by southern man Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:18 amLast Thursday I had a plumber coming in the afternoon for an estimate on a gas line installation. I figured I would take the whole day off and run the van over to my buddy's shop to get the lug nuts loosened. The shop had put them on when they painted my van last year and I could NOT break the nuts free.
After he got done with a few jokes at my expense he tried to get one off and promptly cracked his nice Snap On deep socket right down the side. Another wrench and a big-*ss breaker bar and we were able to get them all free, but at least I was vindicated in not being able to back them off at home.
My other car was there to get a couple tires put on so when we were all done he offered to follow me home with both vehicles and I'd just run him back. I still don't have a working gas gauge but thought I had plenty of fuel. Turns out, not. But we only had a couple of miles to go, so what could go wrong???
Of course I ran out on the way. Pulled over to the shoulder but didn't have enough fuel to get me over as far as I would have liked. We were on a slight uphill grade so we put our backs into it and gave it a big push. At least that was the plan. All of a sudden I felt a big POP in my right leg and almost fell on the ground (luckily I was holding onto the steering wheel).
Long story short, I have almost completely severed my achilles tendon, and I'm scheduled for surgery a week from Monday. I'll be in a cast and on crutches for at least a month (NO weight bearing on that foot), then in a boot for about 6 weeks. It's going to be difficult to work on much if I'm on crutches.
Funny thing is I am in almost no pain, except if I put any stress on that ligament. But I am hobbling around and feeling every bit of my 59 years. I'm in good shape otherwise, and the doc said he usually only sees this kind of injury in young bucks between the ages of 18-30, which he meant as a compliment.
Driving with my left foot is OK in my daily driver, but I have no strength in my right foot, so neither of my vehicles with clutches will likely move for a couple of months.
I can deal with it, and certainly others have a lot worse problems, but it is really true that you don't think about your health until you suddenly don't have it.
After he got done with a few jokes at my expense he tried to get one off and promptly cracked his nice Snap On deep socket right down the side. Another wrench and a big-*ss breaker bar and we were able to get them all free, but at least I was vindicated in not being able to back them off at home.
My other car was there to get a couple tires put on so when we were all done he offered to follow me home with both vehicles and I'd just run him back. I still don't have a working gas gauge but thought I had plenty of fuel. Turns out, not. But we only had a couple of miles to go, so what could go wrong???
Of course I ran out on the way. Pulled over to the shoulder but didn't have enough fuel to get me over as far as I would have liked. We were on a slight uphill grade so we put our backs into it and gave it a big push. At least that was the plan. All of a sudden I felt a big POP in my right leg and almost fell on the ground (luckily I was holding onto the steering wheel).
Long story short, I have almost completely severed my achilles tendon, and I'm scheduled for surgery a week from Monday. I'll be in a cast and on crutches for at least a month (NO weight bearing on that foot), then in a boot for about 6 weeks. It's going to be difficult to work on much if I'm on crutches.
Funny thing is I am in almost no pain, except if I put any stress on that ligament. But I am hobbling around and feeling every bit of my 59 years. I'm in good shape otherwise, and the doc said he usually only sees this kind of injury in young bucks between the ages of 18-30, which he meant as a compliment.
Driving with my left foot is OK in my daily driver, but I have no strength in my right foot, so neither of my vehicles with clutches will likely move for a couple of months.
I can deal with it, and certainly others have a lot worse problems, but it is really true that you don't think about your health until you suddenly don't have it.
