I'M BACK WITH A NEW LEG!!!

GREETINGS FELLOW BUBBLERS,

AS YOU MAY KNOW, I FELL, NOT VERY GRACEFULLY DOWN A STEEP INCLINE [OK IT WAS A HILL SIDE] ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I BANG UP MY HEAD A BIT BUT THAT WAS NOT MUCH OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE A RATHER HARD HEAD. THE WORST PART ABOUT THE WHOLE INCIDENT WAS, I BROKE A LEG.

NOW BEFORE THE TEARS START TO WELL UP IN YOUR EYES, READ ON. AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, I HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL LEG AND ARM. I HAVE HAD THESE FOR MANY YEARS AND GET ALONG RATHER WELL, ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS. ONE OF THESE YOU ARE READING RIGHT NOW. THAT’S RIGHT, THE DREADED “ALL CAP” THING. BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY AND NOW BACK TO THE BROKEN LEG.

I DON’T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THE FALL BUT AFTER THE FALL I REMEMBER WAKING TO A BUNCH OF FIRST AID FOLK AROUND ME AND THE RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. I KIND OF WANTED TO SIT UP FRONT AND BLOW THE SIRENE AND RUN THE RED LIGHTS AND EVEN DRIVE A BIT, BUT THE AMBULANCE GUYS WOULDN’T LET ME.

AT THE HOSPITAL THE NEWS OF A BROKEN LEG WAS FINALLY ANNOUNCED. IT SEEMS THAT MY ARTIFICIAL LEG HAD SOME HOW SUSTAINED SUFFICIENT DAMAGE THAT IT COULD NO LONGER TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND HAD TO BE LAID TO REST FOR GOOD. OF COURSE THE GOOD NEWS WAS A NEW LEG COULD BE FITTED QUICKLY AND I WOULD BE BACK ON MY FEET IN NO TIME!!! THE BAD NEWS WAS, I COULDN’T GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I WAS A BIT DIZZY WHEN I WOULD SIT. THE GOOD NEWS WAS, THE ARTIFICIAL LEG PEOPLE COULD BUILD ME A NEW LEG, FIT IT AND DO A BIT OF REHAB WORK WITH ME AS SOON AS I COULD GET THERE. THE BAD NEWS WAS HOSPITAL “FOOD”!!!

AT LAST, I WAS GIVEN MY “WALKING PAPERS” FROM THE HOSPITAL. AND NONE TO SOON. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO EAT HOSPITAL FOOD???? FRIENDS AND FAMILY WOULD BRING ME FOOD SO I DID NOT STARVE.

MY WIFE PICKED ME UP AT THE HOSPITAL AND WE DROVE 350 MILES TO BOISE, IDAHO, WHERE THE “LEG GUYS” ARE. WE CHOOSE TO DRIVE IN PART DUE TO THE TIME OF YEAR. THE ROUTE WE TOOK FOLLOWED “THE OLD OREGON TRAIL” MOST OF THE WAY. THE WILD FLOWERS WERE IN FULL BLOOM AND THE HILL SIDES WERE A VELVET GREEN WITH NEW GRASS. AS WE WOULD GO UP OVER PLACES LIKE THE BLUE MOUNTAINS WE WERE GLAD WERE SPEEDING ALONG AT 70+MPH INSTEAD OF TRAVELING BY COVERED WAGON. THE BLUES ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE SNOW AND TREES. WE ARE ALSO HAPPY WE LIVE IN THIS TIME PERIOD WHERE WE CAN DECEND PLACES LIKE CABBAGE HILL VIA A FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY TO DROP THE 8 MILES AT A 6% GRADE. I CAN NOT IMAGINE ROPING WAGONS WITH ALL YOUR BELONGINGS OVER A DROP LIKE THIS. NO WONDER THEY WOULD STOP TO REST PEOPLE & ANIMALS AT IMMIGRANT SPRINGS BEFORE THEY WOULD ATTEMPT CABBAGE HILL. THE FOLK THAT CAME WEST IN COVERED WAGONS WERE VERY HARDY AND DETERMINDED STOCK FOR SURE. THOSE WHO WEREN’T, WERE BURIED ON THE WAY LIKE THE 8 YEAR OLD GIRL AT IMMIGRANT SPRINGS. THAT STOP GIVES ONE TIME TO REFLECT AND BE THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT WE HAVE!!!

THE TRIP GOING WAS MOST BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL, ALTHOUGH I MUST ADMIT THE TRIP BACK HOME I ENJOYED MUCH BETTER SINCE I HAD MY MOBILITY BACK AND I EVEN GOT TO DRIVE A FEW MILES. IT IS MUCH EASIER TO WALK TO THE REST ROOM AT A REST STOP THAN TO WHEEL YOURSELF.

IT IS MOST WELCOME TO BE BACK HOME NOW. THE NEW LEG IS WORKING JUST FINE. I WILL TAKE ME SOME TIME BUT I’LL BE LOOKING AT ALL THE PHOTOS I HAVE MISSED. I MAY NOT COMMENT ON THEM DUE TO THE TIME AND NUMBERS BUT I’LL SURE VIEW THEM. AND I’LL BE POSTING SOME OF MY PHOTOS SOON. I HAVE LEG, WILL TRAVEL, NOW TO SNAP PICTURES, SO WATCH OUT!!

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TO READ THE STORY OF MY LIFE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS,
PJ

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