Episode IV: A New Hope

Back on September 8 there was no doubt that I had broken my collarbone. I knew it even before I stood up after crashing in the WORS race at Lake Geneva. X-rays at the emergency room provided the official confirmation. A second set of X-rays on September 12 prompted an orthopedic specialist in West Bend to caution me not to expect the injury to heal on its own. A third set of X-rays on September 19 led the same specialist to refer me to a surgeon at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee.

Today I met with that surgeon and he was amazed at the ease with which I could move my arm. I have excellent range of motion and very little discomfort. I thought I was going in for a pre-surgery pep talk today but instead I came away with a recommendation to wait a while longer to see how far natural healing takes me. I will be happy to avoid surgery if I can, however I made it clear that my first priority is a full recovery. If surgery is the only way to get back to 100 percent, then surgery is the way to go. New X-rays are planned for October 14. I will be five weeks post-injury and we should see clear indications of progress. On three prior occasions, this shoulder has healed itself. For the next couple of weeks, at least, I can hope that it will again.