Re: 1 year anniversary involving mountain biking and the E.R.

[Guest guest]

>Almost a year post op, I can report my resurfaced hip is in tip top

>shape but according to the Emergency Room doctor, my head needs to

>be examined.

>

>While doing business in Phoenix for the last few days I wanted to

>spend a day winding down so I grabbed a mountain bike and headed to

>Sedona for some scenic and exhilarating off-road riding. Aside from

>weak lungs all else was great and I was riding strong for seven

>miles. The skull and cross bones on the map should have been a

>sign that the tide was about to turn. Small rocks beneath the tires

>and cautious riding due to a steep drop off to the right contributed

>to a scary " end-over-end " `crash. Fortunately, my outreached right

>arm absorbed enough energy to keep the rest of my body from

>cascading down the steep rocky cliff. Unfortunately, it dislocated

>in the process. After a long hike to civilization a nice couple

>escorted me to the ER in town.

>

woo-hoo! That's sounds pretty nasty. Glad you got out of it in as few

pieces as possible. Shoulder injuries are bad since (as I'm sure you've

noticed) every darn little muscle in your body attaches to it somehow, even

the ones in your feet. >

>After describing my shoulder injury history the nurse asked if there

>was anything else I should tell her. " oh yea, about a year ago I

>had a hip replacement " , I said.

Neener-neener-neener. Bad move, dude. I learned that unless they're in the

loop, actually need to know or the hip smarts we just should keep that as

our little secret, eh? If you confront a doctor with something he doesn't

recognize, his most likely response is to assume you're an idiot and read

you the Riot Act, uh, like what happened here. I'm sure you'll never

convince him you're allowed to do whatever it was you were doing.

>She smiled and shook her head

>showing her opinion of my lack of discretion and left the room to

>talk to the doctor. The conversation between two nurses and the

>doctor that followed made me smile (and laugh). .Nurse- " he has a

>history of shoulder dislocation but none recently " , doctor,- " blah

>blah blah " , nurse- " the patient had hip surgery less that a year

>ago " , doctor- " WHAT?, Why is he mountain biking? " , the nurse sighed.

>The conversation continued in a similar manner (expressing denial,

>stupidity and amazement) for another two or three minutes.

>

See -- see?!!

>After a shot of muscle relaxant (similar to the stuff you get after

>hip replacement), some aggressive tugging, and thirty minutes, I

>was intact and free to go.

>

>Perhaps the most important lesson is get out and enjoy the new

>freedom facilitated by your new hip but be careful of the rest of

>your body along the way.

>

Ok people, let's watch the downhill headers off our mountain bikes at high

speeds, shall we now? (hee-hee). Take care and mend well.

Swim to rehab that shoulder. Works for me, and I've busted nearly

everything...

Cheers,

Jeff

>Steve C

>Madison, WI

>BHR DeSmet-1-2003

[Guest guest]

Hey Des, I tried to open that photo of us that you posted after we met in

Los Altos, but it didn't work - was it a jpeg or a gif file??

Regards, Ken

Back in the snowbelt....

destuck@... on 01/02/2004 02:01:10 PM

Please respond to surfacehippy

To: surfacehippy

cc:

Subject: Re: 1 year anniversary involving mountain biking

and the E.R.

Yeah - you wouldn't want to void the warranty.

Des Tuck

Both sides now

In a message dated 1/2/2004 10:40:44 AM Pacific Standard Time,

jjg@...

writes:

>Perhaps the most important lesson is get out and enjoy the new

>freedom facilitated by your new hip but be careful of the rest of

>your body along the way.