Minor Physical Complaints Story

[glenb]

I turned 62 this summer and like many around this age, I have a few minor complaints, mine is a right knee damaged by some non-riding related incident years ago.

I am going in for an arthroscopic operation in Nov. (timed to be close to the end of our good riding weather, not a coincidence).

Our BMW Riders chapter has an monthly breakfast at a big family type restaurant about an hour away from here.

I can easily imagine this scenario;

I get off the bike and hobble in to the restaurant (it takes a while to loosen up when getting out of the SUV or off the bike).

Parents of a teenage son observer this, saying something like, "Jimmy, see the way that man walks?, that's why your mom and I won't let you have a motorcycle"

 

[Anyname]

Several alternative strategies:
1) Drive your bike right into the restaurant. Nobody will notice how you walk.
2) Get a skydiving t-shirt. They can blame the limp on another sport.
3) Give up and realize that those parents were already going to forbid the kid from getting a motorcycle. He will however, buy one and keep it in a friend's garage until he turns 21.

 

[kantuckid]

After a few more senior years you'll harden to the "old age comments"! I often tell people (grandkids & my kids included) "don't you know its not nice to make fun of old folks"!
My Dad always said I could have one-just come up with the $-which I didn't have...

On a more serious note & FWIW-My childhood friend & fellow H.S. athlete & a retired CO pharmacist turned CO fishing guide, died a couple of yrs back after a very routine knee surgery resulted in a hospital infection that got him. Sadly, he never got home. I suppose the moral of the story is that there are no risk-free surgeries? My knees are close to repair.

 

[jgr451]

Good one Anyname,gave me a chuckle!!
When I got back from the MOA rally,my butt was about paralyzed.
Had the knee arthroscopy a number of years back,it went smoothly.

 

[kingpaul]

Get off the bike, limp in, but still ride. Beats limping from the recliner to the bathroom...

 

[dieselyoda]

Riding and hurting beats not riding, every time.

 

[35634]

Sometimes I wonder why I take the sidecar 90% of the time. Part of the reason might be it won't fall over in a parking lot At least I'm not taking the car, which is the ultimate sign of submission to old age.

 

[tommcgee]

My left knee has kept me off the bike this year, except for 200 paltry miles. Sucks!

 

[BC1100S]

I get off the bike and hobble in to the restaurant (it takes a while to loosen up when getting out of the SUV or off the bike).

Parents of a teenage son observer this, saying something like, "Jimmy, see the way that man walks?, that's why your mom and I won't let you have a motorcycle"

I hope you took the time to correct their misconception.

 

[wbrownell9]

Getting old is not for sissies. Something's going on with my clutch hand and I'm not sure I want to find out what it is for fear it will end my season. Maybe I'll have it looked at in December. Turned out that was good timing for a rotator cuff repair last year

 

[tommcgee]

Getting old is not for sissies. Something's going on with my clutch hand and I'm not sure I want to find out what it is for fear it will end my season. Maybe I'll have it looked at in December. Turned out that was good timing for a rotator cuff repair last year

Yeah, clutch hand problems here too, will get it checked at the October checkup, I also have two rotator cuffs that are damaged -- one can NOT stop a tip over, despite the auto-reflex. Both on long trips, one at Meat Cove and one near DC.

 

[indiana_jones_i]

Could not have said it better.

Riding and hurting beats not riding, every time.

Just went for a ride tonight on my bum left hip. Painful but still a pleasure.

 

[Omega Man]

Just went for a ride tonight on my bum left hip. Painful but still a pleasure.

Welcome to the forum!
Gary

 

[kantuckid]

Yeah, clutch hand problems here too, will get it checked at the October checkup, I also have two rotator cuffs that are damaged -- one can NOT stop a tip over, despite the auto-reflex. Both on long trips, one at Meat Cove and one near DC.

My wife, after years of CTS symptoms, went to the hand doc 2 weeks (she's like me & reluctant to go to a doc), was given a cortisone shot in each hand and they work like new, well, almost. FWIW, that shot got me zero relief for same issue- only the release worked for me.
As to shoulder, I tore mine up for the 2nd time in May and cannot get relief. I'm not a "pain pill guy! I cannot take NSAIDS either. medicare will not allow Voltaren gel/ibuprofen for shoulders because it has not had enough research-they told me upon appealing no fill of RX. Doc says no shot,etc., until MRI results are in-I have been since May with pain and MRI was 8/27! Now I go back in late Sept for follow-up. Talk about great USA medical care?
I'm glad I don't have something deadly! They couldn't see me for hip & shoulder on same day-huh?-no $$ from Medicare flows... They could not schedule the MRI of hip & shoulder on same day.-huh? Doc asked me which one hurts the worst...
I guess it's like you break your arm & your leg & one body part suffers while the other gets a look?
Phyllis Diller was correct.

