D-pete

All good things must come to an end, and from the laundry list of injuries and surgeries it is not surprising you are feeling the end in the offing. That does not mean you cannot exercise and stay in shape and remain active, only that you can't keep putting the degree of stress on your body that you have the last few years.

I know where you have been and are now. Between 4 major orthopedic surgeries in 8 years, along with two other surgeries for other illnesses, I still suffer from the results of a previous ACL tear and repair, c-spine fusions twice in under a year, and humongous Achilles tendon heal spurs which become inflamed simply from walking around like a normal person, oh and a previous knee scope and rotator cuff injuries, I too feel like a walking (barely) orthopedists nightmare. NOw I find I may have a myopathy---some disorder of muscle function yet to be determined-- just about guaranteed to knock down what is left of my remaining abilities. All this between the ages of 42 and 52, but after a lifetime of soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, cycling, snowboarding, skiing (water and snow), football, volleyball and softball. Parts wear out, break, or otherwise just fail, and unlike simply replacing a defective part in a car our bodies have to try to heal an injury, always leaving some remaining scar, some disability, however small, with or without surgical assistance. Eventually they add up, sometimes to an extent that we do not like.

Nobody but you and your body can say when it is time, but I urge you to listen to your body's signs and signals. I assume that there are some more important things in your life than tossing a caber, and realizing that you need to be around for and to enjoy those other things can be a sobering experience. I wish you well and hope for prolonged happiness regardless of the outcomes of your physical ailments and injuries.

jeff