Sunday, May 3, 2009

Wow Weather Sandwich



This was an odd week - we had some gorgeous weather, it stormed pretty good for a few days, and then more gorgeous weather.  You can see the pass still isn't quite open - but Roger has been working on it!

Work has been pretty intense as we order everything we need to start the next season that begins in June and everyone in the engineering office is leaving for vacation except me and a couple fill-in guys.  Goldfish will be back tomorrow, her oral surgery was a success but it remains to be seen how much "wisdom" she gave up by getting all four out at once.  I begged her to score the 4 teeth from the dentist so I could make a tribal necklace to wear but I'm fairly certain she didn't - because she knows I would follow through . . . . 

I've been having a tough time adjusting to my own mortality lately; this was supposed to be the summer I got my open water scuba certification and attended Fire Fighter I class to go with my EMT training - these have been goals set in stone for a year or two, goals I had my heart set on.  Instead, it appears I am going to Idaho in June to get shoulder surgery to rebuild and repair my rotator cuff and whatever else is torn up in there.  This isn't due to an injury, it is due to a lot of things over many years and it is finally time to take care of it.  It is a little hard to accept because I thought 45 was a bit young to wear anything out, no matter how active a lifestyle has been over the years.

I guess what helps me is thinking about all those things that wore the shoulder out - chopping lots of wood, paddling canoes, pulling tens of thousands of salmon from gillnets, rock climbing, wrestling with my sons, rowing boats, 5 years of military service, lots of weight training, sport fishing, carpentry, fixing cars, riding (and wrecking) motorcycles and snow machines, always the big guy that was expected to lift the heavy stuff and more than happy to do it, to help folks that couldn't . . . . looking back, I realize there is nothing I would change, nothing I would take away from my life experiences to make my shoulder last longer, so I'm resigned to get it taken care of so I can move forward, so I can refocus on my goals.  There is always next year!

7 comments:

Lori said...

Can totally relate to your post this morning. Have the surgery, get past it and then on to your goals. Sometimes we just have to stop and smell the roses a little while before moving on.

Oh, and I bet she does bring them home for you - LOL!

Bren said...

Can relate to your post as well. Mortality has been on my mind since my surgery and accident. Yet each opportunity in life has been a wonderful growing experience. I'm excited you will be coming to Idaho, though! I score! It will be great to see you.

Cookie Dough said...

Nice post, ouch! Hope Goldfish is recovering well, my husband has been avoiding that same surgery for 2 decades! I'm sure you got out yesterday and enjoyed the sun, I know I even walked 2x!

Elizabeth Douglas said...

Glad to hear goldfish is doing well. If you do score those teeth, be sure to post the end results! Also, I'm sorry to hear your shoulder needs a bit of maintenance, but it sounds like it's because you've put years of life behind it...and that is always a good thing.

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Medical stuff is pretty amazing these days. My boss, who is 43, just got arthroscopic knee surgery and he was on his feet in two days, only used crutches two days and was working out lightly in three days. That was 1.5 weeks ago. Today he skipped rope. And, again, the photographs were wonderful!

BZ

Alaska Steve said...

Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments - I'll stop whining and get on with life!

Lori said...

You're not whining - just venting and that's a good thing, and a good thing you've got us to bounce it off of!