Proud of myself - minimal weight gain after significant injuries.

dmich3210

I'm proud of myself and bragging a little. I had been on a winning streak - well, a losing streak, in June and July, and got down to my lowest weight in over 2 years. Felt good about that and wanted to keep the momentum going.

Towards the end of July, I had a microphlebectomy on my right leg. The last of 8 procedures over 3 years to correct really bad venous circulation with edema and stasis dermatitis in both legs. The rest of those procedures were trivial to me in terms of discomfort. This last one was very superficial veins just below the skin. My vascular surgeon told me this would be more painful than prior ones. He was right, it was very painful for about 3-4 days, and painful enough to keep me away from my regular exercise routine for over a week. Didn't heal as well as I would like - ended up swelling and red about a week after - went to ER, staph infection.

Well, I recovered enough from that to get back on my bike the 2nd Sunday in August, and was planning to go back to my boot camp the next day. And ... I crashed, ended up in the ER with a broken parella, fractured tibia, rotator cuff injury, hairline fractures of several carpal bones, broken thumb and a torn ulnar cruciate ligament in my thumb/hand, and a concussion.

My weight ballooned for 2 weeks, at the worst almost 20 pound gain. I knew it was edema, my entire left leg was about 3 X normal size, my right hand and forearm were swollen, as was left arm/shoulder area, plus other assorted bumps and bruises. Even my only uninjured limb, my right leg, became quite swollen. Pretty miserable feeling.

Well ... I can't really exercise. My left leg is locked in a full leg brace for 3 months. No weight on it during that time - wheelchair, walker or crutches. Right hand/wrist is in a cast, I can use my fingers enough to sort of hold a fork or pen. Left shoulder slowly becoming more mobile but still limited in the weight I can lift.

Anyway -- everything has finally recovered enough that the swelling has gone - and despite no exercise and people bringing me "treats" - and I've indulged in some.

Up about 4 lbs. Not bad considering my full leg brace and cast are part of that as I try to weigh myself balancing on one leg.

GemstoneofHeart

Wow! You sure have been through the ringer! Well done, that is a huge success.

timtam163

Holy crap, glad you're okay after all that! Wishing you a full recovery!

DannyYMi54321

Thanks. I know some of it is muscle loss, but not really sure how much. I have a Garnim scale that measures all of that - but since I'm not supposed to put weight on the injured leg, I step on and briefly put both feet down while putting as much of my weight on the uninjured leg - then as soon as the weight number stabilizes, I grab the grab bar outside the shower stall in my bathroom and get my injured leg up. It takes about 30-45 seconds for the scale to send the current through my body to read muscle, bone and water weight - too long, I don't need to know it bad enough to risk hurting myself.