It has been a fantastic fall for the leg. I am getting stronger and stronger but the pain caused by the implants will not go away. The long plate on my shin is especially painful because it channels force from the top of my leg down the plate and into a dime-shaped spot that hurts like being kicked or whacked by a pipe. To get rid of this pain I scheduled implant-removal surgery for the week of Thanksgiving. That will put me back onto crutches for a month or so and slow me down a bit but I think I will be better off in the long run. To prepare for going under the knife I've been doing all I can to use it while I've got it -- biking, working out at the gym, hiking, dancing around the house, and generally acting as if I do not have all that pain. As for the surgery, I am nervous - excited about it. I fear the pain and recovery but I relish getting rid of this shin pain because it is really holding me back from reaching my full potential.
