Time For Bob to See the Doctor in Philly

Ouch!

Tonight Sergei Bobrovsky left the game in the second period with a lower body injury, in his second game returning from a groin injury.  This after he was activated, but then went back on injured reserved.  This is a bad groin, and its time to visit that Doctor in Philadelphia.

Let's review the Doctor's resume.  He repaired a bad groin repair for Marion Gaborik, an injury that had plagued him for years, which ultimately allowed Gaborik to win a Cup with LA.  But he was fixed on our time.  Brandon Dubinsky went to the same guy last year, and his groin problems are a thing of the past.  The reason is that this Doctor fixes all of the groin tears, not just the one that sidelined you.  And any hockey player worth his or her salt probably has at least a couple of minor tears, that don't impeded their game.  It's time Bob.  And make sure you have both groins fixed.

This is a really hard threshold for a professional athlete to cross.  You never want to go the surgical option early, because it will be a firm 6 weeks for return.  No early return, no working through it, 6 weeks.  But its time Bob.  By the way, this is a little personal journey through hell.  Many people take it, but I suspect it is amplified for highly paid professional athletes.

The reason I do this blog, the reason I read it in the first place, was an attempt to gain perspective on our beloved CBJ.  I wanted to understand.  So let me share a little something.  I have had both of my knees replaced.  I now have metal and plastic where I used to have shredded cartilage and bone on bone.  To get there I went through two butt kicking surgeries three weeks apart, followed by 6 weeks of therapy.  That is a painful and lonely journey, but thank God I had Mrs. Gallos to help me out.

It's not easy to get there.  The mental challenge is immense.  I always viewed knee replacement in the stark terms of 'having my knees sawed off'.  I finally got to point where I was in so much pain on a daily basis that having my knees sawed off could only be regarded in terms of incremental pain magnitude that no longer seemed to be a challenge.    That's when I knew it was time to have it done.

 Rehab is hell.  When you get out of surgery, no matter how 'in shape' you are, your leg feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.  You have to gain all of that back on your own, all the range of motion and strength.  I will make a somewhat proud confession here.  Derek Dorsett was my inspiration and source of strength during rehab.  When the chips were down, I would ask myself what double D would do.  And that answer was obvious.  Grind away at it.  And Dorsett's inspiration never let me down.  I walked 72 miles short of 2000 miles last year according to my Garmin Vivofit, 2 years after my double knee replacement.  I'm glad to be here, but I never would have made it without Derek Dorsett.  It's hard to have him in Vancouver now, but there it is.  I owe a lot to him.

This is the kind of journey Bob is facing.  He will be fine.  His work ethic is impeccable, and rehab is all about your work ethic.  Bow your back, and get to work.  Mrs. Bob will be there to help him, though I would point out Sergei, that Mrs. Gallos got a new car after the knee gig.  Take care of those who take care of you.  It's time Bob.  Get those groins fixed, so we can see who you really are.  You have your CBJ hockey family to support you, as I did.  That means a lot in the dark times.

The Jackets lost a must lose game tonight to Calgary.  Does Calgary realize that?  So who won in the long run tonight, eh?

Time to make yourself well Bob.  I wish you the best in that, and all other things.

GO JACKETS!!