Déjà vu: same story, different day...

Operation number 4! Apparently the operation was successful! my pec tendon was re-attached with 3 metal anchors and reinforced with tendo-achilles allograft (sterilised achilles tendon tissue taken from a cadaver...) and biologically enhanced with platelet rich plasma (taken from my own blood). I am feeling surprisingly good, nowhere near as drowsy and numb as post the previous operations, but considerably more local pain in the chest – the ‘nerve block’ obviously did not work, and my back is numb instead of my chest... anyhow, I am feeling confident that this is the final step to full recovery and I will be back sailing again before the end of next year...

Fast Rewind life 7 months...

It was just over 7 months ago that I ruptured my pec major (chest muscle), resulting in 3 successive reattachment surgeries and a rollercoaster ride of emotional lows and highs. The initial thought of having a career ending injury followed by months of intensive rehab and training, then the excitement of potentially getting back into top condition and seeing ‘the light’ of possibly making a comeback. And here I am again, 7 months later, back in hospital and about to go in for my 4th operation for the same injury...
It’s difficult to understand, let alone being able to explain why and what happened, particularly after my rehab and training was progressing so well. It could be summed up by simply saying that my surgeon (Prof. Len Funk) was not surprised that the tendon had re ruptured. I recall him telling me after the 3rd operation that he may have to re operate in a few months time as the integrity of the muscle had deteriorated significantly following an infection. Anyway here I am ready to rewind my life 7 months and begin the rehab process all over again!
So, what have I learned in the process? Well, firstly, the mind in incredibly powerful, in-fact far stronger than the human body. Secondly, peak performance is not about pushing oneself to the limit every training session, but being able to carefully judge when to push and when to allow the body to recover; the art of knowing how much is too much! Thirdly, it is not the first to start that’s important, it’s the first to finish that counts. Basically, I need a good trainer!
As I write this, just a few hours before going in to surgery, I recall how I felt 7 months ago; one may expect it to get easier, on the contrary. Whether it’s the thought of once again having to endure the countless hours of rehab, or having to re learn to brush my teeth with my left hand, or not being able shower for weeks (well, not without a measure or creativity), or loosing another 10kg’s of muscle mass, or the fact that the operation is going to be considerably more complex than previous (I am undergoing an ‘allograft’), I am not sure.