I had my MC gear layed out for the early trip to MRI in another town but coffee time got away from me so I drove instead. When the doc injected my hip joint with lidocaine (prior to the dye for the MRI) she hit the main nerve in my leg, thus it was rendered totally in/op for ~ 5 hours! When I got up from the table to go for MRI, I fell hard & fast & luckily the radiologist caught me. Good thing I wasn't on a bike that day! She/doc called next day to ask the duration of the muscles being "dead"-said it had happened to a colleague but never her. Beware riding to doc visits.

 

[easy]

I turned 62 this summer and like many around this age, I have a few minor complaints, mine is a right knee damaged by some non-riding related incident years ago.

I am going in for an arthroscopic operation in Nov. (timed to be close to the end of our good riding weather, not a coincidence).

Our BMW Riders chapter has an monthly breakfast at a big family type restaurant about an hour away from here.

I can easily imagine this scenario;

I get off the bike and hobble in to the restaurant (it takes a while to loosen up when getting out of the SUV or off the bike).

Parents of a teenage son observer this, saying something like, "Jimmy, see the way that man walks?, that's why your mom and I won't let you have a motorcycle"

I wouldn't worry too much about what other people think, or next thing you know you'll start feeling guilty that you don't own three minivans. The parents in your scenario are driving a cage and probably live in the psychological equivalent of one.

E.

 

[glenb]

I hope you took the time to correct their misconception.

Not to worry.

The story is a hypothetical one I made up in the attempt for a bit of humour, i.e., didn't really happen.


My dealer is 2 hours away from here, and I was up to the same town last week to our head office, for a meeting.

In addition to the ongoing knee problem, I had thrown my back out days before.

I hobbled into the shop later that day, with great difficulty, using a cane.

I got some puzzled and concerned looks from the folks who own & operate the shop, so I quickly said I didn't do it on the bike, the F700GS is just fine.

...................and I repeated this to everyone that was in, or came into, the shop.

 

[glenb]

Well

I had it done on Wed., Nov. 19th and I am at home on the mend.

I have a follow up appointment with the surgeon on Nov. 26th.

Yesterday was a bit uncomfortable, today is a bit better. I am told this will continue.

In discussing the subject at work, I was surprised how many people I know have had this done, or know or are related to those that have; the consensus is that it usually turns out pretty well. One of them went back playing hockey; if things work out well, I plan to be more careful than that

 

[lkchris]

Get your doctor to refer you to a physical therapist--they are miracle workers.

You'll need to continue to perform the take-home exercises they give you ... which IMHO is the real pain to getting old.

 

[wbrownell9]

GlenB - are you able to walk at all? Need a cane? Walker? My ortho guy says I have a torn meniscus and wants to do arthroscopic to fix it. I live alone so have no one to drive me around if I need it. Last year my son was here for 3 weeks after my rotator cuff surgery until I could drive (probably shouldn't have so soon, but it was good to have him here during the worst part)

 

[glenb]

GlenB - are you able to walk at all? Need a cane? Walker? My ortho guy says I have a torn meniscus and wants to do arthroscopic to fix it. I live alone so have no one to drive me around if I need it. Last year my son was here for 3 weeks after my rotator cuff surgery until I could drive (probably shouldn't have so soon, but it was good to have him here during the worst part)

I will offer a bit of a disclaimer because I suspect there are variances in types of injuries, surgeries and the way different people react, but here is my experience.

I am 62, carrying a bit too much weight and not very athletic

I think this was an old injury because the discomfort used to come and go for years but last April, it came and stayed.

I was able to walk right after I came out of the anesthetic in the hospital, I was in for day surgery so they move you out pretty quick. That was Nov. 19/14.

They gave me a bunch of Tylenol 3's and my wife drove me home, there was no way I could have driven, they do make sure you arrange a driver before the surgery.

I am supposed to take the Tylenol 3's every 6 hours, and I make sure I do, the pain is a reminder

The next day, Nov. 20th was painful. I used a cane and could go 20 or 30 feet, none too well; I was glad to have a bungalow. They did tell me they wanted me to try to walk at least every two hours, as much as I could, I suspect to keep things limbered up.

Today, Nov. 21st, was a bit better. Moving better, able to go a bit farther. It is encouraging, to see some minor progress.

I an scheduled to be checked out by the surgeon on Nov. 26/14 and he will check me out and tell me what I should and should not be doing over the next little while.

I was told to expect to be fairly low key for a couple weeks, they don't want me driving until they see me on the 26th, then they will give me an idea of when I can.

I should be able to return to work late next week, assuming I am cleared to drive, but this is because I am in engineering in a single story office. I understand from what I have heard that those in more physical occupations are generally off work longer.


If my experience id any indicator, I am afraid that you probably would need to make some sort of arrangements for help in the first couple weeks after any surgery.

I keep checking on the forum several times a day, so if you have any questions, ask away.

If you like, I can post updates on how things are going.

I did schedule my surgery to coincide with my riding season, I put my wife's and my bike up for the winter on Nov. 15th, I have my priorities