Featured A "little" Detour--after A Bicycle Crash And Two Broken Bones

Today is the three-week "anniversary" of my bicycle crash and I've some positive news to report! I had a follow-up appointment with my orthopedic surgeon yesterday. He got x-rays of both (newly bionic) elbow and my pelvis. And both are healing just as they should! I felt both very happy and extremely relieved when he told me that. Though I still must be quite careful of the elbow--no leaning on it, pushing myself up with it (like getting up out of bed), etc. But I can be out of my splint most of the time and primarily just wear that when I'm out in public so it's protected. I'll still wear it to bed for a week or two longer so I don't accidentally use it or lay on it wrong or generally do something to mess it up.

My pelvic/pubic rami bone fracture is coming along too. I can walk reasonably well--though very slowing and carefully--using a cane. And for short stints across a room with something in reach to steady myself if need be, I can walk without the cane. I've been out and about a fair amount yesterday and tomorrow and now I know why people who've had this injury tell me to not overdo it.

Mr. Sandi and I had our first adult evening out in over three weeks last night. We'd gotten tickets some time ago for a concert in downtown Tucson by a band that Steve has been a fan of for years--Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. They do a big concert every year in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, otherwise known as Rocky Point to Arizonans. I'd seen this band once before but it has been years. I'm just barely healed enough to do all I did yesterday--ortho appointment, a manicure/pedicure (hallelujah!) and the concert. Here are a few pics to document our evening because, as we all know, no photos means it didn't happen.

The concert venue is an old (in US years of course) venerable theatre that gets some really interesting bands that come through Tucson. The bummer is you're gimping around is that there is little seating and it's mostly standing room. We arrived early enough, however, that we scouted out a good spot with some folding chairs and moved them to a relatively "safe" (as in no one was likely to bash into me) location.


This is Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. They have somewhat of a cult following and, as I mentioned, they do a big concert (more like they throw a big party!) in Mexico not far across the AZ--MX border. The concert is called Circus Mexicus. I've not been to it but Mr. Sandi has several times and says it's a blast!



The concert venue doesn't have food but does have a reasonably decent bar. This particular evening it was Jameson to start with followed later by Rittenhouse rye on the rocks. There was a food truck just 'round the corner so Mr. Sandi brought back chili cheese fries. God, I love that man!



Tonight we're heading out again, this time for dinner with my aunt and uncle who are Michigan snowbirds who live in Tucson from January until early May. One of their sons, my cousin, and his wife are in town so we'll get to see them, too. This evening should be a bit more sedate and certainly will entail less walking which for today is a good thing based on how I feel after yesterday's extravaganza.

 

Thanks, @Wessa! It really does feel good to get out of the house and back into the “real world a bit. I think it’s also good to move differently little by little and get the old body rolling again. An occupational therapist at Mr. Sandi’s job said her phrase is “motion is lotion”. I think of that most every day! Especially days I don’t much feel like moving.

We got out for dinner last night to a nice restaurant with some of my extended family who are here from Michigan. This morning, like last Sunday morning, we are going to drive to one of our favorite Sunday morning motorcycle breakfast joints to meet up with whomever is on the ride today. The drive will be beautiful and goes over Gates Pass which I have included photos of in other threads.

Tomorrow marks three weeks since my elbow surgery. When I get impatient I try to remember I’m not that far out from my crash and surgery. That does help… a little.

 

Another lovely excursion to get out of the house. Yesterday Mr. Sandi and I drove over Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains to meet up with some of our riding buddies at a great little restaurant that's a staple on our breakfast joint list. Since I wasn't driving, I took the opportunity to snap some photos from my co-pilot's seat.

After breakfast Mr. Sandi suggested we go by the Tucson H-D dealership to walk around (I'm working up to more cane-based walking each day) and moto therapy. Not the riding kind....yet. But hopefully soon!

Here's Mr. Sandi and two of our riding pals with my Mustang in the restaurant parking lot.


