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June 29, 2015: Plans go Awry

At this point in time, I do not know if I am going to be able to go on the Backcountry of Alaska pack trip. I’m quite fine if I don’t move, but not so fine if I do move. The pain area is the size of baseball. If I move the wrong way, the pain is near unbearable. I know that this is the body’s way of protecting this area from further damage, damage through movement. I also know that every time I move wrong and consequently feel pain, that I’m delaying full recovery.

This a.m. I again took 400 mg of Ibuprofen. I did the same yesterday.



Yesterday this did me considerable good. Not so today. So for this reason tomorrow’s plans are up in the air.

I’m trying to keep a good mental attitude so that I might heal more quickly. Might not be helping. But can’t hurt. Last night I apologized to Pete for blaming him for this accident. The way I saw it, he was coming down the trail and got too close. He thought otherwise. We had a row, right there on the trail. Shit happen. I think that my apologizing is part and parcel of the physical and mental healing process. Stronger drugs would be good, but I think that after the fact that I’d keep taking them. This is because I have an addictive personality. For example, can’t keep chocolate around.

I have been working this morning on getting caught up on backlogged dispatches. Doesn’t matter. Pete is way, way behind on posting them. But, for example, my writing about the three-day pony club camp events was good because this brought back to mind important things, things that I need to remember. I would not be doing this writing if I hadn’t come off the horse. (Until I again ride her, she is simply “the horse.”)

So if I stay put, I’ll hang out and keep writing. Mimi will tend to the place and take care of the animals and hopefully by the time Pete gets back I’ll be up and running again.

How strange it is, to one day be just fine, and the next day be less than just fine. Some people mess themselves up even worse than I did. For example, they break their ribs in many places. And it takes them many years to recover. Ribs are important in that they are there to protect vital organs. So no wonder it hurts so much when one bruises, cracks, or breaks them. Those of us who end up with this sort of injury really should thank Mother Nature for coming up with this set-up.

Always, after accidents, I cease to take what I usually can do, without thinking about it, for granted. I never before considered my middle back muscles and rib cage to be so important. But without them, one is toast. So here’s a toast, to all things in working order.

Next: 170. 7/3/15: More Horses, More Riders

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