Today’s the day. I check in at 1235 PM for a 135 PM procedure. It should take about 80 minutes, and then I’ll recover from the anaesthetic for another hour or so before going home around dinner time. No further details yet, but I’m sure the surgeon will walk me through the plan when I get there.

I’m immensely grateful for the excellent care and attentiveness to my injury. It will have been less than 72 hours from accident to post-op. That feels remarkable.

As I mentioned before, all the thoughts – from extremely dark to extremely bright – circulated in my mind after the fall. Will I ever ride a bike again? Should I just give up trying to be fit? Am I destined to limp around with arthritis for the last decades of my life? Worse even, will I develop an opioid addiction? What kind of dad will I be after this? What kind of husband? Will my marriage survive?

Or, will I rehab like a champ and come out stronger somehow? You know, like all the pro athletes who make triumphant returns and win championships and stuff. Will this strengthen my self belief and resolve? Will this be the life shock that stimulates some kind of thrilling new trajectory, where I leave behind stubborn and mundane routines and engrained self-talk, and develop new perspectives and hobbies (like writing!)?

This intersection that I find myself at is essentially why I revived this site. I need to work out where I’m at so I make the right turn and take the best road forward.

Let’s get through today and see where things are at. One step at a time.