Injury Recovery Part 33 - Thanksgiving and Back to Active Recovery

There is no question what I gave thanks for this Thanksgiving.  Being able to write this post,
an amazing wife, friends and family, and a great job.  There are always challenges, it is how they are approached that matters.  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and for my friends in other parts of the world being thankful does not need a holiday just a little self reflection and appreciation especially at this time of the year - But a holiday is good too <Grin>.

Talking about being thankful, since the tooth was removed the pains in my head and face have slowly gotten better and I am really grateful not to be experiencing the pain.  The socket is now mostly healed and since last Monday I have been pain killer free.  The first few days were a challenge but I pushed through and I have been able to see small improvements each day.  Night and sleep is still the hardest to deal with as I am woken by pain a few times a night but even there I am seeing improvement even if it is slower than I would like.

The tooth worked out to be a 15 day setback as I was forced to deal with the symptoms and then the subsequent recovery.  During those 15 days I certainly seized up more due to a lack of movement and exercise.  It is strange how the mind just wants you to curl up in a ball and stop moving when in most cases that is absolutely the worst thing to do.  On Thursday, Thanksgiving day I started my Foundation Training and floor exercises again and was shocked at how hard they were compared to 15 days earlier.

On Friday I added in a 30 minute recovery ride on my trainer bringing the total exercise time up to around 70 minutes a day.  Training everyday is tough as quite honestly I don't always feel like it, but I almost always feel good about myself afterwards, satisfied that I am taking my recovery seriously and doing what I can to get back to full mobility and back out on the road and trails training.

What am I dealing with now and what's the plan? is the question I ask myself daily.

Goal:  To regain full mobility and regain the level of fitness I had prior to the accident.

What am I dealing with:   Right now the challenge is mid back, shoulder and neck mobility pain and tension.  The neck brace effected my mid back mobility and the injuries account for the rest.   Whilst I have gained a lot of neck mobility back rotating my trunk causes pain in the chest and ribs.  Turning my heads generates pain in the neck and shoulders. 

Current Plan:  In these early stages the plan is being monitored daily.  For the next week I will alternate floor exercises daily with one day focused specifically on Foundation Training with a small number of foam roll exercises and the next incorporating light free weights and additional floor/foam roll exercises in with the same Foundation Training.  The first day is around 20-30 mins and the next day around 40 - 50 mins.  In addition to the floor exercises I will incorporate a 30min recovery ride on the trainer focusing on heart rate and good peddling form.  Although my mind is telling me I could probably work harder on the bike I have decided to ease back into it and when ready start with a base building training plan (tbd).  To challenge myself on the bike I am focusing on smoothing out my pedal strokes.

What is going well:  When recovering or even training I find reflection on what is going well a really good motivator as it is something to feel good about even if you are not where you want to be.  I am now able to perform all of my floor exercises and all of my Foundation Training exercises and this weekend I was able to take on a new Foundation Training client.  Taking on a new client is a big step as I promised myself I would not take anyone on until I could perform the moves strongly myself.

A word about diet.  I cannot stress enough the importance of a good diet and I know that many people aspire to a good diet but when it comes right down to it the pleasure of old ways out weight the potential benefits no matter how much they are desired.  It truly is a challenge and in my humble opinion one well worth investing in.  My weight prior to the accident was around 152lbs and my weight this morning was 150lbs.  My diet helped me avoid putting on pounds and has sets me up for a much faster recovery which includes keeping inflammation in my body to a minimum and bolstering my immune system, aiding in the ability to exercise and gain improved mobility.

I am optimistic that the set backs are behind me but given the severity of the accident I am also prepared to work through anything that comes up.  I am truly thankful to be at a stage in the recovery that allows me to focus on daily improvements rather than investigation and damage limitation.

