It has been over six months since I even felt so much as a sting in my shoulder. So long ago that I almost forgot anything is wrong. Back in February I had another steroid shot and all has been well but about two weeks ago I started to feel small twinges of pain, especially after a hard swim.
Now I have a dilemma. Do I get surgery in October (as planned) and risk recovery before Ironman St. George or do I put up with the pain so that I am able to keep my swim volume high. The doctor says I will be back in the pool in 4-6 weeks and at about 8-10 weeks I should be feeling all normal. 4-6 weeks out of the pool is not going to ruin me. Is it? Living so sedentary might drive me crazy. I may lose some base endurance, but during that time I will not be specifically training for anything anyway. So by May I should be my old self again. Besides, a week or two off from training completely and then I can get back on the bike or go for a run. Maybe it will be just the thing I need so that when training for IM St. George gears up I will be fresh and excited.
Is is such a hard decision and one I have to make now. If I am having the surgery I will do it right after Longhorn 70.3. That is only 7 weeks away.
Its not that I am scared of the surgery. I am more scared by the prospect of recovery taking longer than it is supposed to. For now nothing hurts except every once and a while but I know that in a month it may be a different story and I will regret postponing the surgery again like I did last year.
