In today’s log I give you the story of Old Man Conjugate: New Hips and New Dogs. I’ll try and be quick and interesting.
If you are a regular reader of my logs, you know I piss and moan about my hip a lot. I don’t do this for sympathy, I do it to get the message of NEVER QUITTING across. Hopefully it comes across that way.
If you are not a regular reader I’ll explain. Due to side effects from surgery (yes this happens) my hip no longer functions as a hip. It’s more of a rusted and pitted pain causing machine that has so little movement that I cannot walk, tie my own shoe, Squat, Deadlift or hip hinge in any meaningful range of motion.
It has been getting worse, and worse for a few years and I was at a standstill in Physical Therapy.
Why don’t you go and get x-rays Murph you ask?
Well, I did a few years ago and I was not a candidate for surgery at that time.
At the suggestion of my brilliant Physical Therapists Justin and Nikki at Refined Wellness, and my doctor, I went in for a surgical consult on Tuesday. Justin an Nikki have helped me enormously over the past year or so in pain reduction and gait improvement, but my progress was not up to their standards.
So, they said go and see what’s up.
At the surgical consult the PA told me that I needed a hip replacement, now.
She also asked me how I functioned on a daily basis.
Funny thing, Doctors in my experience just don’t understand the amount of pain that people like us get used to and keep on going. This was confirmed in my phone conversation with Team Elitefts.com member and GOAT, Mr. Ed Coan.
I texted Ed on Wednesday and told him that I had some questions about his hip replacement and the recovery. The reason I went to him is that I know a lot of people who have had one, but I do not know too many in the Strength Sports, and I didn’t like the PA’s prediction for recovery.
Why not go to the GOAT and get the information from someone who has the same mindset?
I’d say the same background, but that would be a stretch to compare myself to the greatest lifter of all time. I’m not even the greatest lifter in my gym!
Anyway, Ed said to call him right away, so I did. We had a good talk and he set my mind straight on recovery from the procedure and how to do it. We also talked shit about a few mutual friends (no one on the TEAM though).
I felt very comfortable with the decision to get the surgery and for a speedy recovery as well. I told Ed my goals that I gave to Justin and Nikki when I first began. They were, in order:
- To not walk like a victim
- To be able to tie my own shoe
- Squat 1000 pounds
I think Ed thought those were reasonable goals. Justin and Nikki do too, and they got me to goal 1. Goal 2 is still in progress, and I think goal 3 is off the table. I’ll settle for being able to walk and move pain free for now. Who knows, maybe I’ll go back and do a Bench only meet once it is healed.
And another thing. I have been telling my son for as long as I can remember to build a network of the best people that you can find in the world. I’ve been doing that as long as I can remember and have developed a pretty solid network of World Class experts and humans. Being a part of Elitefts.com has sped that up quite a bit. I still wonder at the fact that I am on this TEAM and can call someone like Ed, or Dave Tate, or Spud, Chad, Harry, Alwyn and everyone else here for advice.
I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I’m not religious, but I am blessed. There is no other way to explain it.
I’ll keep you posted on Old Man Conjugate: New Hips and New Dogs, my surgery experience and my recovery and don't forget, never quit.
Now, on to the second part of the Old Man Conjugate: New Hips and New Dogs log:
I got a dog!
I had to put my precious girl Aoibheann down in 2021 due to inoperable cancer. She’s the third one I lost to it. Holding you beloved companion while they die in your arms is something I would not wish on my worst enemy. It is awful. And you never stop seeing the poor animal at their weakest and most painful point when you close your eyes.
The only consolation is that she was in my arms and knew I was with her to the end as she slowly and painlessly went off to sleep. If you have a dog, and they have to go, be there and hold them as they go. They deserve it.
I’ve been looking for just the right dog to adopt for a while now and it just hasn’t worked out for one reason or another. Before I go any further, I’ve had dogs from breeders and from rescue. I have nothing against getting a dog from a breeder. The feeling you get when you rescue a beautiful animal full of love who just wants to give you joy from death for no fault of their own is amazing. You saved a life, and I may be anthropomorphizing here, but I think they know.
Anyway, after many unsuccessful attempts to find the perfect dog, I got a call from a friend of mine who is an Animal Control officer who knew just what I was looking for. She then sent me a picture of her.
So, me and Toots went to the Dogmother LLC rescue just up the road a piece and it was done. Love at first sight.
Melissa from the Dogmother brought her to the gym to make sure she would be ok in this environment at my suggestion, and she was perfect.
I have now adopted her and will love her and keep her for the short period that we are lucky enough to have them. Dogs do not live long enough and I believe that we don’t deserve them. They are the definition of unconditional love.
So, to my faithful readers, I’d like to introduce you to the official TPS Meeter, Greeter and Assistant Coach, Brandy the Pittie. She’s a fine girl. And she’s already taken Aoibheann’s spot on he office couch where she is snoozing now.
I love her.
PLUS:
We have a big event coming December 17th from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm!
Toys for Tots Strongman Saturday
If you are in the area, join me, my TEAM and World’s Strongest Man 105kg Nick Cambi for an awesome day of training. Come on down, pick any event or events that you’d like to train and we will coach you through!
Admission is FREE!
BUT, we ask that you bring a New, Unwrapped toy worth at least $20.00. Feel free to spend as much as you like. Gift cards work too!
I hope to see you there. And so Does Brandy.
Did you miss last week’s log?
Read it here.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
December 15, 2022
