Deja Vu - Right Biceps Tendon Repair - June 21, 2021

May 9, 2021, moving a loveseat while looking for Kara’s stitch counter, I lifted, heard a loud ‘POP' with  instant pain. Yes, a stitch counter, as in a knitting stitch counter. If you have to ask you’ve never stitched a sweater with a sleeve pattern such as: 

K65 in the round, repeat 32 times, 1 decrease at start and end of every 4th row, K49, repeat until total length from pit is 19in. 

Got that? Personally, I use pencil, paper and tick-marks for my counts, but whatever. Perhaps I know way too much about knitting for an upper 50’s-male?

But back to the ruptured tendon. It happened when using terrible lifting technique, crouching to grab the foot of the love-seat, lifted aggressively with the right arm, twisting to my left as I stood up.  I heard the ‘POP’ and felt immediate pain. I knew I had ruptured the Biceps Tendon given my experience with last year’s rupture of the left Biceps Tendon (see my bc skiing post, Farmington Canyon Post, May 17, 2020). I had repair surgery on Monday, June 21, 2021, went back to work (from-home) the next day. The recovery has been painful, more so than last year presumably because I’m right handed and I instinctively use the right hand. With each use I feel every bit of that 3/8ths-drill-bit, all the way through my Radius.

I couldn’t move my right hand until about seven days after surgery. Knitting became great physical therapy, requiring small finger and hand movements with minimal elbow movement. That said, my arm ached every night.      

MRI June 8, 2021, shows a substantial detachment of the Biceps Tendon from the Radius.

June 20, 2021. I could still do most activities, but I had no lifting strength and couldn’t brush my teeth or lift a fork to mouth with my right hand. No more brushing teeth, one less thing! The Doctor said I’d never regain full use unless it was surgically repaired. Surgery was on June 21, 2021.

June 28, 20210

July 4, 2021, I hike to keep my head clear and get the body moving, but damn I’m UGLY! I should wear a mask to improve the scenery. At least I’m vaccinated and I avoid almost all humanity. 

The Surgeon said no cycling, no climbing or any heavy activity for ten weeks, which takes me to mid-September before cycling again. A fall could result in a break of the Radius at the drill site, and that would require a major repair, extending the recovery to over a year instead of a few months. He didn’t specifically say no to running or hiking so I head for the hills every chance I get. So far I have only fallen down twice: once when hiking down a steep hill covered in scree, the other from tripping on a root. The brace prevents me from extending the arm to cushion a fall and I’ve been lucky to not land on the bad arm. No damage done other than a fractured ego. It’s stupid to even chance a fall, but I need to move my muscles and joints to feel sane. Until my ten weeks are up I’m avoiding steep, loose trails. No more Pyramid Peak until the arm is strong. Dude Peak and Kenney Creek are OK. Mueller's would be great but it is too crowded and COVID is a concern up there. Although I am fully vaccinated, I can still spread it and it’s horrifying to think I could pass it along to my Grandchildren. My eight Grands are a much greater priority to me than the screw-ball anti-vaxers who argue that a mandate to wear a mask and get vaccinatred are infringements of their constitutional rights. What’s next, legalizing heroin? 

July 4, 2021, sweaty after hiking I remove the bandage to dry the soft cast. 

July 6, 2021, post surgery exam. The toggle button of the Radius anchor is shown. The soft cast is removed and the Physical Therapist gives me a brace to keep the elbow in a fixed position. I’m instructed to remove the brace three times a day and do very soft curls and extensions, stopping when I feel a stretch, and also massage the scar to work out the puckering at the incisions (a ganglion cyst was also removed from my right wrist). 

July 7, 2021

July 7, 2021

July 7, 2021

July 12, 2021, Kenney Creek Cabin, steep by solid trail. NO falling!

Yeah, I knitted that. Best PT after tendon reattachment surgery is hiking and knitting. Hiking keeps the lungs and joints nimble, knitting for the hand/finger/wrist dexterity while gently stretching the repaired biceps tendon. Plus I never sleep, too much nervous energy, and knitting late at night is much better than almost any other late-night activity. It calms the mind and brings a feeling of accomplishment.