Category: Hamstring Recovery

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

I love ya Tomorrow!

You’re always

A dayyyyyy

Awayyyyyyy!”

Ahem. As you were.

I’m struck, at least once a day, by the power of this group to connect, listen, inform, and heal. We are not alone. Thank you, Hamsters.

I met with Mass. General’s Dr. Price on Tuesday for my second opinion. Looking at my MRI, he thinks I tore all three hamstring tendons, not just the two that the MRI initially reported. I went big after all.

We scheduled surgery for this coming Tuesday, Dec. 5, which is exactly a month out from my injury. I’m relieved to have a date. Onward. Thanks, Hammy Tribe.

I had my first session of PT on Tuesday and did the exercises at home on Wednesday. And today I spent the whole day in bed, because everything from my tailbone down to the back of my knee hurt like a mother f*cker.

Ankle pumps, quad sets, calf raises, side-lying abduction, and passive knee flexion. I’ve been doing the pumps and quad sets from day 1 PO. The other 3 were new (3 weeks PO). I’ll talk to my PT tomorrow about how many hours/days should be between certain exercises to allow for recovery. And I know there will be trail & error and a lot of trying to listen to my body.

But you know – and bear with me if this is too woo-woo for you – right now it just feels like there is a massive cluster-f*ck of energy all tied up in my upper leg. I don’t really want to do knee bends & quad squeezes. I want someone to put their hands on my leg and break up the tension with a good blast of…I dunno what. Electricity? Streams of light? Pink hearts, yellow moons, and blue diamonds..? …Anyone feel me? Reiki?

Yes! Found the perfect pants to wear with my hip brace! Can’t find my size yet, though…

We got this.

Look, Hamsters. The wound *is* where the light enters you. At least on an MRI… (‘scuze my backside) Happy Thanksgiving from here in the ‘States. I’m so grateful for this community and all the stories you share. Have a happy day.

By some awful or wonderful twist of fate this week, the hind leg of my daughter’s toy puppy was broken when he got stuck under the ottoman in the livingroom. Now Barney and I each have a bum right leg.

How’s that for sympathy pains? Good dog.

I MacGyvered the best splint I could for Barney. He’s a battery-powered pup that barks and walks; it took some work to get his gait even so he wasn’t barking in circles.

Patching up the puppy pulled me out of my self-pity pit today. A healing moment for both of us.

Yesterday, in preparation for my second opinion with Dr. Price, I picked up a copy of my MRI on CD, and a paper copy of the report.

And this is why I am in so much f-ing pain.

It’s affirming (I am not the biggest cry baby in the land; it’s truly a hot mess in there) if a wee bit horrifying (“stumps”?! Eeek! ). It certainly matches the spectacular bruising I’ve had across my backside.

The bright side… my semimembranosus is intact. Woo-hoo! One monkey still clinging to the branch.

My PT brought out the Stim that morning towards trying to prevent hardening of the hematoma. It felt like caterpillars running over the back of my leg.

And later in the day my little poet brought me these words. Little gifts. Keep ’em comin’, universe.

Hi, group. My injury was on November 5 playing soccer with my 8-year-old in a parents-vs-kids game. I kicked the ball.

You know you’re 45 when you tear two hamstring tendons *kicking a ball*. I guess I was off-balance and overextended – in typical hurdler or novice water skier position with my hips flexed and knee extended, and was just a little too far from the ball when I kicked – so I had to reach. I felt the pop and tear immediately, hobbled to the sideline to avoid a scene, and sat down. And couldn’t get up again. Excruciating.

I’m a personal trainer and in good shape, but I don’t run anymore because of knee pain & plantar fasciitis. I’ve been trying hard not to scold myself for choosing to play in the first place, and keep telling people it must have happened because containing so much godlike power in a little mortal body is truly difficult. I’m counting on humor to carry me through this.

My MRI showed a complete tear of the biceps femoris & semitendinosus tendons, retracted about 2.5-3 cm. My orthopedist has done several proximal hamstring repairs, but she regularly does rotator cuffs & knees. She is supporting my seeking a second opinion with someone who does the procedure more often. So I’m waiting for an appointment on 11/27 with another surgeon, which means no surgery until after Thanksgiving.

The waiting game is hard. I have less pain and much more mobility after a week and a half, but I can’t drive, and I can’t work. I’m leaning on my network of friends and clients to get to appointments and pick up my kids. My partner is supportive but bearing the brunt of extra tasks. It feels kind of pointless to slowly heal an injury that they’ll just undo in a couple weeks and have to heal all over again – in a brace with even less mobility and freedom. Urg.

Thanks for listening. This space is a blessing.