So here I am, at 36 a mess of torn ligaments, cartilage, twisted bones and ruptured discs. To add insult to injury above that I'm covered in a layer of protective Karate fat. It's amazing how quickly it comes on and how many excuses one will make in the process to denying that they have in-fact orca'd the **** up. I said I'm washing my clothes too much in too hot of water rather than saying hey you were 175 lbs. your 200 now, 210, 220, 240 and actually dealing with the problem at hand.
I began skateboarding at 8, at 8 I had snapped my leg, at 11 I had broken my left arm, at 14 I broke my ankle. At 18 I broke both balls of my feet. At 23 I tore my MCL, 3 weeks (6 months after the injury) after finally being able to go skate again I snapped my Scaphoid. Mountain biking has knocked me out, Tore my ACL in my shoulder, I had broken ribs, and blown my back apart. All of these things happened because in my head I'm still a 175 6'2" dude who was nimble. Im not even going to try add up the ankle sprains. If I were to guess it easily numbers well over 100. All of these suffered and healed by excessive drinking and a good smattering of drug usage. Do enough coke and drink 28 PBR's and you'll be running down the street on a uncasted broken ankle.
Last Sunday while doing yard work I bent over to pick-up dog poop and was subjected to the most immense pain I have ever experienced. Like someone had stabbed me in the spine with a shovel. Because of all of the prior injuries and a considerable amount of tattoo work I have always considered myself tough. This made me a child, un-capable of movement and any made me feel like I was being given surgery without any local. I was lucky enough to make it to the bed before I passed out.
The next 5 hours of trying to get up and get to the hospital, then having to sit in a wheelchair until I could be admitted and given real painkillers was a ****ing nightmare. I was given dilaudid, percocet and vallium. At 36 these seem to be vital to any kind of recovery. I count not imagine having to do anything without those lovelies.
Because of the 2 back injuries and the grade 3 shoulder separation I have missed almost 1.5 years of riding. Along with a rather healthy diet and commuting to work on my bike I decided it's time to get back to the old me. After watching those mtb strength videos I decided to head out to buy a foam roller. After spending 20 minutes or so doing the shoulder exercises in the video I can easily say that none of the bones in my body appear to be where they are supposed to. I can clearly see how these rollers are well worth it. Just in the first 20 minutes I am able to actually raise my blown up shoulder above my head without pain like in the video.
At bit long winded (probably the handful of percocet's I took when I got home after a painful day at work) But Those rollers are so worth it in just working out the knots you don't even know exist laster this week i'll be visiting an acpuncturist for the first time at the recommendation of several riders.
So, for all you 22 year olds out there, for god's sake car care of your injuries do all the rehab and stretch.
Because it's so easy to look like this (for those that know me, if I shaved my beard, got blacked out and put on 15 pounds in my face you'd see the resemblance)
I began skateboarding at 8, at 8 I had snapped my leg, at 11 I had broken my left arm, at 14 I broke my ankle. At 18 I broke both balls of my feet. At 23 I tore my MCL, 3 weeks (6 months after the injury) after finally being able to go skate again I snapped my Scaphoid. Mountain biking has knocked me out, Tore my ACL in my shoulder, I had broken ribs, and blown my back apart. All of these things happened because in my head I'm still a 175 6'2" dude who was nimble. Im not even going to try add up the ankle sprains. If I were to guess it easily numbers well over 100. All of these suffered and healed by excessive drinking and a good smattering of drug usage. Do enough coke and drink 28 PBR's and you'll be running down the street on a uncasted broken ankle.
Last Sunday while doing yard work I bent over to pick-up dog poop and was subjected to the most immense pain I have ever experienced. Like someone had stabbed me in the spine with a shovel. Because of all of the prior injuries and a considerable amount of tattoo work I have always considered myself tough. This made me a child, un-capable of movement and any made me feel like I was being given surgery without any local. I was lucky enough to make it to the bed before I passed out.
The next 5 hours of trying to get up and get to the hospital, then having to sit in a wheelchair until I could be admitted and given real painkillers was a ****ing nightmare. I was given dilaudid, percocet and vallium. At 36 these seem to be vital to any kind of recovery. I count not imagine having to do anything without those lovelies.
Because of the 2 back injuries and the grade 3 shoulder separation I have missed almost 1.5 years of riding. Along with a rather healthy diet and commuting to work on my bike I decided it's time to get back to the old me. After watching those mtb strength videos I decided to head out to buy a foam roller. After spending 20 minutes or so doing the shoulder exercises in the video I can easily say that none of the bones in my body appear to be where they are supposed to. I can clearly see how these rollers are well worth it. Just in the first 20 minutes I am able to actually raise my blown up shoulder above my head without pain like in the video.
At bit long winded (probably the handful of percocet's I took when I got home after a painful day at work) But Those rollers are so worth it in just working out the knots you don't even know exist laster this week i'll be visiting an acpuncturist for the first time at the recommendation of several riders.
So, for all you 22 year olds out there, for god's sake car care of your injuries do all the rehab and stretch.
Because it's so easy to look like this (for those that know me, if I shaved my beard, got blacked out and put on 15 pounds in my face you'd see the resemblance)