For those interested here is the training I did this morning:

Floor Exercises:  Lying on my back
- Foundation Training - Supine Decompression
- Foundation Training - Left and Right Cross overs
- Core - Arm and Leg lifts with 5lb hand weight x 10
- Foundation Training - Bridge
- Foam Roll - Mid back flexing x 5
- Foam Roll - Back Roll
- Foam Roll - Shoulder stretch (lying length ways on the roll)
- Foam Roll - Shoulder Press 10lb weight x 10
- Foam Roll - Alternate leg balance lying length ways on the roll
- Foam Roll - Tricep lifts 10lb weight x 5 (each side)
- Foam Roll - Shoulder rotation lifting 5lb weight over head x 10

Floor Exercises:  Lying on my Front
- Foundation Training: Back Extension with Tracing (50 Seconds)
- Neck stretch each side
- Plank 30 seconds
- Side Plank 30 seconds each side
- Plank to Hover 20 seconds
- Down Dog with Marching
- Plank to Hover
- Foundation Training: Back Extension with Tracing (50 Seconds)
- Neck stretch each side
- Yoga pushups x 8
- Yoga Childs Pose (front, left and right)
- Pushups x 5
- Foundation Training:  Back Extension with Tracing (50 Seconds)
- Foundation Training:  8 Point Plank (50 Seconds)
- Foam Roll - T Band x10 each side

Floor Exercises:  Kneeling
- Arm raise/rotation x 10 each side

Floor Exercises:  Standing
- Foundation Training:  Standing Decompression
- Free weights:  arm raises (Side) 5lbs x 5
- Free weights:  arm raises (Front) 5lbs x 5
- Foundation Training:  Founder with Integrated hinging x 5
- Free weights:  shoulder curls 5lbs x 5
- Free weights:  shoulder shrugs 10lbs x 20 (with neck stretch)
- Foundation Training:  Woodpecker with 5 Woodpecker rotations (each side)
- Foundation Training:  Lung both sides
- Foundation Training:  Founder into a Forward Fold and x10 foot lifts
- Foundation Training: Alternating windmills
- Foundation Training:  Founder
- Foundation Training:  Standing Decompression

Bike:  30 Min Recovery Ride

Benny Dual Battery Setup - At Last

Well today I have finally completed the dual battery monitoring and management setup and resolved the outstanding issue with the TJM IBS system in Benny.  It has been a long journey since deciding to install it with the help of Joe from Das Mule back in the summer.  It is certainly a lesson in preparing as I am sure with more preparation, reading and understanding I could have save myself some effort but then again may be not.

It all started at the opening of Das Mule's new store back in the summer with the impulse buy of a TJM IBS Dual Battery Monitoring system.  I knew I wanted to monitor both batteries having learnt the hard way that keeping my main battery on a tender was not keeping my house battery charged.  I knew the house battery was being charged whilst driving but I had no idea of the level of the battery as even the little switch on the cooker showed me the condition of the starting battery.  

The initial installation of the TJM system seemed to go well until the drive home when the failure to link light started flashing and beeping.  I ended up trouble shooting the error and found that the IBS monitor was not cabled correctly.  A simple mistake easily corrected, but no prize, still the same error.  After discussion with my friends at Das Mule we switched out the module for a different one.  At first it did the same thing so I tested it with a different battery and whoa it worked.  Switched it back and all was good for about 3 months.

That is until randomly whilst driving the failure to link light came on.  I have to be honest at that point I was very frustrated as the system seemed to fail for no reason.  This left two possible tests.  Test a different battery or the power cable between the two batteries.  It is worth mentioning that during the initial installation the original VW relay was removed and the cooker panel LED cabled to the house battery.  The fridge connection was not needed as the fridge had been removed in favor of the GoWesty fridge elimination kit.  During the installation the existing power cable between the two batteries was used.
 

That was the state of the nation until this weekend.  I might not have been able to work on Benny but I have been thinking about the problem.  After talking to Joe and reading a bunch I decided that I would start by testing the power cable between the two batteries.  Well long story short and much to my surprise the new power cable resolved the problem.   So by the end of Saturday I had removed the seats and tested the power cable.  Whilst this was good news it also presented a challenge I was hoping to avoid.  You see the existing power cable was route through a hole in each of the battery compartments and I had not idea how to run the new power cable.   A little head scratching and I decided I should be able to pull the new cable through by attaching it to the existing one.

