A look back: post surgery, "this, that and a terrible 15k"

Well as we get closer to our Penang exit date, I am continuing to review a few milestones in my running adventure here in Malaysia. After 7 months of recovery from my broken hip and wrist, I got back on the road starting in February of 2012. With a few local races (under 10k)under my belt, I jumped on an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur. This would be my first time traveling alone to an event since we arrived here in Malaysia in March of 2011. I went on the cheap and booked a B&B that was as close as I could get to the Malaysian F1 track. Sepang International Circuit was the site for this 15K/Marathon. I got a chance to meet up with some folks from Penang when I got to the race, also checked out the Brooks booth and met some of the local Brooks guys. I did not however check out the course pre-race, but figured, "how bad could it be?" I got my answer when I hit the first of 3 steep inclines. Having only been back running for 2 months I was in no way ready for the hills or the combination of hills and heat. My breathing was really poor, I got winded quick. By the time I finally hit the track itself, I was about done and my legs were sore and screaming. I finished the race and although it felt good to get a distance longer than 10k under my belt, it was awful!

The good thing about this was not to be able to say "I'm Back" other than I am back from sitting on my ass to being able to finish a 15K. It was about putting out of my mind that a distance longer than 10k was going to be out of the question on this hip. The confidence was good as there were some big races coming up I did not want to miss, and I could begin to tailor my training to get the maximum benefit out of the training runs I would be doing. To sum up, my newly repaired hip did well and I was happy to be able to chalk up a new running experience. I have never flown to a race before and never stayed anywhere without my family prior to a race. That is what has made this experience in Penang such a blessing. When I started running back in 2009, I did not think it would ever be something like what it has become. I figured it would be a nice hobby, something that would keep me in shape and keep my competitive mind satisfied. Never did i think i would be running in exotic locals, have to chance to meet and befriend the wonderful folks i have. So I hope you continue with me down memory lane loyal reader, the best is still to come! Run Happy!

A look back: The Accident 19/7/2011

Our first few months here in Penang were a complete immersion in the culture, I had a group of new active friends, Rox was getting immersed in the job and Brenna was getting involved in her school and meeting new friends as well.
The group of friends I had were not only runners, but also Cyclists. We had been told that cycling was not an activity that was done in Penang, so I sold my bike before we left the states. For fathers day, Roxanne bought new a new bike so I could join some of the rides. I went full on road bike and got the shoes and everything. Now clipping in was a new thing for me, so I had to practice a lot before I felt confident enough to to the bike out. Early in July of 2011 the group had decided on a long ride to Balik Pulau, I decided to join in.

Somewhere between stopping for breakfast and passing the dam in Teluk Bahang, I wrecked. To this day I still have no memory of what happened, did I get hit by a car, did I make a mistake and turn where I should not have....I guess I will never know. I went over an embankment on the road side and somehow managed to climb back to the roadside (with the bike still clipped to my right leg) and flag down a couple who went down into town and flagged the friends I had to come back and get me. After a phone conversation with Roxanne that I don't remember having, an ambulance ride to Penang General hospital that I don't remember taking, and an admission I don't remember any details about.

I was stitched up large cut on my forehead (14 stitches), my broken right wrist was x-rayed and stabilized and my right hip was x-rayed...after some tense moments on the ward, we were told the hip needed surgery, but it would not be till the next day when we could be given a date for the surgery. Although the care i received at the general hospital was very good, my window for saving my hip was closing, so Rox had me moved to Gleneagles, a private hospital not far from the public facility. That morning around 1:0am I had my hip and wrist repaired. With 3 inch metal pins holding my wrist back together and a hard cast for extra stability, 3 screws holding my hip back together, I was in for 5 days of hospitalization, other than the food, the care was excellent.

It was not until late August that the cast came off my wrist. It was early October when I was able to begin rehab, December when I could begin weight bearing exercise, and February of 2012, when the doctor cleared me to begin running again. So this was a complete restart for me, after getting myself to a desirable fitness level, and beginning to age group place in some races, I was back at the beginning. I could not think of a better place to be though. With heat support and healing vibes, I was back at the start line in mid March of 2012, here in Malaysia, and then did my first travel race in late May....those are stories for another time. As I am off my feet again for another few months and our time here in Penang winds down, I will be looking back at a few milestones...hope you come along for the trip down memory lane. As always, thank you loyal reader...Run Happy!

It all began at Youth Park...

