I've never paid so much to feel so destroyed

A year and a half ago I was driving home from work when a guy decided to make an illegal left turn in an effort to bypass a red light. Unfortunately a red motorcycle, with myself aboard, was cruising towards him - a fact he didn’t realized until he had completely blocked my lane. I tried to get around but we inevitably collided sending me sliding across the pavement and nearly totaling my bike. I was wearing nearly every piece of protective gear available and managed to escape without many superficial damages, but I could tell something was wrong with my left hip. Several medical professionals and over a year later I finally had an MRI where I was diagnosed with a torn labrum. From what I understand that means the cartilage was ripped off my pelvic bone and all my surrounding muscles were compensating, trying to keep my hip stable in every day activities. There is a lucky part of this story – one of the best surgeons in the world to do this surgery practices in Vail. The hallway walking towards his office is lined with professional sports jerseys, as is nearly every available wall space within his clinic. He’s worked on the likes of Tebow and Kobe, and I was lucky enough to have him cut into me. On Tuesday, April 3 I showed up in Vail at 6:00am to have the first surgery of my life. I was pretty nervous - my blood pressure was about 40mmHg higher than usual – and all the rooms were cold. I’d tell you more about the procedure but once the first wave of anesthesia hit I was out. It was only supposed to be local, I didn’t get a countdown or anything, and the next thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room. I was told I had an epidural – the painkiller for women giving birth - and though I tried, the most I could move below my hips was the big toe on my right foot. As the nurses tapered the medication I slowly started to move my right leg, then left foot. It was a few hours before I realized the thing moving up and down under the covers was actually my own leg mobilized by a machine. About an hour after I could feel my leg they had me up on a stationary bike, and when I was done with that I ravenously destroyed a tray full of food. Salmon, soup, salad with bread, 2 cookies, sorbet, a PB&J sandwich, and juice started to satisfy my appetite after fasting for about 18 hours. Surgery was the easy part though. All I had to do was show up and get stuck by a couple needles, and pass out. The road to recovery was just beginning.

I was so cold when I woke up that the nurses buried me in warm towels.

Finally waking up, trying to smile.

Back on the bike, with some help.