Readers' questions - I

Prompted by an email from someone who had trouble being able to post a comment, I decided to have a post that answers specific questions I've been asked.  So, thanks The Crawfords and here goes with your questions:-

"Hi Kate


I/we wanted to post a comment but came unstuck when it asked for a google a/c or about 5 other options - perhaps you could advise what we choose at this point?"

 Good question.  As there are a lot of evil bots out on the Internet, trying to pimp dodgy websites usually full of nasty viruses, worms and trojan horse software, I use Blogger's built-in bot and spam protection.  This involves people having to make an attempt to validate that they are a real person.  I chose to allow only people who had one of a number of validated account types, e.g. a Google account or an OpenID (which you may already have without knowing it).  I do also require the use of word verification, which generally protects against non-humans posting comments but not the people who are paid to post comments that link to nasty sites.  I'm happy to try allowing anonymous comment posting for now and see how it goes, so you should now be able to comment without having one of the approved account types.

"Anyway we have really enjoyed reading about your races and achievements this year. You and hubby have done so well. Perhaps you could blog more about your injury and recovery because a lot of us have suffered with broken collarbones. My husband has broken his twice and he was curious that they had plated yours as the plate is usually left in and then becomes a complication should you fall again?"

Your poor husband - once is bad enough for me!  I'll continue to post about the recovery process, but answer the specific question about the plate here.  The break I had resulted in quite uncomfortable "tenting" of the skin:-

As well as my shoulder dropping quite a bit and the likelihood that the bone would heal pretty much in the position it was in, if it healed by itself at all.  The consensus of a number of people (including my coach and physio) was that it needed to be plated (especially at my age *cough*).  So, rather than wait 3-6 months to see if it healed naturally and with the high risk it would heal very very wonky and lumpy, I took the option for surgery straight away.  After consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon, despite being scared witless about general anaesthesia and surgery and hospitals in general, I went ahead with it.  And the second I woke up from the anaesthetic, it felt better.  The discomfort from the bent bit had been worse than I'd thought and I only realised it once the skin wasn't being dragged over the broken end of bone all the time.

"Would love to know how you are spending your time off work (if that's the case), "

Sort of handily, the crash co-incided with taking a break from work.  I -was- planning to rest, recover and slowly get back into training after Ironman Wales, take a trip to Hawaii for the World Championships in Kona, then look at a new job when I got back.  Some of that had changed and instead of racing Wales and recovering from that, I'm recovering from surgery and spending time looking at new job opportunities already as well as cooking more involved meals than usual as I have a bit more time on my hands.

"what your plans for the rest of 2012 are"

Get to 100% mobility with my left arm, so I can start doing any lifting and/or resistance with it.  Once I'm allowed to run, which should be sooner than the resistance ban is lifted, I'll start up with that again so I can have fun at a half marathon in November.  I wanted to run the marathon distance, but I don't think I'll have time to work up to the distance by then after 3.5 weeks off running at this point already.  It's likely I'll be allowed on a spin bike pretty soon (no hands on the handlebars so I don't lean using my left arm) so I can start using one of those to stave off the drop in fitness.  Must remember to take headphones to the gym with me!  So, October and some of November will be relatively gentle months, then by December I start back on the proper training again.

"and also 2013."

This is the fun bit!  2013 will be the year of getting quicker at shorter distances, so no full iron distance races, no marathons, no ultra distance runs...  more on that to come in another post soonish.

"Do you see yourself racing forever?"

Absolutely!  I fully intend to race in some way or other until I die.  There's nothing more fun than running, cycling, swimming, or some combination of those, with other people whether it's racing, a timed distance or a sportive.  I love it!

"Sorry that's a lot of questions in one email

Kind regards Joyce Crawford and Nick Crawford"

No problem at all - people who blog love the attention really :o)

Recovery and rehabilitation

When I was discharged from hospital; 11 days after crashing at Ironman 70.3 Ireland and breaking my collar-bone, having had a titanium plate and 8 screws put in to pull the bits together, make it all straight and help it to heal properly; I was given some exercises to do (by the hospital physio specialising in orthopaedics) and told "NO RESISTANCE OR LIFTING AT ALL for 8 weeks AND when full ROM regained" (by the orthopaedic surgeon).  I felt a bit stiff and hadn't really tried to do anything with that arm since the crash - it was just natural not to even try.  I didn't realise quite how reduced the range of movement (ROM) was until I tried to do a few simple things.

I couldn't lift my arm more than an inch from hanging without assistance.  I couldn't shrug my shoulder at all. I couldn't grip anything with my left hand.  I couldn't move my arm sideways from my body at all.  I didn't even try moving it backwards.  So, getting dressed, putting my hair into a pony-tail, washing large bits of my back and my right arm and shoulder; none of that was possible.  But I'm a really good girl when it comes to doing as I'm told for my own good with these things.  Religiously, every day, 3 times a day, I did my exercises; pendulum swings of the arm in circles, raising my arm straight out in front of me (initially with the assistance of my right hand), crossing my arm in front of my body to touch my right shoulder and back out straight at shoulder height (initially with assistance from my right hand).  And on the 8th day, I could just about put my hair into a wonky pony-tail at the nape of my neck.  On the 9th day, a straight one actually in the middle of the nape of my neck.  Then on the 11th day, I managed a pony-tail at the usual height on my head and rolled deodorant under my right armpit with my left hand!

Honestly, it's the little things... and it's not a lack of lifting power that is the hard thing (I don't think that's dropped much at all, but I have no idea as I'm not allowed to even try) it's the shocking lack of range of movement/general mobility that you really don't expect with this particular injury.  Though it is coming back quickly.  The surgeon seemed to imply that I may have it all back 8 weeks after surgery, I am confident it'll be back before then once I've got cracking with my normal physiotherapist.

Off to trauma and orthopaedics this morning for a check up and hopefully get the stitches out.  I'll ask about hydrotherapy, using a spin bike and whether/when I can start running again and see what they say.  Then it's physio at the end of the day with the protocol from the surgeon, to get started with him on increasing ROM (and after the 8 weeks is up, start on strength as well).