4/7-11 - An Ode To Clint Eastwood

It's been a very, very busy week, with all sorts of stuff going on (injury, work, sports, personal, travel, etc.)  So to encapsulate I give you The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

THE GOOD
The best part of the last few days was my first post-operation appointment with the surgeon. He removed the cast to take a look at how things were going.  And the proclamation was that everything is healing as well or better than he hoped!  Perhaps I should have started with THE GREAT!   In any event, there was less swelling and blood than he expected, and all the nerves, reflexes and the re-sewn tendon itself are all behaving properly.  Hurdle # 1 not just passed, but leaped.

So the next step is a fiberglass cast that I'll have for 23 days.  It's much lighter and more streamlined than the plaster cast, which is great.  Easier to sleep and get comfortable sitting for long periods. Should make traveling better too.  I see the surgeon again on April 29th to switch from this cast to a boot, and then we start the long process of physical therapy, which includes teaching my new tendon how to stand, swim, work a stationary bike, walk, and drive, most likely in that order.  For the time being, here are a few pictures of me getting fitted with the new splint.

4 steps to putting on the fiberglass splint

To get the splint on, first the tech covers the wound with standard first aid bandages (top left).  Next he rolls a cotton tube over the leg, and folds down the top and bottom (top right).  The cotton helps keep the cast from itching, and makes it as comfortable as possible.  Next he takes two rolls of fiberglass, dips them in warm water and rolls them on top of the cotton tube, much like fitting a tennis racket with a new grip.  When he's done, the fiberglass starts to harden (and gets quite warm).  During the hardening process, he holds the foot steady to make sure it's pointing as straight as possible (bottom left).  After a few minutes the fiberglass is hardened and stable, and you have the finished product (bottom right).

Other good stuff... There were a number of other positive things that happened last week.  In no particular order:

• I had a great performance review, and even got a nice raise!  Now I can pay my medical bills...
• The Rangers made it as gut-wrenching as possible, but did squeak into the playoffs when Carolina lost the last game of the season.  First time in many years the Rangers and Knicks will both be playing post-season games at Madison Square Garden.
• I'm taking a week off in late May to see my family, attend my 25th High School Reunion, and a summer-camp reunion in the Berkshires of MA
• While I won't be doing the charity work I'd hoped, it looks like I'll get to go to Nepal (and Hong Kong) in November for pure vacation instead

THE BAD
Not everything can be positive I guess.  Unfortunately I broke up with the woman I've been dating for the last few months.  :(    I really like her (and hope the feeling was mutual) but in the end there were just too many obstacles and differences between us to make it work.  We decided that moving on was the best thing for both of us.  No drama, just sadness.

Other minor hiccups for the week:

• I managed to get my new pretty fiberglass cast wet yesterday.  Apparently water got into my cast protector in the shower.  Only the very top and bottom got damp, and they dried quickly, so I didn't get a new one put on, but will have to be more careful.  Or just not shower!
• The Mets have started the new season 4-6 and blown a number of late leads.  This was to be expected, but still hurts to watch.
• Schedules at work are about to get CRAZY!  Starting next Wed, I have at least one major presentation every day for 9 straight work days.  And I've booked my first post-injury trip.  Might as well dive back into the deep end, so from April 25-29 I'll be going from San Francisco -> San Diego -> Edmonton -> Dallas (stopping in SF) -> back home again.  Nothing like crossing the continent from North to South twice in one week, right?

THE UGLY
Thankfully, there's only one thing that qualifies in this category.  Before I got the new splint on, I had my surgeon take a picture of my new scar.  The photo below was taken right after the plaster cast came off, and right before the surgeon removed the stitches.  Personally I think it's kind of cool, what do you all think?

My new scar, right before the stitches were removed!