minor milestone for me

[Jas0n]

well as some of you may know, i am 6 1/2 weeks post op. last week i visiting my surgeon for the first time since the surgery and after inspecting the hardware to make sure everything was okay, he let me know that my sternum is completely healed and that i could get back to the things i have been wanting to do, albeit with a bit of moderation. after a weekend away for a wedding, i spent 1:30 hours indoor rock climbing today without any complications. i lost nearly all my endurance and a bunch of explosive strength, but i still have most of my finger strength. i was also climbing much better than i expected (i even sent a v5 problem if that means anything to anyone!!), and i did so without any sternum pain; oddly, i had some discomfort in one of my left ribs, which i incidentally broke this past march. i was bouldering with an ER doctor who was amazed that i had the surgery so recently. so im stoked. this week, i start riding on the road again and i will be fit for a new road bike. i have already hit the trainer for a couple of short stints and i can tell that its gonna take some work getting back into shape!! but im glad to be able to put the effort in so soon and i dont mind the work one bit!

 

[Marguerite53]

Congrats!! You sound great. Hope you don't feel it tomorrow, but if you do, hey.... you'll know how to temper your next climb.

Always wonderful to hear the good news post surgery. It is a great feeling, isn't it? When the restrictions are off. It's like getting your driver's license for the first time and you can go driving without someone or some thing watching over you!! woo hoo!!

Keep it up!!

Marguerite

 

[mntbiker]

Hey Jas0n,
Sounds like you have been having some fun. The fitness will come back quickly. Just in the two weeks I have been back on the trail I am already at the point where I feel the burn in the legs and abdominals more then the heart. Nice change of pace. With your age and determination I am certain you will be back in no time. So when are you going to win The Tour?

 

[Jas0n]

i was planning on winning the tour next year, but given the doping scandals of late, i might take a year off and wait for everyone to get back from their suspensions. that way, no one can say i only won cause basso, hamilton, landis and ullrich weren't there.

 

[Adam T]

That's funny! Of course your coumadin may be deemed performance enhancing so you'll have to get an exemption for it.

I'd probably still fail the homologous (sp?) blood doping test (like Tyler Hamilton) since I got four units during/after my surgery. How long is that stuff in your system anyway?

Seriously, I want you to go win the Mt. Washington climb!

 

[Jas0n]

no coumadin for me; i went with a cow valve, but im sure the uci has some restriction against donor valves. i can hear it now: "his valve replacement was a performance enhancing event during which his valve was replaced with a valve which now flows a greater capacity than before." actually, road riding was a big reason i went with a donor valve. the prospect of crashing/road rash at least once a season didnt seem to lend itself to taking blood thinners. as for mt. washington, i would love to do the climb! forget winning the climb, just finishing is a milestone!

btw, i did my first ride today ... and i didnt die. thats a good thing. i did get run off the road by some prick (i was on my fixed gear came very close to eating it, and barely stopped in time) and he and i did get into a little altercation, and the cops were called, but it was a good ride nonetheless (the driver was just welcoming me back to cycling in his own way!).

just so you know, cops are usless in these situations; they claim they could not do anything and even went so far as to mention that because we were riding two abreast (on an empty reservoir road with a 50 year old woman at 15mph, i might add), we could have been cited!

be safe out there!

 

[tommy]

Jason,

I'm just catching up to your success. Congratulations. Sounds like you are having a blast. Looking forward to hearing more about Mount Washington.

BTW...your cow valve?.....cows don't go very fast (neither do pigs), but once they get going...................

 

[Phyllis]

So good to hear that you are back to all the things you love- Best Wishes!