A very happy couple…
It has officially been six months since my husband, David, was hit by a drunk driver while out on a training ride on his bike (I still tear up when I say or write that). This past week was Ironman Arizona which was to be his “A” race of 2014. You can only imagine the emotion in our house race day, when he was tracking friends online and thinking he should be out on the course and not at home…
These days, while most triathletes are in the midst of their “slower” training season, my triathlete is full-on rebuilding. Endurance and discipline take time to build and the emotions around rebuilding them can be even harder.
How he’s doing... David is doing okay and has even registered for three races for 2015. I would have to say the hardest part on him is getting back to his training weight. Going from race weight to post accident/low training weight to training weight again has been a challenge. He is eating the right foods and it is happening, just not as fast as he wants it to happen. We sort of forgot the whole trauma healing and lost muscle issue, so his body shape is different, muscles have to be rebuilt, and in some parts like his shoulder, rebuilt around new hardware. Like most type “A” personalities, triathletes have a hard time accepting that it will come in time…
You can’t keep a good triathlete down…
David is doing great in other, unexpected ways, however. He has found more time for things other than work and working out. We walk the dogs together, enjoy many meals together, and we plan his training around our lives now, not our lives around his training. Something this couple hasn’t done in years…
How I’m doing…Interesting question to answer. Honestly, I thought I would be a lot better than I am. I am wrapping up dealing with all of the hospital and doctors bills so that’s great, but I still check everyday to make sure the irresponsible person who did this is still behind bars. I look at my husband’s shoulder and head that will forever be deformed (an everyday reminder, even when he is fully dressed). AND I WORRY…
- I worry if he is ok and does he hurt.
- I worry about his first ride outside and will he be safe.
- I worry if he will be able to mentally ride outside before a race and if not, will he race the way he wants to.
- I worry about what else besides moral support (which I sometimes fail at when I look at his shoulder and get my worried face) and nutritional support I should be doing for him.
- As an osteoarthritis patient myself, I know the new pain he has in his shoulder and his hands and worry how long it will take for him to manage.
But, and this is a huge but, I am so grateful for the tremendous progress he has made. I am thrilled to be planning the travel around his races, picking a few additional races, and maybe a training camp thrown in there, too. So, all in all, we are good and my worry is of my own making, as with many of you triwives/partners out there. I just don’t think we can help it…I will get over it and I’m sure some of this worry will subside, just not sure it will ever be back to our old normal. But, we are survivors and will heal with time…
Can’t resist a good pic especially when it says this…
– DANA
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Sherry is one of the TriWivesClub and LifeDoneWell co-founders and contributes to multiple blogs. She is a former co-owner of the California Apparel News and had a career in the healthcare industry. Her passions include traveling, real food, the environment, and animal rescue/welfare. She lives a healthy lifestyle and has been a vegetarian since 1987. She and her husband are parents to two rescue pups and reside in Connecticut.
