I never understood a child's journey toward walking before. I mean, I am not able to remember my infancy, so I am not able to comprehend what was going through my head when I was teaching myself to walk as a toddler. UNTIL NOW! I have the god forsaken task of teaching myself how to walk in my boot for the next couple weeks. Holy Crap... Its scary!
Notice those small, sorta sideways steps. Yep, I am doing that too. That's the brain telling my injured leg that it isn't strong enough to handle all the weight of my body, so quick, sideways steps that get the other foot to the ground pretty fast helps. Notice how fast that other leg gets to the ground. Notice the fall, I have just taken my first "learning to walk" fall. I subsequently crawled to my destination as well. The only difference between my current journey and that of the baby in the video is that his falls don't hurt, my falls suck!
I am an infant again. Thank You for your continued support.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
That Damn Shower!
I like my inlaws, I really do. I took Chris Hill to a Cubs game last Fathers day. That weekend we (Nikki, Darlene, Chris and I) happened to go to Giordano's near Midway Airport. When I say near, I mean across the street from Midway. Anyway, as a plane was coming in for a landing, it scared the absolute shit out them both, sorta like this:
Anyway, I posted that video, not as a nastalgic memory of last years comedic experience with a plane, rather to illustrate my reaction to seeing my leg after a fateful shower at drill. "Shit", "Oh Fuck" and "Fuck Me" were phrases that described my reaction.
So, again, I took a shower on Sunday of drill. I have been using a shower seat at home when I showered. I had the ability to keep my incision relatively dry by putting my leg outside of the range of the water while seated. I had no such luxury at drill. So in the enclosed space of a standard military shower, essentially, my incision was directly under me and the shower-head while I showered. My doctors had stated that as long as the incision didn't get soaked (as in submerged), it and I would be fine. I never really trusted that notion, hence my showers at home with the incision outside of the water, but I had no real choice at drill. So after the shower, no problems, well except the fact that my underwear went MIA, but no problems with the incision.
Fast forward, its Wednesday night, I noticed that the tape on my incision was wet. IT HAS NEVER BEEN WET FOR THIS LONG. It generally dries directly after showering. I also noticed, that it looks like there may be a "puss" coming from the tape. I am not sure though. My reaction... OH SHIT!
Next Day... more of the same except for there is a little pain now. My reaction...Oh FUCK!
Friday, after work. This GD thing hurts! It feels like pins and needles back there. WTF!?! So i began the process of removing the tape. I unleash the nastiest looking infected section of month old incision, I have ever seen. Its too late to call my surgeon or his nurse, so I began to clean it with peroxide and apply clean gauze 2x daily, my reaction... FUCK ME!
I am now on an anti-biotic, and have had my recovery timetable pushed back a week. That damn shower!
Anyway, I posted that video, not as a nastalgic memory of last years comedic experience with a plane, rather to illustrate my reaction to seeing my leg after a fateful shower at drill. "Shit", "Oh Fuck" and "Fuck Me" were phrases that described my reaction.
So, again, I took a shower on Sunday of drill. I have been using a shower seat at home when I showered. I had the ability to keep my incision relatively dry by putting my leg outside of the range of the water while seated. I had no such luxury at drill. So in the enclosed space of a standard military shower, essentially, my incision was directly under me and the shower-head while I showered. My doctors had stated that as long as the incision didn't get soaked (as in submerged), it and I would be fine. I never really trusted that notion, hence my showers at home with the incision outside of the water, but I had no real choice at drill. So after the shower, no problems, well except the fact that my underwear went MIA, but no problems with the incision.
Fast forward, its Wednesday night, I noticed that the tape on my incision was wet. IT HAS NEVER BEEN WET FOR THIS LONG. It generally dries directly after showering. I also noticed, that it looks like there may be a "puss" coming from the tape. I am not sure though. My reaction... OH SHIT!
Next Day... more of the same except for there is a little pain now. My reaction...Oh FUCK!
