Time Passage
February 1, 2020
- Recently I had reconstructive surgery on my right shoulder for the second time in eighteen years-Dr Mark Boyle on the West Coast was my first excellent orthopaedic surgeon-but this time it was different. This time I really ripped it lifting weights back in London, Ontario in the Hyatt Hotel training centre. How did I do that? I didn’t pay attention to technique and was rushing to get back to the office for an evening meeting I felt it was important to be at. My surgeon this time round was Dr. Ian Lo, a shoulder specialist. He’s a terrific guy, and an esteemed Sports Medicine Orthopaedic surgeon out at Group 23 at WinSport in Calgary. So I had the very best! Unfortunately for me I tore one of my cadaver tendon grafts during my eighteen month long recovery and up until a few weeks ago may shoulder was causing me some concern. I’m pleased to say that the worse seems to be over and other than it cracking at times there now appears to be no pain or aching.
- I’m so thankful to be in his research study and be given the chance to be “whole” again. It was a long journey getting to this point in time. The first orthopaedic specialist I saw told me that my shoulder was beyond the scope of his expertise but that Dr. Lo just might think you’re an ideal candidate for his study. After an hour interview and much discussion about who I was and why I wanted this surgery he said, “You’re in.” If I’d been a “couch potato” and wasn’t still so active and physically fit he would have told me to go home. So the lesson is, stay fit and healthy because it will give you options in life that others don’t or won’t have.
- So what does this mean for me? Well, I gave it a really good test nordic skate and classic skiing this year at the end of the ski season at West Bragg Creek-alpine skiing was easy, I just have to slow down having clocked myself at 89.9 km/hour on the Slopes app. Seriously! It means I may hopefully paddle again and as I have three different paddle boats waiting for me to “jump in and go”, that’s a big deal for me. The story is one never knows the last time when one does something one loves so my advice to all of you, keep doing what it is you love and don’t put off what you can do today because tomorrow may be too late.