Not a lot of water time for me in the last six months. I’ve been suffering from a bicep/elbow/semi-mysterious upper arm affliction that has not responded to rest or physical therapy. My long-time orthopedist (who has been getting me back on the water after injuries since 1995) wants to try platelet-rich plasma (or PRP) therapy, an experimental treatment not approved by the FDA that appears to have mixed results out in the world. It sounds really cool:
He’s going to take my blood (some of it, not all) put it in a centrifuge, separate out the platelets, then inject my platelets into the afflicted tendon, which in theory (and sometimes in practice) seems to supercharge the healing process.
There are a lot of people out there who say PRP’s effectiveness is unproven, or largely anecdotal, or hit or miss. As long as I’m a hit I don’t care. I am in "trust my doctor" mode.
Get better soon Mike, we all want you back out there asap!
Posted by: Jon | January 09, 2012 at 06:11 AM
Based on the headline, I was afraid to read this one! Get well.
Posted by: Brian S | January 09, 2012 at 08:51 AM
Jon...thanks (though you know when I get back I'm going to be a kook!)
Brian...you and the rest of the world! That headline is keeping readers away in droves! But that's what's happening. Maybe I can whip up a perky piece for later this week.
Posted by: Michael | January 09, 2012 at 08:55 AM
Michael, I was feeling a bit sorrowful and a bit hopeful while reading this post. Hopefully it will work and you will be back on the water soon. Good luck!
Posted by: Dennis | January 09, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Good luck, the seals were asking for you yesterday. Try to absorb some of the Wolf Moon energy.
Posted by: Jeff Schultz | January 09, 2012 at 03:36 PM
Thanks Dennis!
Jeff, the seals were asking for me? I always thought you were the seal magnet!
Update: This weekend I did a fair amount of labor with my bad
arm to intentionally aggravate the injury, so the doctor would have an easier time finding exactly where it hurt the most (last week he saw me but was unable to precisely find the spot. I'd rested too much!) So yesterday I marked my elbow up with a sharpie.
I walked into the room for the PRP (the centrifuge is cool) showed the doctor my bullseye, and he was intrigued. Took him 15 seconds to find a spot that caused me to nearly jump out of my skin, and was delighted. "No PRP. You're getting cortisone." I have inflammed tissue near the old tear. So instead of a 90 minute experimental procedure I got 30 seconds of a much more sure thing. Afterwards he gave me a tour of the PRP equipment (my orthopod is a geek, which I love. I want a doctor who is stoked about medicine!
I am supposed to feel better in a few days, or at least part of my arm is. If I feel improved (and if there are conditions next weekend that aren't extreme) I will reenter the water. We shall see who the seals like more.
Posted by: Michael | January 10, 2012 at 07:39 AM
Jeff
I am curious about your injury.
Last winter I over stressed my right arm and have been fighting with it for a year still hurts. Mine is on the inside between the bicept and the elbow. Has not kept me off the water but anoying and painfull if I over do it. Dr had me do a anti inflamatory but not much else since last spring.
Posted by: peter | January 12, 2012 at 03:48 PM
good luck man
Posted by: Frank M | January 13, 2012 at 11:04 AM