083 THE BEGINNING OF, ALMOST THE END

First off it has been a long time since I wrote in this blog and it’s just because I got busy and there was not a lot to write about.  That is until this summer, when a life altering, and life-threatening event occurred.  No, it wasn’t a heart attack, like what happened to Russ, which I detailed in a previous article.  This involves a massive infection, caused by a cut foot.  Who would have thought that a cut, or in this case a large abrasion, could result in killing someone?  But first a little background on events leading up to the main event. 

Writing for me is cathartic, and I have posted bits ad pieces of what happened, in Facebook updates, but they don’t begin to tell the whole story.  In fact, when I thought about doing this “tell all” article, I did a post on Facebook first.  I was encouraged to write it by several responses on Facebook, in private messages and in person.  So, as they say, “here goes”.  Hold onto your hats as we begin this harrowing tale.

I’m not going to pull any punches as it were.  This will be the whole story, in full unadulterated detail.  There will be gross things mentioned and one or two gross photos.  This is compiled from memory, from stories I have been told by Renee and my kids.  There will be information I received from Doctors, nurses and all my care team, as well as notes I kept on my iPhone and iPad.  So, without further ado, we begin.  The whole story will necessarily be broken into segments.

In early June, I was out walking Toby and on the back path, when I stepped on a loose rock and rolled my right ankle.  Man did it hurt.  I did the usual things involving ice, tape and anti-inflammatory and it was healing quickly.  I had gotten to the point of being almost pain free, when I took the truck in to have the brakes done before heading up to the lake.  It was a nice day and I decided we would walk home.  It turned out to be 6.5 km, which is normally no big deal, but by the time I got 5 km into the walk, I was in agony and not sure if I could make it home.  I eventually did, and resumed my treatment of the ankle.

On June 22, I finished loading the truck, limping all the while and Toby and I headed for the lake.  The normally 5-hour drive, only took 4 this year, as I thought, after moving to Maple Ridge.  This was the first chance I had to test my theory though.  We made it safely, and began our usual lake ritual, waiting for Renee’s arrival on July 4^th.  We couldn’t launch the boat as it’s a 2-person operation.  One to drive the boat and one to drive the truck.

On July 4^th, we drove in to Kamloops and picked Renee up at the Greyhound.  She doesn’t own a car but has her license and can drive.  This becomes important later.  We spend the day relaxing and doing our normal morning and evening walk.  In the past, these walks have stretched out to, at their peak, 14 km.  But, Toby this year, is getting old and flat out refused to do more than 2 km.  This was fine with my ankle, which was still hurting.

On July 5^th we took the boat down to get it into the water and here is where the story really takes off.  I backed the trailer down into the water.  Normally when doing this I would wear some type of water shoes, or in my case the diving boots from my wet suit.  However, because on my ankle injury, it and my foot were still too swollen to get them on, so I went barefoot.

As I stepped out of the truck and into the water, I slipped and skidded a few feet down the concrete ramp.  As anyone who has launched a boat knows, the concrete boat ramp is very gritty, to help vehicles with traction.  I didn’t think anything of it and I couldn’t feel anything wrong.  This stems from a long ago back injury and I haven’t really been able to feel my toes for many years.

Boat in the water, I jumped in and the engine fired up right away.  A very good sign after sitting unused for almost two years.  I drove the boat up to the cabin, reveling in the warm sunshine and the return to the water after missing last summer.  I had no idea the shape my foot was in.  It wasn’t hurting so I didn’t think about it.  I docked the boat, got out and walked across, the dock, across the beach and up the dirt path to the cabin.  All in bare feet.  This was driving, dirt and crud and bacteria, deep into my foot.