Sunday morning and I was ready to get going confident that I could pull the new cable through.  I installed a connector to the new power cable at one end and attached it to the connector of the old  cable and started to pull it through and then the worst thing that could happen, happened the old cable came through with no new cable attached.  The connector on the old cable pulled off.  Alter 5 minutes of verbally kicking myself for an ass it dawned on me that the condition of the connector could have been the problem.  It did not however fix the fact that I was left with having to figure out the one thing I had been avoiding.  How to run the new cable.  It turns out that both holes in both Battery compartments exited under the van but whilst I could see the cables through the wheel wells the route from one hole to the next was inaccessible short of taking things apart underneath, something I did not want to undertake.  After a considerable amount of head scratching I came up with a plan to use a rod with the cable zip tied loosely to it as a guide.  Did it go smoothly, like hell it did but in the end it worked and I was able to thread the cable under the van.  The hard part done I was free to put the batteries back and cable them up.

Earlier in the week whilst planning this weekends effort I decided I would add a battery charger and purchased the Pro Sport 20.  Well like all well laid plans the cables were not long enough and this time instead of trying to make it all work I changed tactics.  I decided to wire in a battery tender plugged into the fridge power outlet in the cupboard.  It worked like a charm and with a different  tender to manage the main battery (not wired in) I now have both batteries being monitored. 















Weekend Mission Accomplished

Products

TJM IBS Dual Battery Monitoring System (Available Here)
Battery Tender

Resources

12V Copper Cable Lugs for Pennies - Great you tube video
 

Injury Recovery Part 32 - Weekend Up's and Down's

The great news is that pulling the tooth got rid of all the cold sensitivity and pain related to the tooth.  The not so good news was that all weekend the empty socket has not been very happy resulting in head aches of a different nature, and there I was thinking that I had nailed the head aches.

I have to say it was a little sneaky as both Thursday and Friday I felt much better and then Friday night I decided to go all day and all night without pain killers.  Mistake, I ended up having a crappy night sleep and waking up with shooting pains behind my eyes and a body, neck and shoulders that felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck.  There is no question that pain killers do the job but they also lull you into a force sense of well being until you stop of course.  Last night was better with the help of pain killers and tonight after an active day I am already in need of a little pain relief but I will wait until bed time for maximum coverage.

On the up side I have been active all weekend, focused on getting Benny's battery system sorted out and whilst I have been uncomfortable at points during the day, I have been able to stay focused and get all the work done - I call that a win even if my body is less than happy with me.

I am looking forward to getting back to training again after having to stop due to the tooth pains and dentists orders.  I hope to get back on the bike towards the end of the week.

I hope you had a great weekend and Maxed life out.

Injury Recovery Part 31 - A Tooth Pulling

You know it is hard to focus on what you want to do when you have to deal with things you really don't want to deal with and today was a balance of them both.  At work my hack team is in the last week of preparation for our meeting with the CEO and the last thing I want to be dealing with is my recovery let alone a rogue tooth.  But hey we have to play the cards we are dealt and if the accident taught me anything it is to roll with the punch's and trust in a better day tomorrow.  Last night I called a couple of dentists and got a referral for a local oral surgeon.  They were my first call this morning having looked them up on Yelp last night and they were able to fit me in an emergency spot this afternoon.  It was really nice to have things just work out with little stress.  The lady that answered the phone was really helpful and got me all set up for a 3:30 appointment to have the tooth extracted, leaving me free to get on with my day which was great with all that is going on.


