A year ago today I had the dubious pleasure of making a blog entry from the comfort of the intensive care unit of Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.
Recovering from a broken back was as about unpleasant as I expected it to be. Three months in a restraining brace was a form of torture. Then the brace came off and a new pain experience presented itself when all the muscles which had been on a three month holiday complained about having to work again. Lots of physio, exercises and hot pads; but the pain never really improved and I became resigned to a life of back agony. Then in August, the back decided I had been punished enough and everything started to feel better. It still hurts a bit, still stiff and I expect I will always live with a level of discomfort befitting a crushed vertebrae.
But it could have been so much worse. I still have no recollection as to what happened that afternoon. But I have seen what happened to my car and I realise I could easily have been killed, or paralysed, or had my perfectly chiseled features reduced to pulp. The fact that none of these things happened is down to:
- The grace of god
- Karma
- Luck
My very good friend Desmond Tutu would go for number one. She who must be obeyed is in the number two camp. Me? I was bloody lucky. Whatever the reason, today is a day to celebrate being alive, being in one piece and still being almost unfairly handsome. So to mark the occasion I went sailing.
The wind was promising but it never blew enough to for planing windsurfing. So out with the Serenity which is 4+ meters of pure pleasure in lighter winds.
It’s more of a small yacht than a windsurfer and it slices through the water like a thing that slices through water really well does. Looks gorgeous too. An hour of Serenity sailing and the rain came; but it was enough for my body to confirm it is still capable of such activities, long may it continue; especially as my new board arrives on Monday.
Special mention has to be made again of she who must be obeyed who nursed me through the initial, almost immobile, stages of recovery, and supported me through the long recovery period. I am lucky to be alive and lucky to have her as my wife.
Now can we have some monsoon wind please? I missed it last year.
Comments 🔗
2009-10-22| genuinej saysWhat’s this crap about about being handsome, unfairly or not? Where’s the evidence? Handsome or not, you certainly appear to be the bloke equivalent of Randy Crawford’s “Almaz”, A lucky, lucky guy.
p.s. Any chance of a re-think about Khun Honda?
2009-10-23| Spike saysThe secret to looking good is to never, ever look in a mirror.
Re. Khun Honda, you would have to speak to her husband.