Friday, after work. This GD thing hurts! It feels like pins and needles back there. WTF!?! So i began the process of removing the tape. I unleash the nastiest looking infected section of month old incision, I have ever seen. Its too late to call my surgeon or his nurse, so I began to clean it with peroxide and apply clean gauze 2x daily, my reaction... FUCK ME!
I am now on an anti-biotic, and have had my recovery timetable pushed back a week. That damn shower!
What is Battle Assembly Like as an Injured Company Commander? Part 2
So after all the questions had passed, the logistical question of how the "F" I was supposed to get around all weekend was in front of me. Especially since the unit would be conducted basically mounted movement to conduct convoys in the woods. I decided to get a van, a driver (Morrison, you rocked!) and essentially hop through the snow, ice and slush in order to...
1. Act as observer on the lanes
2. Escort Battalion visitors around
3. Provide AAR comments on the lanes
The only thing I would redo on Saturday was the fact that most of my unit bedded down at around midnight. It sucked to be us that night.
Sunday afternoon started with a shower. This shower has cost me in so many ways, I care not to discuss it in much detail now, but I will talk about my Achilles setback later. Anyway, on the way to the shower, which is a 30 second hop from my office, I lost my underwear. I did not notice that I had lost said drawers until I got out of the shower. Butt-ass naked, I desperately searched for this damn pair of Ralph Lauren boxers until CW3 Dietrich walked into the bathroom. I looked over and said "Chief, I think I lost my underwear". His reply "Thats what those were", he leaves the bathroom, and returns with lost underoo's. He then jokes later that he bet the reason I am alive today is that no father of any girl I have ever dated has ever walked in on me naked and looking for my underwear. I concur! This story has no literal significance, but metaphorically it shows how the unit "picks up for" their injured Commander. HOOAH!
Sunday was pretty cool because I got to do three awesome things. I got to promote previously mentioned CW3 Dietrich to CW4 twice, and re-enlist one of my most dedicated NCO's, SSG Brown. Yes, I promoted Chief twice, yep, sure did. I would do it again if I have too, I would promote him every damn day if possible, he has been a mentor for me for a long time now, and I appreciate what he has done in his military career. Btw, It was pretty priceless to see me crutch to formation, promote someone and hop away. Only in the ARMY! All in all, it was a great weekend, except for one thing... To BE CONTINUED!
1. Act as observer on the lanes
2. Escort Battalion visitors around
3. Provide AAR comments on the lanes
The only thing I would redo on Saturday was the fact that most of my unit bedded down at around midnight. It sucked to be us that night.
Sunday afternoon started with a shower. This shower has cost me in so many ways, I care not to discuss it in much detail now, but I will talk about my Achilles setback later. Anyway, on the way to the shower, which is a 30 second hop from my office, I lost my underwear. I did not notice that I had lost said drawers until I got out of the shower. Butt-ass naked, I desperately searched for this damn pair of Ralph Lauren boxers until CW3 Dietrich walked into the bathroom. I looked over and said "Chief, I think I lost my underwear". His reply "Thats what those were", he leaves the bathroom, and returns with lost underoo's. He then jokes later that he bet the reason I am alive today is that no father of any girl I have ever dated has ever walked in on me naked and looking for my underwear. I concur! This story has no literal significance, but metaphorically it shows how the unit "picks up for" their injured Commander. HOOAH!
Sunday was pretty cool because I got to do three awesome things. I got to promote previously mentioned CW3 Dietrich to CW4 twice, and re-enlist one of my most dedicated NCO's, SSG Brown. Yes, I promoted Chief twice, yep, sure did. I would do it again if I have too, I would promote him every damn day if possible, he has been a mentor for me for a long time now, and I appreciate what he has done in his military career. Btw, It was pretty priceless to see me crutch to formation, promote someone and hop away. Only in the ARMY! All in all, it was a great weekend, except for one thing... To BE CONTINUED!
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