Column Judith Witte: A Challenging Operation

I find myself incapacitated, courtesy of a foot surgery. Ever since the surgeon wielded the scalpel there, I've been getting around on crutches, one under each arm. Try transporting a cup of tea from one place to another in that situation. The pain was quite manageable in the first few days, but being entirely dependent on others; that's the real challenge for me.

To be fair, I must admit I was armed with a huge amount of painkillers, accompanied by a hefty booklet of leaflets. For kicks, two days post-operation, I decided to browse through them; there wasn't much else I could do. I read about diminished reaction time, feeling drowsy, and sleepy. Yawn. Check. Constipation. Check. Hallucinations and confusion. Uh... anyone there? No?

A week later, things were improving. I opted to be chauffeured to our ever enjoyable OSV winter barbecue. I sipped on 0.0 beer, which has transcended its 'beer substitute' status. Well, to be honest; I also drank it because painkillers and alcohol don't mix well. And because it aligns perfectly with a commonly made New Year's resolution. "What happened to you?" my fellow barbecuers asked that night, casting concerned glances at my foot adorned in a very stylish bandage shoe. "These are the consequences of peak load," I replied. Peak load sounded like a familiar problem. The concerned expressions, at least briefly, turned into pained grimaces.

As a runner, I had stoically ignored the minor aches warning me of overtraining and strain on muscles and ligaments. I thought I had the energy of ten people! A vigorous twist of my ankle (the fatal peak load) had caused a tiny tear in a crucial tendon. I shared my story in my running group chat. Due to slippery conditions, several members had taken a tumble. Someone had severely twisted their ankle in the process. Someone suggested that taping it well would get them back to running soon. "No! Please don't do that!" I wrote. I openly admitted to the pitfall I had fallen into. One that I know many athletes make: "Stop ignoring and blindly pushing through!" I wrote. "Opt for sustainable recovery." If I could convince just one person to approach it differently, I would be content.

Peak load. Constipation. Dependency. Perhaps they were posthumous hallucinations, but I saw parallels everywhere with today’s energy issues and grid congestion. We want to move towards sustainability, but how? What we need are (in addition to brilliant solutions) honest narratives. By sharing mistakes with each other, challenging operations can be avoided, and ultimately, we'll all be less incapacitated. Continuing on the same path is not an option.

Judith Witte
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