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No Surgery Yet

I went out and saw both Dr. David Chao and Dr. Jim Chao last week. The complications lie in that I need a partial bone transplant, as my distal radius is dying and getting progressively worse. Freaky. I'm currently on a donor list waiting for one to become available and then it's back out to San Diego for surgery. I'll need to be there for seven days or more, so the the logistics of planning this kind of trip aren't ideal. Being away from home, work, etc. and the expenses associated with it, isn't going to be fun.

The other options for the wrist were leaving it (not feasible), fusing is (not much better), or putting a plate in it which would only last for 5-10 years before wearing out. The transplant is my best option – and while there's a 1 in 4 chance that the new bone won't bond/mesh/grow with what's there already, this appears to be my best chance at getting some function back and less pain in my wrist. During the procedure, the Chao's would remove as much scar tissue as possible and do any other clean up they can in addition to the bone swap. It's a mess in there right now they both said, and it sounds like the wrist would be opened up like a filet and worked on. Freaky.

While on the west coast, they did xrays, an MRI and a 3D catscan, so all the measurements are there for finding a proper donor. The catch is finding a "fresh" donor, which apparently ensures the best chance for the bone to survive once "inside" my arm. Freaky. I do feel very confident in the ability of both doctors. The Chao's have resumes that include Harvard education and a wealth of experience in the sports medicine field. Walking into their office was like walking into a sports museum. Payton Manning, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Travis Pastrana and a number of other athletes were on the wall with personalized messages thanking them for their work. That must be good sign, right?

I'm not going to cry woe is me – there are a lot of people far worse off than me that have been dealt a bad hand of cards to play in life (no pun intended) – but these past 13 months have been tough. Every time I see a light at the end of the tunnel, it fades away and seems to go dark. I hope this new light is for real and reachable this time around. It's not just about getting back and racing anymore.

On a more positive note, the team is going strong and talks for 2012 have recently started. This team has grown into something I'm very proud of and I want to see it continue to grow, even without knowing the level of my involvement in the near future.

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 | POSTED AT: 10:11 PM
FILED UNDER: General