The Rough Draft

If you can't go through it. Go around it.


On last year’s trip out west I noticed some physical issues with my body cropping up. My stamina was for shit and everything seemed to hurt a lot more at the end of a day’s riding than it ever had before. At the time I wrote a good deal of it off as being related to my type 2 Diabetes and the meds I was taking to combat it. A few years back I slipped and fell down the stairs in our condo. The result of the fall was I tore part of my deltoid muscle off of the bone. It was later reattached and I do have full range of motion in the arm again. However, the surgeon told me at the time I had arthritis in the shoulder and the channel the main nerve that runs down your arm to your hand goes through was narrowing.

Which brings us back to last year’s trip. I’d noticed a bit of numbness creeping in to my throttle hand now and again during the ride. I chalked it up to riding position and tried to vary how I sat and gripped my throttle and handlebars accordingly and for the most part, the pins and needles feeling was kept at bay.

This year due to work and weather on the days I could ride, my riding has been scarce but the last two attempts have revealed a serious deficit in my right hand. It completely goes to sleep. I have no sensation in it about twenty minutes after getting on the bike and any attempt to rest it and get the feeling back is only temporary.

If it was my left hand, I’d muddle along and figure out the new normal but it’s my right hand. My throttle and brake hand and that is far more problematic. Maybe not so much for throttle but critical for braking. If I can’t feel how much brake I’ve giving on my front end, I’m at a severe disadvantage.

I’m hoping to get in to see my surgeon before the end of the year. There is a good chance because of the nerve, things can’t be fixed by surgery and if that’s the case, I’ll have to give serious consideration to no longer riding a motorcycle. Something that would leave me gutted. But the reality is if I continue the way I am right now, it’s not a safe pursuit.

I’m hoping my surgeon will have a solution and it won’t leave me with an immobilised arm for eight weeks like the last time.

2 thoughts on “Tipping Point

  1. Sorry to hear about your troubles Steve. I’m recovering from a badly broken leg and can relate to a certain point. Stay positive and adapt. No matter how much we like to ride, there is life and joy after motorcycles. Join me at the range or in the woods and blast your troubles away for an afternoon. All the best!


    1. sabot03196 says:

      I might just take you up on that. BTW I believe I still owe you a beer.


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