgery burns calories all on it's own. Cold comfort, I know. Sometimes you just have to share the pain. Both the physical pain, and the more important pain.

I'm still new here and you are bringing out the nurse in me. I'm adaptive and always looking for work-a-rounds. I truly undestand your pain. Not sure what type of tubes you are referring to as there are all sorts if different types that can be place in or outside the body and many different body organs. By work arounds, I'm referring to thinking of how your body works and what happens when you don't use a certain part. Example is a broken bone gets cased for 6 weeks. Lots of muscle wasting when the cast is removed. Broke my ankle one winter, while working (I'm work in home care). Had winter boots on. Packed my ankle with bags of snow inside my boot since I thought it was just a bad sprain and finished my visits. Went to an emergent care center and they did x-ray and found a clean break but badly swollen. Once the swelling went down, they made the mistake of using a plaster cast. At the end of my 6 weeks, I had no muscle wasting and a distoryed case. I found a way to exercise the muscle, despite the cast.

Your situation is different. If I was restricted and worried about leg muscles, I would just get out my spinning wheel and pedal. It's gentle but still exercises the muscles. If I was restricted to avoiding extreme stress like aerobic exercise, I might think about going to a fitness center and riding bike. It's low-impact and most fitness centers do have recumbant bikes. 5 minutes does more than no minutes. If it's cardiac, I would check with my doctor first. In fact, check with your doctor before any type of exercise. Let them know exactly what you want to do and you maybe surprised as to what the solution is. If you're carting a drainage bad connected to any type of tube, PM me and let me know exactly what type of tube you are referring to. I'm creative and think outside the box. When healthcare is adaptive, people actually take better care of themselves but sometimes, healthcare providers need to think outside the box. I've been doing that sorta thinking for almost 30 years.

Well doesn't that suck!

I've got the T-shirt for that so I think that I know how you feel. What's your prognosis for getting back on the road?

I hope you heal well and soon, and have great time at Bike Virginia.

Young Skywalker, the Force is strong with this one.

While being off the bike for a couple of weeks is no fun, it could be worse. I have surgery scheduled tomorrow involving a major tissue graft in the genital area, and the doc wants me to stop cycling for 6-8 months. Good luck with your health issues.

Jim,

Sad to hear that you are having to have the tubes re-inserted. I know just how you feel and I am sort of in the same boat. I can't seem to have a decent span of time go by without some kind of crash happening. Last one was in November, and it kept me off the bike for a month. Now it's the one that happened last month with the arm and shoulder and I'm still not recovered enough to ride the road bike. The bad part is that each time this happens, I tend to gain weight and it seems like it takes forever to lose it.

Get well soon and I hope you don't have to go through this again.

Jim, I thought, hoped, that you were right behind me with the device removal. Dang I hate this for you, sometimes it isn't fair is it? Hope all this goes well and you will soon be through with the cleaning and packing around the tubes. I'll keep you in my prayers for a complete recovery. Drink some ensure and eat as healthy and completely as you can. P.M. me if you need someone to talk with, I am always just a few Megabytes away.

Bill

Thanks everybody. Sorry for the delay in responding. Sunday night I got re-admitted to the hospital and just got out very late on Tuesday evening. The tube (it was a "G-tube" leading into the stomach) fell out, and the area around the opening was inflamed and breaking down, and there was cellulitis under the skin. They admitted me mainly to give me IV antibiotics and to let things calm down.

I finally got to see a competent wound-care nurse who set me up with an external drain system that seems to be working OK so far. Stuff will just not stop coming out however.

NuttyG: thanks for the pro's perspective. Good point on trying to get some training in without hitting the road. In a day or two I think I will pull the trainer back out of the closet and try to do some easy time indoors. I think I can do that without jostling the collection bag too much.

The surgeon actually encouraged me to get back on the bike. She said I could even ride outside with the collection bag in if the drainage was slowing down, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. I'll stick to the trainer until the wound closes over probably. But at least maybe I can keep up a little cardio and leg strength.

There is way TMI in this thread, but it does help to vent

Glad to hear you are on the mend and I was able to give some ideas on how to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Also glad to hear you had a wound care nurse who could bag the drainage and the doctor is encouraging you to get back on the bike. I do tend to encourage independence and that is one of my challenges in my part of the world. It does seem to lean towards a quicker recovery.

Just listen to your body and you will know when you are ready to return outdoors.

Jim,
So sorry you are having all of the complications with the G-tube and infections. Having a trained wound care nurse is the best thing you can do for this type of thing. I got to be on a first name basis with the hospital's and the Wound care Center's nurses here. Please be careful with the exercise, it is good to know the doctor encouraged you to bicycle. I agree with letting the wound heal before venturing out so the trainer is your "friend" for now. Nuttygrandma has some great input, being a nurse she knows first hand. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Bill

Jim F, in the meantime, I noticed that you have a 2011 Cervelo R5. How is that ride compared to your R3SL??

Hey Garfield. They basically ride almost identically The R5 is actually a teeny bit harsher. The only reason I have two so similar bikes has to do with a repair to the R3SL frame I needed to make last summer. While I was waiting I bought the stupid expensive R5. Now the only real difference between them is I use a standard crank on the R3SL and a compact crank on the R5.

It's always nice to have a backup bike, but it's also nice to have a little variety. Oh well.

Good to hear your doctor encourages you to get out there on the bike. Hope you heal quickly.

Good news about biking...in my thoughts for quick improvement in health.