Cast Away...

It has come off... And the pins have been removed...

And a bad pun to boot.

I went to UBC hospital around 10am this morning, not knowing what to expect. Will these things be removed? Will I still need a cast? And, of course, always in the back of my mind, "am I going to race?"

Dr. Bush came in and we chatted about the recovery, and he said if I was ready, he'd take the pins out. IF I am ready??? I thought about giving him this blog url, but then I just wanted to get it done. Plus, if he read it, he might be hesitant thinking that if he took the pins out I'd do something a little nuts, like, race an Ironman in 10 days...

So I agreed, and he explained it would take a couple of seconds, and would sting a little, but after that I'd be fine. I'd go for x-rays, we'd look at them, and most likely I'd need to wear a splint for a couple of weeks... I didn't really hear that last part. I just wanted the cast off and the pins out.

So, we took the cast off, and that's when I saw them for the first time. Two pieces of metal sticking out of my thumb, curled over (I imagine so they wouldn't catch on anything). They looked huge, and thick. Like, thick as a good-sized nail. That was my first shock. My second was when he opened the pliers that would be used to pull them out.

"This will sting a little..."

Hmm. I take it that means no freezing or anaesthetic? Bingo...

I looked down as the doctor applied the pliers and reassured me it would all be over in a moment. Then he said "take a deep breath"... That was my cue to look away, and I did. I took the breath in and then he clamped on, and wriggled and pulled...

That pain I felt last week when I tried to take the cast off was NOTHING. Well, that was just the START of the process. It was absolutely the most painful thing I have ever felt. I can't even describe it, just a complete overwhelming pain.

First pin out... One more... Holy crap...

The Doctor asked if I wanted a second to recover, and I just said "no, let's get it over with." He grabbed the second pin, and gave it a wiggle and a big jerk. Remember that scene in 40-year Old Virgin where they are waxing Steve Carrol's chest hair? I wanted to let ever expletive fly, or at least give up every piece of information I had on anything (I figure this is what torture feels like). But I didn't. I just closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

I stood up to follow the doctor, and my vision started to get white. I needed to sit down, and I sat back down and everything went completely white. I started to slump over to put my head over my knees, figuring I might throw up or completely faint. As soon as I did that, the colour returned to my vision, and I felt a little better.

They took me over to radiology where I sat with a newly released left hand, a thumb that was really stiff, and a wrist that couldn't move at all. Everything was hurting, and I was still reeling from the ancient torture treatment I had just endured.

We took x-rays, and let me say that UBC hospital is very high-tech. Compared to the old-style x-ray machine I have been at so far, this is like a Star Trek ship.

I went back to the Doctor and we looked at my x-rays. He said "looks good"... "looks good?" What does that mean? "It's healed up well" Umm, "but????"

"You won't need any physiotherapy or a splint..."

"Buuuuut??"

"It will be sore for a few days but the best thing you can do is just keep trying to move your fingers and gradually stretch it out. Call and make an appointment to see me in 6 weeks."

And the look on my face of bewilderment and amazement was the same as if I had just discovered Jessica Alba saw me and wants to go on a date... Okay, even BETTER.

So I'm okay.. Free and clear??? Yup...

I was so excited I went back to work! Okay, THAT's not totally exciting. But I am elated! And I have a fairly beaten up left hand, but it's working, and that's all that counts.

So, I will be racer #390 in Penticton... On August 27th.