Fast track to recovery?

I'm having lunch and looking out the window wondering when we'll get a break from all this rain. Pretty much how the weather was during my recovery. Ah but this year when the weather breaks I'll be able to hop right out there and ride. I am so thankful for that!

I made several mistakes during my recovery last January. The worst was trying to work out too hard too soon! Friends had given me a pile of educational, motivational and very entertaining material to read about cycling, nature of my injuries, recovery, regaining fitness, etc. I thought I would follow up on something I read -- that a little activity during rest and recovery is a much better than zero activity. The doctors had told me that my prognosis was excellent. I just needed to take it easyl and if I felt discomfort then back off. A week or so after the crash I put the bike on the trainer, kept my arm in a sling, sat upright and pedaled for 15 easy minutes. I felt fine so after a few of these daily sessions I slowly cranked up the minutes and intensity .

Initially it felt great then I started to feel lousy. Not just fatigued lousy but woozy, felt like I was hit by a steamroller lousy. Colleagues strongly advised me to get checked out because I did not sound or look right. I quickly put the brakes on my fast-track to fitness plans, consulted with my family Dr and got referrals to local ortho and neuro specialists. They confirmed what I had already suspected. Active rest and recovery was fine but I was simply not ready. The neuro doc also pointed out that any physical activity was potentially inflammatory and that my brain, still a little swollen from the concussion, should not be exposed to any more inflammation. His advise, more than anything else, drove the point home. I was encouraged after hearing that, with proper rest, I was going to make a complete recovery.

I was fortunate to be able to take some time off work. So I rested, really rested, and looked for other things to entertain myself besides trying to quickly regain fitness. I read and hung out with friends who were all more experienced cyclists. I began to have an even better appreciation for cycling in general. I had only been riding 9 months when I crashed. I was aware that there is a lot to learn and had looked forward to doing so while also riding but the downtime allowed me, or rather, forced me to take a breather and learn as much as I could while sitting on a couch. Since I wasn't riding at all I also caught up and spent more time with my friends and family.