The Honda rider continues in his process of waiting for the humerus of the right arm operated on in the United States to continue to weld properly, before beginning a rehabilitation process that will lead him, if everything goes according to plan, to reappear in the final part of the season.
This Tuesday, Marc Márquez wrote a blog in which he explains how the recovery process of the eight-time world champion is developing. In it, the Honda rider sends out a message of optimism: “After the intervention in Rochester, hope opens up that I can continue competing without pain and having fun on the bike.”
And he places the sixth week after the intervention (July 15) as a key date, when an X-ray is performed and the path to follow in recovery is decided.
The blog written by Marc Márquez:
Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but I haven’t forgotten about you. There are many messages of encouragement that you send me and they are appreciated, especially at times like this. Today I come to tell you how I am doing with my recovery.
The idea that perhaps I needed to have another operation has been present since September of last year. We were checking the arm periodically, to see the evolution of the fracture after the third surgery. When the preseason arrived, I wanted to convince myself that I could do it, thinking of the phrase “power is in the mind” as a motto. But as the World Cup began, I realized that the limitations were very great. My idea was to compete the whole season –since the bone was not one hundred percent consolidated from the third operation–, but knowing my limitations and hiding the discomfort, to avoid daily questions. Only my closest environment knew about the situation.
The defining moment came around the French GP, when everything was ready to do a 3D CT scan and we made the decision to go under the knife again. The truth is that having surgery in the United States surprised me a lot because of how they had planned the pre- and post-operative period. It is very different from Spain. The postoperative period was very fast, I was immediately discharged, authorized to fly and return home. The preparation, on the other hand, was very planned and everything was done well in advance.
Before the operation I was very excited, but the hours afterward I was worse, because of the anesthesia and because there was pain. I had a bad time for two or three days, but since it wasn’t the first time my arm had been operated on and I already knew what it would feel like, I was aware that the pain was normal and that it would subside later.
Now I am quite well, because there is no pain. I continue with my arm immobilized, doing light passive mobility exercises. Emotionally I feel motivated, because the sensations are good, and I am excited to start recovery as soon as the doctors tell me to, to see if the arm works as it should.
Anyway, as I said with my first comment on networks, “green hope”, is my current feeling. It was what caused me this operation: hope. Because the way I was riding and competing, I didn’t see myself on the bike for much longer, maybe another year or two. After the intervention in Rochester, hope is opened that I can continue competing without pain and having fun on the bike.
The next deadline is to wait until week six –since the operation– to do an X-ray. Depending on how the result goes, we will follow one path or another in recovery. So until then I’m enjoying a bit of a vacation, because we can’t start the 100 percent recovery yet.
At the moment, although it seems that I have a lot of free time, I plan well each day. I get up early and go for an hour and a half walk. Then I try to be entertained with calls with the team, with the family or doing things around the house. In the afternoon I began to gently work on the lower body and a little on the left arm.
Sometimes I stop to think about how I look for motivation and in my case, the only conclusion I reach is passion and enthusiasm. It remains the same for more than ten years. It also pushes me to think about the goal, which is to have fun and compete at a good level, without suffering or pain.
I have to say that I am not alone on this road to recovery. I have supported and talked a lot with riders like Àlex Crivillé –who went through something similar–, Alberto Puig –who is the one with whom I have the most contact, because he is also the Team Manager of the Repsol Honda team– and also Mick Doohan –because he had several serious injuries. They are the ones who have advised me the most and I thank them for their support.
There is also a reference named Rafa Nadal, who even when he was considered retired has been able to overcome the pain and win again. Precisely with him I coincided when they played the Masters 1000 in Madrid. I know everything he has suffered and that is why he is a reference for me, because although he is not at his best, he is capable of winning tournaments like Roland Garros. I remember that a press conference admitted that the pain changed his mood and I understand.
Before saying goodbye, I wanted to thank you once again for the support I receive from all the fans. I promise that I will do everything and more than I can to compete again and enjoy good times together.
