...and it's broken...

The elbow, that is. It took two doctors (Radiologist and Sports Doctor) to spot/confirm it, but they said it's broken. Guess that explains why it hurt so bad? I actually can't remember any pain from the last time I broke anything. Maybe because that was when I was...ahem....3 years old. Broken clavicle, and totally not my fault. But I really really don't remember anything significant other than being told to pull my shoulders back, the stupid vest thing to hold it in place, and doing pushups off the wall at the doctors office the next day. Apparently it didn't hurt that bad.

The elbow hurts way worse than that. Still working on getting it through its range of motion. Oh yeah, and I'm told no cast, just don't overdo on moving it. I can let it hang there under its own weight now, which wasn't even close to an option before, but even then it's not straight, and I can't let it hang there for long. I'm still using a sling, but mostly to rest my arm because it can't hang loosely all the time and otherwise I'm just holding it up at about 90 degrees, which kinda gets tiring. I can't lift anything of significance with that arm (right) and that's even a huge improvement over the move-it-anywhere-and-I-scream that I had before. Heck, I can even touch my left shoulder now. That's a big change. I'm hoping that by sometime next week I'll be able to have most of the range back and start swimming again. I mean real swimming, not floating around, aqua jogging and doing a bunch of kick.

My whole July racing schedule is ruined. I had three for sure races that luckily I hadn't signed up for that are not options now. So much for doing an Xterra race this year. I'm not going to be able to control a mountain bike properly before the season is over. Guess that means that cyclocross is the next thing. That is, if my parts ever come in. Still waiting....grrrrrr.

Seems like I'll be in working order for USAT Nationals in August and the Chicago Tri the week after that. That's good. Actually, the doctor seemed hesitant that I'd be allowed to race USAT Nationals, but in reality, I don't think he knows what he's talking about. Oh and I'm going to have to find a race for the week before that one to make sure I'm in racing shape after a month of not racing.

Don't tell me not to. Because I won't listen.

I finished one season on a stress fracture in my foot (that means like 2 months of racing/training on it). I can swim/bike/run on something similar once I get my range of motion and grip strength back. I may not be able to mountain bike for awhile (insert pouty face here) but if my 80 year old grandma can increase her bone mass without prescription drugs, then I'm pretty sure a healthy 25 year old athlete will do quite fine.