I will be honest I was not looking forward to 3:30 and a little nervous about the whole thing.  With questions still unanswered I turned up for the extraction and the great experience I had on the phone continued at the dental office.  The staff were friendly and helpful and the doctor I saw was engaging and professional with great bedside manner.  He listened to my longwinded story and explained that a trauma can bring on a nerve problem but dealing with the tooth was the first step.  He explained what was involved in getting an implant and made sure that my mouth was fully numb before starting.  He took care to check that I could feel nothing and a few twists later and a crack or two and the tooth was out.   Once the tooth was out he explained that he inspected the area and I did not need a bone graph to support an implant.  He told me the optimal time to consider and implant would be in 4 to 9 months time.  He spent time explaining that only 15% of people use the rear top molar to chew on and that he would recommend that I wait and decide if I really miss the tooth as he would not recommend spending the time and money if it is not needed.  I was very impressed with the whole experience and if you are interested in who I saw here are the details.

http://www.summitoralsurgeons.com/meet-us/meet-the-doctors/  -  Jared R. Cottam

After the extraction I asked for the tooth and whist I was expecting to see something I was really surprised with the size of the cavity











I am now home and applying the regiment of gauze changing and icing needed to get the bleeding and swelling under control not to mention a good helping of pain control which makes me not care what I look like, yup that's me with a bag of frozen blueberry's strapped to my face feeling all fuzzy and happy thanks to the pain meds.  I don't know I think there is a fashion statement somewhere between 1st world war and fairy princess lol.










Well that's me for the day, if all goes well I will be back in the office tomorrow for a sync with the team in the afternoon - fingers crossed. 

Injury Recovery Part 30 - Trip to the Endodontist

The things you learn and quite honestly there are some things I wish I did not have to learn.  the lesson in medicine this week is that there are different types of dentists.  Ok so it seems obvious now but seriously I have gone through life thinking a dentist is a dentist and now there is Endodontics and oral surgeons thrown into the mix.   Ah now it comes to how I learnt this gem of knowledge, well on Friday the dentist referred me to an Endodontist as he could not help me further and wanted to rule out a compromised tooth.  The bit that sucked was having to wait three days and dealing with the pain until today.   Talking about pain, thankfully the strategy of not talking much helped control it.  Back to today, so it turns out that I have a decayed rear moaler with two option open to me.  Option 1 is a root canal however it would not be a permanent fix and would most likely need treatment and/or extraction in the future.  Option 2 extraction with or without an implant.  I was very impressed with the person I saw and the help provided in making the decision to extract.  What I was not excited about was the oral surgeon I was referred to cannot see me until next week, so tomorrow the mission is to find a good oral surgeon to remove the tooth asap as I really want to get back on track with my recovery.  Oh and here's the kicker the tooth problem was not caused by the accident but coincidence, go figure.  The good news is there is a clear plan forward which is a much better place to be than "I don't know".

Injury Recovery Part 29 - Set Back

Set backs happen but I really did not expect it to be my teeth that caused it.  I won't lie and say everything is rosy because right now it does not feel rosy.  I know I will get over it but it is hard to not throw myself a pity party.   As always it is the nagging pain that just wears as well as the. disappointment given the progress made combined with the just not knowing what it is.

You know you have another journey on your hands when your dentist does not know what is going on.  My next step is to visit a specialist to find out if I need a root canal.  The dentist would be happy if that is the problem as in his words it can then be dealt with.  The problem is the pain is not isolated to one tooth but rather a combination of upper teeth, jaw joint and back lower teeth and it seems to get worse the more I move my jaw by talking or eating.  Then there is the constant low grade headache that accompanies it, see I told you it is hard not to through a pity party.

Thankfully it is controllable with a combination of ibuprofen and oxycoden.  It is the phcological impact of having to conceded to pain killers again I am also struggling with, not to mention not knowing how much to exercise whilst in this condition to keep working on the neck and back recovery.

Ok time to kick myself is the arse and stop feeling sorry for myself and start feeling grateful it is not worse.

Injury Recovery Part 28 - Tooth Pain and No Sleep

It is 4am in the morning and I have been up since 2am when the pain killers I took to go to bed wore off.  You can probably imagine how frustrated I feel right now.

Yesterday I woke with minor symptoms in the morning that grew throughout the day until I left work with a throbbing head and face.  The worse symptoms I have had in weeks which is disappointing after the progress earlier in the week. 

Right now all I can focus on is getting the pain under control and trying to salvage some sleep so that I can function tomorrow but right now that seems unlikely.