As I walked onto the playing field, I felt pumped and ready for anything. My heart was racing at an easy pace. My nerves were relaxed and ready for the attack that my team was about to conduct. I had looked to my right and saw my nephew and my cousins’ son, aka, Bravo Team. I had instructed them directions as to how I wanted them to move in the woods towards the castle on the other side of the playing field. I had explained that I want them to move further over to the right from our position and come in hard and fast to outflank the opponent. That Will and I, aka, Alpha Team, were going to move straight towards the opponents’ castle to draw their fire.
I was instantly reminded of how I was the fearless young adult that once wore the green military fatigues. My plan was simple; storm the castle, the opponents will fire on us and hopefully get antsy and withdraw from their positions. Then Bravo Team would come into their flank and hopefully take them out. Basically, Alpha Team would be the guinea pigs or the suppressing fire time on this operation. However this time, we were out to have some fun and laughs while we stormed the castle. The war games we were playing were nothing more than paintballs flying through the air.
When the referee blew the whistle, we instantly ran into our positions and commenced our attack onto the fortress. The enemy or opposition force was really my other nephew and some of his friends. I have to admit, Alpha Team was a little too aggressive in our movement. When Will moved, I would provide covering fire. When I moved, Will would provide covering fire. We followed this technique until we were less than 20 meters or about 65 feet from our target. We commence firing and the opposition force was pinned down. They had not moved out of their castle. The opposition team decided to stand behind the structure for protection.
Because of Alpha teams aggressive approach towards the castle, I remember yelling to Bravo team to hurry up on their offensive. We had moved too quickly for Bravo Team. The plan worked flawlessly, my platoon sergeant would have been proud in our Fire and Movement techniques. After the opposition force realized that we were attacking from the front, they thought it would be a good idea to try to move out of their death trap.
I was correct; the opposition force had moved out of their positions to attack us. They had exposed their left side which was open for Bravo Teams advance. Bravo Team was able to take out the opposition force because they left their positions.
After the attack, I had to admit, I was a little too exhausted. I remember thinking, man I’m 40 years old and I’m running like I’m 21 again. We had played about 6-8 rounds of paintball games up to this point and it was starting to catch up to me. I remember having my left leg feel a little numb. But with the entire army of epinephrine or adrenaline racing through my body, I seriously felt no pain. So I decided to sit the next game out. However, I also decided to take a couple of action shots of the next couple of games as my nephews continue to play paintball.
Once the day was completed, I had gone home to shower and get some rest. The following morning, I awoke to have my leg feel like it was on fire. I remember thinking that I’ve completely lost all feeling in my leg when I walked. I initially thought that I was just sore from play paintball from the day before. I had decided to relax for the day and ice my leg. It wasn’t until about 8 pm that I realized something was extremely wrong. I had decided to shower before going to bed. The shower was extremely brisk but thorough, due to the pain. As I was getting out of the shower, I realized that the pressure on my leg was too much. The pain was unbearable, the numbness had taken over my entire body and my leg could no longer withstand my weight. I had fallen to the floor in pain with a loud thud. My wife entered the room in a panic. I was naked and defeated. I was later admitted into the emergency room that night. We will mark this day EDay+0.
Funny as you sit in a wheelchair, you instantly realize extremely quickly how uncomfortable they are and even sillier in how you look trying to not sit on your left butt cheek. I was sitting sideways trying to stay off my left side. I remember the nurse saying that the hospital was extremely busy on this day and that beds were limited. She then proceeded to scold me when I offered to slouch on the floor. So I sat awkwardly for several long growling minutes while I waited for a hospital bed to be free.
At about 1:30 am the doctor enters my room and tells me that I have muscle fatigue. Basically that my thigh is overworked and needs rest. She had recommended that I take some ibuprofen to help reduce the pain. As I sat in the waiting room for my wife to move the car closer to the door, the thought crosses my mind, what did I do. How did I get here? Basically, what did I do at the paintball game that made me feel so old? I instantly notice a kid, about 8 years old with no care in the world walking by me. He accidently hit my foot that sends shockwaves through my entire left side of my body. I was paralyzed with pain. The father of the child notices my reaction and had a stern talking to the boy. I was able to gather myself up and walked limply towards the car.
EDay+2, the pain continued to terrorize my body. I had decided to visit the walk-in clinic. The pumped up dosage of the Ibuprofen was not working and the pain continued to haunt me. The fire from within my left leg had continued to consume my entire body. I need to find liberation from the throbbing. Cutting the leg and cauterizing the end was an option but was way too radical. I wasn’t able to secure a visit with my doctor until later in the week (EDay+5). At the walk in clinic, I was provided with a prescription that didn’t help either. My best bet was to deal with the pain and wait for my doctor’s appointment.
Sleeping during the nights prior to my doctor’s appointment was a complete blur. Depending on the position I was in, the relief would be brief, but after several minutes, I would instantly awake with sheer terror as the needles of pain would puncture my legs. The nights were dreadful.
EDay+5, I had been wheeled into the doctors’ office. My sitting position was similar to that as the emergency room back on EDay+0. Other patients noticed my agony. I had explained my situation to my doctor. I was relieved to hear that everything would be ok. However, I would possibly need surgery, that I’ve possibly ruptured a disk. Instantly a thought entered my head, “You are no longer 21, dude, it’s official you are old.”
EDay+8, I am finally able to sleep through the night thanks to the new prescription. But the battle to survive the pain is still ongoing. I was able to slowly walk into my doctors’ office for a follow-up exam. The story is that I possibly have a pinched nerve.
EDay+11, after my MRI, I receive a call from my doctors’ office. The prognosis is not good. I have a fragmented bone that is pinching a nerve. After further discussion, I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon on EDay+23, which is tomorrow…
So you ask since I have been “out of order” what have I’ve been doing?
“So why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” ~Batman Begins movie quote.
I have been lying in bed trying to recuperate. Thanks to some close dear friends, I have been able to continue to provide the excellent Vignetting Photography services with no delays. Also, I have been able to get a start on my Christmas card, Save the Date card, Graduation cards and Thank You card designs and online catalog. They are currently available for sale on the website. Additionally, I’ve been able to redesign my business cards and finalized some behind the scene issues. The company also has a new email address. Visit my website for more information.
Thank you to all of the wonderful friends and family members that have been helping me out during this turbulent time. God knows that I’ve needed it. But I will certainly get back on my feet with no pain very soon. I’m not sure who said this below quote, but I find it nice and fitting..
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or even a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it will last forever.”
Well until next time…
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