When I arrived, I don't think I ever expected to feel like Penang was home, as much as I do now. It will be bittersweet when August arrives and we are on that plane back to the states for good. I have some time on my hands now, with my invalid status and only the gym to keep me company (well, not this week as both Roxanne and Brenna are home). I have decided that I will spend a few posts over the next 2 months looking back at my time here in Penang, the wonderful people I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know and the events I have been privileged to participate in.
I can very clearly remember signing up for the Penang Bridge Half marathon in the first week we were here. a trip to Queensbay mall, resulted in seeing the Marathon kiosk and grabbing an application. I also remember finding the I-Run penang group, online. i also remember asking questions and finding where and when the group met for runs, i think Andrew Loh was the first person i talked to online (it could have been Chun How Lee....not sure, please forgive an old mans poor memory). I did join some group runs early on and felt very welcomed by the running community here. The first real running friend that I can remember meeting at and doing a race with was Thuan Lin Goh. The event was the ASPCA 10k held at Penang Youth park on 26, May 2011, I was terrified of the heat, and what it would do to my race ability. I had also spent limited time in this area of Penang prior to this race...I was also really excited! I ran pretty well, It was indeed hot and humid, but amazing to be running a race in a place that was so far from home. The one thing i can say id that despite the distance from home, the act of running in a race felt so familiar to me that I just leaned on that familiarity. Thuan gave me some pointers ahead of time as well, so i was ready. I ran the 10k in 46:50 which was not bad for me and I found myself in the top 10 in the Veteran Category...not a bad start.

I can tell you that the people i met that night have become some of the closest friends i have in my life right now. what a beginning this was to what would be my lives greatest adventure!
I will continue to rewind the clock and look back at some of my adventures here in Penang and this part of the planet. Loyal reader, i hope you will join me as I look back.
Run Happy!

Good and bad...a resignation.

It has been 2 months, since the surgery. The pain in my hip is gone, I have good range of motion in the joint, and I really don't feel like I have a problem, so its hard to be inactive and on crutches. I went back for my first X-Ray since the procedure yesterday. The news was not bad, but it was not good either.
The "not bad" part is that the X-Ray looked good, the "necrotic island" that had been there back in February is gone, and there seems to be new vascularization in the femoral head. I can also do 20% weight bearing exercise. so all that is good. The bad is that I can do no stretching in the joint, I also have a further 3 months to wait for another X-Ray, and clearance from the doctor to get back to physical exercise. That puts me in July sometime before I can even begin to run...

That makes me very sad, so many of the relationships that I have here and the friends I have made, I met through running, I was hoping to get a chance to run with them all again. I will continue to hope for the chance....

Run Happy!

Bad news...

Well the visit to doctor was not good...I found out that my pain was due to necrosis of the femoral head of my right hip. I have been given two options:

1. A procedure called a core decompression, where the internal portion of the femur is drilled out allowing the re-establishment of blood vessels to that area. The assumption is that the return of vascularization to the head of the femur did not take place following the repair back in 2011 following the accident. The procedure often involves a bone graft, the grafting can be done two ways, with a vascular graft taken from the Fibula which re-establishes its own blood supply to the femur. This is a complicated surgery and is not done often. The second option is a non-vascularized graft, normally taken from the iliac crest of the pelvis (that is where mine came from). The last part that does not seem to be a normal part of procedure protocol in the US is the inclusion of Stem Cell therapy. The hope is that the re-vascularization of the femoral head will discontinue the necrosis and in a perfect world, reverse it. 

2. A full hip replacement. I didn't like (and did not choose) this option. it astounds me, that the technology in hip replacement is so "dark ages" We continue to use non compatible materials which wear over time and do not allow a hip replacement recipient to engage in high levels of impact related activity. With new plastic and fiberglass technology, I wonder why it has not been used to improve this particular procedure. It has however gained some progress as it had always been done with a lateral insertion in the quadriceps, new procedures involve an anterior  insertion, which cuts the recovery time in half (based on internet data and reports). I also discovered that many people continue to run following a replacement, they give up durability of the replacement, for enjoyment of the activity they love (that would be my position as well).

I picked choice #1, quality health care that is affordable, makes taking a chance on a long shot procedure possible.  So, on February 12 I go under the knife again, with a further 3 months on crutches....I was really hoping for one more run here in Penang, with the friends i have met here, as a way of saying goodbye...that hope may be lost, which saddens me...I will continue to hang onto the possibility, and the larger picture of avoiding a replacement hip. 

Thanks loyal reader, Run Happy...for me.

Back to Florida for Christmas

Our Annual trek back to florida is here again. We are excited to go home and I am hopeful that the hip pain I am experiencing, will ease. I have decided to run in a 10k while I m home, it is a race that I have done before and came in 3rd in my age division way back when. I also asked a friend to run it with me. I was hoping for cool weather and a fun run. I got 1.5 of that, the weather was cool in the early morning, it warmed up as the sun came up. I also had my two girls with me, which does not happen much in Malaysia, mostly because races begin so early in the morning. Races in the US usually begin at 7:00am, so the girls could come and watch.

The pain I was experiencing did not go away, and I woke the morning of the race, very sore. I decided that I would run anyway and walk when necessary. I love the race route, over Clearwater bridge, through the little oceanside town just over the bridge...its just a really nice run, for a cause that is very near and dear to my heart.

I walked a good portion of the race because of the pain, I did finish, and in under 1 hour, which historically is very poor for me...I think I have a rather serious physical problem, i don't think this is a muscle issue any longer. when i return to Penang i will need to go back to my doctor and see what is going on. Loyal readers, thanks for reading! Run Happy!