Last run before surgery

I decided to do about 7 miles this morning with Jeff L. I figured I might as well end the year with a bang. I felt ok but was pretty tired after about 6. It must have been those Norwegian Woods last night. In any event, the pace wasn't as relaxed as it should have been. Here goes nothing.

Norfolk Pub 10 Miler

The Norfolk 10 miler is a great race: beautiful course, good distance, challenging, only $10, and it includes a free beer. Can you beat that? It was a cold day and the roads were ice/snow covered but I enjoyed it. Great long tempo run and good hill workout all in one. It was good to see Jeremy L and Jeff L there. Where was Geoff K? If he wasn't about to have a baby I'd be more inclined to give him a hard time...

Jeff L said he is running the Virginia Beach marathon in March and I'm thinking about joining him. Sounds like a good race. I overheard someone in the pub saying they are trying to run a marathon in all 50 states. I like that idea. And after that, maybe every continent, or at least 6 of 7. Antarctica would suck.

Final doc.'s appt. before surgery

Final pre-surgery appointment with doc this morning to sign consent, go over surgery and its risks and answer my questions. The surgery is on January 2 at 1:30 in Guilford. He's going to repair my spring ligament and scope my ankle. He's also going to insert a temporary "screw" (can't remember the medical name for this) through the lateral side of my foot to support my arch. If it doesn't bother me when running, it can stay in. If it does, it can come out. Splint then cast for 3 months. Rehab for 6 weeks--most of which I can do at home. Will be weak but won't take much to regain strength. Will try to have me doing exercises before cast comes off.

Doc took pics and video of my feet so he can "think about them."

Doc most concerned about wound not healing/infection. Also concered about artery and nerve has to maneuver around when scoping ankle. He's performed four of these surgeries and all have been successful.

Inspirational Image Of The Week

Tough decision

Pre-op visit with Dr. Reach this afternoon. Went over two procedures to repair split tear in spring ligament. The tear is to the center of the ligament. If the tear is small, the edges can be cleaned up and sown together. If the tear is large, he'd have to use a piece of a tendon from a cadaver...collagen? I'm not clear on this. There is a 15-20% chance that these procedures would not heal and then he'd have to go back in and fuse two bones. He offered that I could try an orthosis and physical therapy, but these things only treat the symptoms, they do not fix what's broken. The tear will not heal on its own.

Until recently, it was agreed that spring ligaments have no function, but when Dr. Reach was at Duke, they discovered that when the PTT, the tendon that primarily holds up the arch, gets tired, the spring ligament is stressed and can tear. My PTT is intact, and this is why I am able to stand on my toes and walk and run a bit pain free.

Norfolk Pub 10 Miler

So who all is definitely doing the Norfolk Pub 10 Miler next weekend? I've never done it but I'm up for it if I will have some company.

Update

Duke and Mayo Clinic docs say I have rather large tear in spring ligament. Dr. Reach says spring ligament tears do not heal on own. He thinks I should opt to have surgically repaired. I agree. Pre-operative visit soon.