This was our route today. A nice drive in the Mustang through the sunny Sonoran Desert.


These photos are all taken going up and over Gates Pass. I think the grade at the very top of the pass where you see the right turn and 15mph sign is about 15%. Fun in a car and on a motorcycle. Hard as heck on a bicycle!

There was a lot of traffic today because the weather was spectacular. Plus the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is going on right now and it's also "Snowbird Central" this tie of year as well. There are a couple of local attractions out this way, too--Old Tucson Studios and the Arizona--Sonora Desert Museum.

 

AAACK! Sorry for all the photo repeats on my last post. And here I was trying to order pics and tell a story. Sheesh.

Please start reading where I wrote "Another lovely excursion to get out of the house". The first four pics are all the same one so just scroll past them.

 

Thanks, Joe! It feels so good to get out and about again.. Hopefully I'll have some stories that relate to motorcycle rides and Mustang drives soon. But not "too" soon. You and @Bad Billy and several other forum friends have been wise about reminding me to not overdo things and to make sure I heal up properly.

 

Yes, Joe. Seeing all the motorcycles out on such a glorious Sunday did make me sigh a little but it did help to be in the Mustang. I am really eager for the day that I can start riding again. You are right though...one step at a time.

Just a few minutes ago I came back in from a "proper" (well, I use that term rather loosely at the moment) walk around our neighborhood with Steve and Annie. It wasn't very long--maybe 10 minutes-- but it felt great to be out in the fresh air and sunshine! I'll add a bit more each day and also work on my pace and using the cane less and less too.

I have another physical therapy appointment tomorrow and it will be the first one after my x-rays showed up looking good. So we'll see how much more my therapist pushes my elbow and how much he instructs me to push it when I do my exercises at home.

Thanks for your check-ins and continued encouragement and support, Joe!

 

Thanks, @Dave C.! Yes, getting out and about is definitely tonic in itself. Plus it makes me move more and also more functionally. Last night Mr. Sandi spontaneously suggested we go out for sushi which was really nice. Tomorrow evening we're going to the U of Arizona baseball home opener which is always fun. We've had baseball season tickets now for the past several years. The Wildcats have a great stadium that used to a pro baseball spring training camp facility. They serve beer and wine and some quite decent chow, too. Getting out to events like this also gives me something to look forward to other than my 5x/day home PT and my medical appointments.

Earlier today a riding buddy of ours came to the house and picked me up and took me to lunch so I could hear all about his new motorcycle purchase. Mr. Sandi was at work so it was fun to get out mid-day. And I was actually (though slowly and with great care and effort) able to get into our friend's pick-up. Progress! Thanks again for the encouragement, Dave.

 

@Dave C, thank you for the continued encouragement! I can use it. Hit a bit of a "plateau" at my PT appointment yesterday with my elbow flexion. My therapist was cool and said that happens and not to fret but it was frustrating to learn I'd made no improvement in that particular motion. He said improvement is more like a staircase than a ramp--not linear but improvement interspersed with some stalling. Anyway, I'm trying to move my elbow more just in the course to the day to try to get it used to the idea of bending again.

The baseball game was great fun last night! It's so good to get out and about. Plus we walked a ways from Steve's truck to the stadium and back again. My walking is definitely improving and I don't need to cane all the time anyone. I mostly use it when I actually go out for a "big" walk ("big" at this point is 15 minutes of slow and methodical walking).

We have great season tickets for Wildcats baseball--not expensive at all and super seats. Plus it's a great organization and we just love to support UA baseball. Mr. Sandi was a baseball player for years. Now he doesn't play anymore--but he is a terrific nurse!

Here are a few photos from our evening out last night. I'm quite bundled up because it was a "chilly" 60ºF.
They serve some good beer at the games, too, since the stadium is off campus. The one in my cup holder is a local brew--Dragoon IPA.

 

BTW, @Dave C., I love the Jack Reacher books! I've read every single one of them in the series. That means I'm on the "Hurry up and write another book, Lee Child!" plan.