So I just got the green light: I'm having surgery on my shattered clavicle/collarbone on Tuesday morning.  But they are checking me into the hospital today, Monday. 

I was just telling Pineapple Princess and her mum about how I'm more frightened of having surgery than going to Baghdad. And I'm even more frightened of being put under anesthesia than I am of the surgery itself.  But on the bright side, if I die while I'm on the table, I won't know about it anyway so who cares. 

The surgery itself is supposed to last just 45 minutes. Doctors will attach a plate to join my two-piece clavicle bone, and attach three screws on each side. Basically the purpose of the plate is to immobilize the clavicle to encourage bone growth. Five months since the accident, my clavicle still has no sign of new bown growth, but I've got plenty of scar tissue growing, which is not good.

Strangly, it doesn't bother me much at all. There are some days where my right shoulder is a bit sore, but nothing more than you'd get after a heavy work-out at the gym. But to this day, I still can't lift anything more than 20 pounds with my right arm. When I've tried, it feels like a tear and burning sensation in my right arm. But I have full mobility of my right arm and shoulder.

Assuming all goes as planned, I should be home by Tuesday evening.  After that, my right arm will be in a "cuff and collar" (sling) for 4-6 weeks. After that, I should be "cured."  It would be nice to get back to normal, and in time for the next ski season! But it's going to suck basically having my arm in a sling for a good part of the summer. And London summers are GORGEOUS: not too hot, not too cold. Average temperatures about 82 and the sun doesn't go down until 10:30 pm!

I'll post more when I get out but wish me luck.