Back in the (bike) saddle again

It's been about 4 months since my last surgery and 3 months since I've come home. I can't believe the progress I've made in the last 3 months. I've been going to the gym as often as possible to build strength and conditioning that I lost during my time at Stanford. I've recently started mountain biking again and even went camping last weekend. Here's us last weekend on our camping/mountain biking trip to Santos.

The trip was awesome. Even though the weather was a little warm and rainy in the afternoons, it was so much fun. The trails at Santos are great. We did a few "epic" rides (to me they were after months out of the saddle).




I can't say the nerve pain is completely gone, but enough where I can do most of the things I was doing before. I'm not too worried about it right now. I'm just happy I can run, bike, and lift weights again. I find it tough trying to drink the 3 liters of water a day, as directed by Dr. Steinberg. I find that I get headaches if I start to get a little dehydrated. I have a small scab left on one side of my head which will hopefully fall off soon.

I am still apprehensive about a lot of things though. I worry about

• Scrubbing my head too hard near the incision areas.
  
• Wearing my bike helmet too tightly.
  
• Putting any pressure on the two sites where my head was drilled open.
  
• The hole (aka fistula) in my head where I was leaking cerebral spinal fluid and how well it healed over...and whether I should ever blow my nose again.
  
• The nerve pain may never fully go away.
  
• Not being able to get full range of motion with my jaw due to the surgeries.
  
• What will happen with my two heart related conditions.

I don't let any of this consume me though. Until the doctor's put any restrictions...I plan to continue to be as active as I can right now.