Life isn't all fun

We've mostly used this blog to post happy stuff- pictures of our kids doing cute things, holidays, and our many vacation adventures.

Bad things, of course, have been happening. For many reasons, 2005 has been the most difficult year of our lives. But, as these pages witness, it hasn't all been bad.

Things got alot more complicated on Sunday morning when I took an unexpected fall during my semi-regular bike ride with Mike. I've crashed many times, and broken several bones in the process, but this one was a real surprise. I lifted my hands of the handlebars for a second, and I went right down. On a flat, wide road. I knew the second that I hit the ground that it was serious. The first question whenever a rider is down is "should I call 911?". The answer was a resounding yes.

After to trip via ambulance to stanford, I was rushed into the ER for emergency surgery. I recieved 3 titanium screws in my hip. I'm told that there is a 25-50% chance that I will need hip replacement, because the bone was fully disconnected and may die from blood loss. I'm plenty scared of that.

I stayed in the hospital until yesterday. Overall, I can only describe the care I recieved as horrible. Nurses were too busy to do much other than the basics, and I had some unpleasant complicaitons. Finally, a physical therapist insisted that I go home, that "nothing good can happen for you here".

Now that I'm home, I am strugglinng- it really hurts, and the pain medication only helps a small amount. We're trying to get into a routine. It's hard to see carol running around doing EVERYTHING, and having to take time out to deal with me.

I am looking forward the the pain receeding enough to be able to get around with more confidence. But right now everything totally sucks. Thank god for Carol.

-Rich