Things can change in a moment

    I'm not sure I've ever hurt that much or that instantly.  After lying by my bicycle and yelling for a while, I tried to get up and realized that something bad was going on - weight bearing caused some clearly wrong, hurtful movement in my right hip.       

     I may have mentioned an upcoming bicycle tour in Croatia, one that was originally supposed to happen in 2019, but then there was that COVID-19 thing you've probably heard about.  No?  Well, it was a mess. 

     Anyway, it was finally supposed to happen for about three weeks beginning at the end of August.  Some of the days' rides look challenging, like over a mile of climbing over about 60 miles distance, so we've been doing a lot of riding.

     We set out for a good 45-mile ride at about 5:30 AM on Wednesday morning at a time when the headlights helped to see and be seen.  It was getting light when we were riding up a zig-zag wooden section of the local Greenway.  I went around a corner at about 4 mph, and the bike slipped out, dumping me on my right hip, still clipped into the pedals.  

     We called a neighbor who happened to be up, he came with our van, we dropped him off and we headed for the "Open 24 hours" urgent care at Raleigh Orthopedics which wasn't open for another hour, during which I finally stopped yelling.  The X-rays meant that I had to be admitted, where some more X-rays said, "Duh, your right hip's busted."  (Below: "Acute, displaced right femur neck fracture.")

     You'll notice that the circled head of the right femur (long leg bone) is kind of shorter and kind of squashed looking, comparing it to the other side.  The orthopaedic MD agreed and worked on scheduling total hip replacement, which finally ended up taking place about 30 (not) fun hours later.

     Back when I was an actual doctor myself doing actual surgery, I always felt good when my patients/victims/whatever awakened from anesthesia, and announced to me that they already felt better, and such was the case for me now.  They let me out of the hospital the next morning, after being instructed by OT (Occupational Therapy), PT (Physical Therapy), SOT (Some Other Therapist) and a few other people, and signing a dozen papers that said various things.

     So what now?  Six weeks of less-than-50 percent weight bearing on that side, no angle less than 90 degrees, yada, yada, yada.  No cycling or kiting for at least three months.  I was hoping that I wouldn't need a walker for a few more years, and that picking my socks up with one of those grabbers could be put off for a while, but I guess not.  

     We try to listen for inspiration on decisions, and occasionally we get the feeling to NOT do something.  However, on Wednesday morning there were no such feelings - a complete "clear" for the ride.  Trying to parse it, maybe a) it was just one of those things to which we are randomly subject in this mortal phase, b) I'm supposed to learn patience and compassion for others through the experience (not working yet), or c) someone else (yes, you, Paula) can learn to be nicer or d) this may allow something to happen that wouldn't have happened otherwise.

     Anyway, to steal and not actually coin a phrase, "it is what it is," and we just have to schlog through the experience, and hopefully learn something.  

     We hope you stay upright on your bicycle, and yes, mine is fine and it thank you for asking.

David