Luck of the Irish???

The approach of St. Patrick's Day is usually my most favorite time of the year.  Beside's being the holiday for my heritage, and a wonderful holiday to show off my beer drinking skills, it also is my un-official start of Spring.

So how is this year going, well let's see....

I spent 10 days on a road trip through Florida for work.  And as Jimmy Buffett would say "just about my favorite drill".  However, on the next to the last day, while exiting a restaurant, I missed the last 2" step, and it was just enough to lay my right foot to waste.  Night quite broken, but severly snapped, sprained, hyper-extended, whatever you want to call it.  That even came the requiste swelling.  Now here's the thing...most of you know I suffer from an infection in my leg that will flare up for various reasons.  And one of those reasons is lack of circuilation brought on by the swelling in my foot.  Not being fully aware I had an early low-grade fever, I began my last car drive home from Tampa, anticipating an 11pm arrival at home. 

After about an hour of driving, I got stuck in a traffic jam that stretched out for 5 miles.  It took two hours to get clear of this mess caused by some jack-ass that doesn't under stand his truck was too tall to go under that bridge.

By then, I was getting tired...from the fever, and pulled over for a quick 15 minute power nap.  I've done this many times when on road-trips.  2 hours later I woke up.  It was about then I realized I wasn't feeling very well.

I kept on driving, and during the drive learned my friend John "Bad Dog" McCormack had slipped into a coma, and then finally passed away.  While very sad, I was also very relieved because his pain was over, and I have NO DOUBT where this man is headed.

I managed to cover some good ground, and by 7pm had arrived in Perry, GA....about 1 hour south of Atlanta. But that was as far as I could go.  My foot was killing me, my leg was beginning to show signs of the impending flare-up, and the fever was well set in.

I got a room, with the intention of getting a good night sleep, and then power driving the last 7 hours in the light of day.  I just wanted to be home.

During the night, my wife called  a couple of times, and realized I was slipping lower and lower into my fever. 

At 7am, I received a text from my wife saying she, and my good frient (now great friend) Sam were coming to get me and bring me home.  Sam took her entire day, and kept her son out of school, and Pam took the day off from work, and these two women set out for Perry, GA with only a Google Printout in hand.  They arrived around 5pm, and it was like a military rescue team.  The immediate induced fluids (gatorade), and food (cookies!).  Medication was started, and re-done every 3 hours, and for the next 8 hours, we journeyed home in tandem, finally arriving around 1am.  I can't state how awesome this was for these women to take these steps, and come save me.  My wife Pam is a wonderful partner, and my friend Sam has shown me so much of what a great friend she truly is.

Now home, I had to deal with the fact that I had tickets to Kid Rock on Saturday......the quick answer.....NOPE!  No way I was going to push the injury on those concrete floors and steps, so I stayed home, and medicated.

Monday, came some good news, my foot doesn't appear to be broken, but I do have to follow up wiht an Ortho next week.  However the infection seemed caught in time, and I'll continue meds for another 8-10 days.  My blood pressure had also come way down from (192/98) to (128/74), and my blood sugar test was clean. 

However, Wednesday we're supposed to leave for Hot Springs for St. Patricks' Day.  After thinking about drinking while taking meds, the amount of walking, and the quality of the visit.....Pam and I decided we'd not go this year.  My friends have all begged me to re-consider.  My friend up there even offered me a seat on the grand viewing stage with John Corbin so I wouldn't have to fight the crowds...tempting, but I'm letting wisdom prevail.

So I suffered a busted foot, fever, infection, having to be rescued, missed Kid Rock, and am missing St. Pat's in Hot Springs, and lost a good friend......things better start improving soon, or I'm gonna switch to Arbor Day as my new favorite.