The long and winding road

[first published 19th Jan 2012]

It’s been a while since I wrote about my operation, and the healing process, and that’s simply because there’s not been a lot to say. I’ve been gently (and fearfully) stretching my shoulder out and there’s gradually less soreness and more flexibility. These things are undeniably good. This morning I visited the surgeon who sliced me and stitched me, Mr Pardiwalla, and rather nervously sat outside his room to see whether he approved of my progress.
He pushed and prodded and forced me through the pain and pronounced it good. He showed me some photographs of the tear, and the words ‘very bad’ and ‘long rehabilitation’ crossed his lips. Those of you who read the early ones of this series will remember that he seemed keen to get his hands on me, and I think the fact that he said he was ‘very pleased’ with the operation backs up my theory.
So. ‘Pain is good’, he declared, like a Harley Street Gordon Gecko, ‘if it’s not hurting, I’d be worried’. But this is the pain of stretching, not the pain of ripping. But get this, I must stretch 20-30 times per day, for three months. Then I may be able to start with gentle weight-training. I will be monumentally unbalanced. Like a latter-day Quasimodo. It also means I was absolutely right about the cricket season – I’ll just scrape into the opening game at Coleman’s Hatch, but it’s unlikely I’ll be allowed to keep.
Until April I’ll be batting one-handed, too … that’s be interesting, to see just how adding the bottom hand mucks things up.
The road will be long and winding indeed.

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