I'd heard from several of my triathlete friends (who have also broken bones in their feet) that a bone stimulator can help dramatically accelerate the healing time of fractures. Who am I to disagree with this idea? That's what triathletes are all about - getting from A to Z as quickly as possible. This isn't snake oil folks - it's medically and scientifically proven to grow bone.
Dr. Van Boerum said on Wednesday, "A bone stimulator is great if you can get your hands on one. Your insurance will never pay for it though." Let's hope this is the only thing that Dr. Van Boerum is wrong about. I started browsing the United Healthcare web site yesterday and in addition to "Sex Reassignment Surgery" UHC also covers medical devices such as a bone stimulator. So after traversing the usual doctor's office and insurance company red tape I finally got my bone stimulator. And I got it delivered on a Friday night @ 8:00 PM. How's that for "I want it all and I want it delivered?"
Someone "One Up'ed Me":
Some of you may be familiar with the triathlon virtual community on the internet called Slowtwitch. It's often referred to as "ST" for short. This forum is a unique way for triathletes all over the world, professionals and amateurs, to collaborate and share information about the booming sport of triathlon. Recently, I've corresponded with several physicians and other athletes on ST about my injury and it's surprising to me how many people have been affected by a 5th metatarsal fracture.
Last night, I received a message from an ST member named John who had a similar experience as me last year. He started out, "I'm not trying to one up you, but...". He went on to tell me that just 20 minutes before Ironman Canada he was in a hurry and decided to jump over one of those plastic orange mesh fences.
He landed wrong on his right foot, rolled it and broke his 5th metatarsal and smashed his cuboid bone (another bone in his foot). His race was over. He sat in the medical tent and then his hotel for the rest of the day waiting for his buddies to finish the Ironman. He had to pack up all his gear, board a flight and return home on crutches and in a great deal of pain - minus the Finisher's medal, of course. I thought my story was hard to believe...I'd say John's story takes the cake. The good news is he's healed up and training for Ironman Canada in August.
No comments:
Post a Comment