Out for the season

After review of my MRI, I've decided to not compete in the '19 indoor and outdoor track seasons.  Due to the fact that my knee is not painful, I assumed the damage would heal slowly, but it looks as if the best course for the long term would be to have a meniscus repair surgery.  Overall, except for the single break in the meniscus, the joint is in decent shape.  No ligament or tendon damage, only mild wear on the articular surfaces.  My Dr. initially was going to give me a steroid injection and a lubricant and send me on my way.  After researching this particular injury, that course of treatment would guarantee a rapid degeneration of the joint if I returned to training.  Repair seems to be the best course.

Right now, I can bike, hike, row, even stairmaster ... but I need to get this fixed if I want to train to run by 2020.  The specific surgery I'm looking for is not common.  My friend Alan, a orthopedic surgeon and world champion masters sprinter (member of my Gold relay teams in Lyon) told me he does this surgery only a few times a year.  If anyone in my network can do it, it would be my present Dr. who is THE Sr knee surgeon in Nashville, and it would save me a lot of money than going out of network.  However, I'm still in the decision making stage and considering options.  Two out of network options I'm considering are - 1) the Mayo Clinic that happens to be doing a clinical trial on this exact surgery - I just emailed the director; and 2) a Dr. in Colorado who seems to be the nation's expert on this procedure and is very much involved in treating elite athletes. 

Surgery is always a bitch because it's generally 'creating' an injury to fix one, and will require a lengthy rehab.  I would like to have this done by late Feb which would put me back to full strength by end of summer, plenty of time to get ready for 2020.

There is always the possibility that I won't 'sprint forever' and will walk away from training and competition.  That probably will be decided after I start to try and train again.  I'd be ok with walking away from this sport, I've accomplished a lot in 6 seasons... 5 USATF National Titles, a number of National Silver and Bronze, 4 individual World Medals and a World Championship, a USATF Age Group Athlete of the Year... so I can't complain.  I have a nice life and a lot of other interests, but... all that being said, I am seeking the treatment appropriate to allow me to train and race again.  A decade ago, I don't think this particular surgical procedure even existed.  I'm setting my sights for Nationals and Worlds in 2020.  So, this surgery and the rehab is going to be just another test...

I'll be updating this blog probably less regularly so thanks to all my regular readers who have visited here over the 8 yrs of these blog posts.  Assuming things go as planned, this will be about my journey to repair and rehab this injury, as it was back in '13 when I broke a bone in my foot.  The journey continues....

Here's a photo from the medal stand in Korea.  If I never race again, happy to be a World Champion.

2017 WMACi Masters World Championships - M55 200m medal ceremony