The Back Story

Torn Achilles 

Apparently, there are photos of me circulating about, where I’m in the hospital. “What gives?”

For those who were in Sacramento last week and did not hear my comments on the award dais, here’s the straight skinny.

So, this started out as a minor irritation while running in my Vibram toe shoes. Actually, something felt weird in my right shoe. That shifted my gait and the next morning I was crippled on my left leg.

So, having given away my Craftsman detail sander, (which I used as therapy for such inflammations) I had to go to SEARS and replace it with a Ryobi. No running and digital vibration for a week; but ride to work and observe each day as an improvement. Then, on Saturday, in anticipation of a slammed next week, I did a 16mi round trip on the bike. The next day, crippled again.

We had a physical therapy group as sponsors at our Challenge event, and I availed myself of their services, with slight improvements each day.

In Sacramento, walking down the street, in the dark, Saturday morning, a homeless character started screaming at me at the top of his lungs. I picked up the pace and he seemed to be following me. So, I decided to see if this was so by crossing the street. Stepped off the curb and heard it snap. Diaphoretic and in acute pain. Limped another painful block and had the Fire Chief, Walt White transport me to the Kaiser ED.

So, in about an hour turnaround, I left with a splint cast made with a plaster of Paris set in a plantar-flexion position. 600mg of Vitamin M 2x and no pain or swelling. Just a big pain in the ass on the airplane trip home.

BTW, this homeless dude had been threatening all of our staff every morning. I’d been riding my old Trek Antelope 400 to the site every day but the last, so I never encountered him.

Prognosis is no activity for six to eight weeks. Extreme Bummer.