The Next Block - #2. Declined entry and a hospital trip that I won’t forget.

Home for a minute plus a bit 

This title should be called ‘Hello, Alice Springs’, but unfortunately we got declined to the N.T. After filling out more then 3-4 pages for our exemption, because its for work, they called us 24 hours before leaving to inform us we were declined entry. Apparently we aren’t essential work, which is so fair, the Telstra store fit-out can honestly be postponed. 17 days we had to wait but I wasn’t worried. It was actually quite a relief, a weight lifted from my shoulders. Between Mount Gambier and Alice there was only going to be 52 hours of being home, and those 52 hours where busy.  I had planned it all out, by the hour actually, fitting in seeing close friends and all of the family again before I left for another 4-9 week block. 

But despite the busy weekend I now had time. More than enough time to catch up for coffees, long chats with friends, spend more than an hour with family, and just too slow it all down for a bit. Maybe even get myself into a little routine. I was back running again after the ultra marathon I had completed a month ago now. Nothing crazy, just easing back to it with 3 days a week. I’d head out on a Monday for a ‘session’ which is quicker running to what I was used too, a long run (35 minutes) and then some drills, just to get things moving smoothy and in order again. I walked quite a lot, two of my favourite ladies that live in Adelaide aren’t big runners but I figured I could drag them around for some walks and good company. I love these early mornings too, It’s definitely my favourite time of the day. Over the last two weeks I’ve tried starting my mornings a little earlier then normal. 5AM I set my alarm and go from there. I aim to read for 20-30 minutes and then head out for my run or head to the shed out the back of my place and do strength and core work. Nothing extreme for now, still just slowly getting back into it with body weight work for the meantime. Then breakfast; banana on toast with a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon is my current go to. From there, meet the girls for a walk. 

Sometimes a coastal stroll, the local conservation park or heading for the hills; anything to mix up the scenery. Mostly before the sun comes up. I’ve said it before and I'll always say it time and time again, there’s just something so very special about watching the day come together. I don’t know if its because I’ve always been at work or driving to work, but I have definitely appreciated these slow rising mornings, and haven’t taken them for granted one bit.

I got the, ‘are you bored yet?’ question from friends and family that work everyday and are always busy, but I never get bored. There’s always something to do, I’m always out of the house running errands, walking, lunch with mates, coffees catch ups, running, working out, even riding my bike, or sometimes just reading and writing. My days were filled just nicely, and just how I liked them.

4 DAYS OUT FROM LEAVING

I'm four days out from leaving and I decide to help a friend out with building her pergola, I figured why not, I’ve got time on my hands and this lovely family do a lot for me. They have provided enough food in my stomach that I’ll almost do anything they ask. It was a fair trade, unlimited food for life, basically, and just build them a pergola and re-sheet the roof. Simple stuff. I’ve spent the last four years or so around this work so I wasn’t worried. It was going so well, in one day a mate and I got it up running and all that was left was the roof sheets. I wouldn’t need help with picking up the roof sheets, I’d only need a hand for someone to pass them up to me. Well, I was wrong… there were seven sheets to be lifted off the trailer and carried around to the backyard. It was a bit of a nightmare carrying them alone but I’ve lifted heavier and more awkward things around customers back yards before, so again, I wasn’t worried about anything. Number six sheet I carry around, up the front yard, past the first awkward and tight left turn, and then under the pot plant and do it fast enough to avoid hitting the bricks on the house, then up a few stairs and place them on the grass area on top of the other 5 sheets. Until I go to place it down and it flicks back at me. The corner stabs me and slices my right leg open. A deep and long gash. Cutting into my muscle. A doctor described it like a knife running through a tub of butter. 

A lot ran through my head at this point, but all I knew for sure was I needed to call someone just incase I pass out. To make it even better my phone, for once, wasn’t in my pocket. I had left it in the car out the front, down the stairs, and around the corner. I hopped my way across the front yard, adrenaline kicking in now for sure, and called mum. A passing by neighbour highly recommended that I call an ambulance, So I did, and it was most definitely the right thing to do. 

Before you know it, it was Saturday late afternoon, I’ve been fasting for 7 hours already, as they promised me I would go in for surgery in the early afternoon. Saturday was just a day sitting and playing the patients game. I couldn’t look at my phone or even read my book without getting head spins, I guess it was all the pain killers they had me on? 17 hours of fasting later, I was finally in for surgery. I woke up back in my room in no time with an O’Connell Street Bakery donut by my side. Before the nurses could even hook me back up to my IV, I remember just reaching over and indulging in this heavenly donut. It was midnight by this time and so I dozed back off to sleep. Sunday morning I got discharged at 11:30AM and realised that I should be heading to the Northern Territory this coming Tuesday. I had decisions to make. Do I go? Or Do the right thing and spend 2 weeks at home for recovery? I knew recovery was going to be longer than 2 weeks but it was 2 weeks of minimal movement. It will be a few months process to get back to where I was, fitness and running wise. I wanted to go so badly, for the adventure side of things and just to get back on the road with my travel mum and dad, Luke and Jess. Sunday when I left the hospital, I was still convinced I was going. Knowing at that time I was still heavily drugged up on pain killers. Monday I woke up in a large amount of pain and just knew that sleeping and living out of a van for 3 days, while we drove up there, wasn’t smart and would have been extremely uncomfortable. So I made the decision to spend some more time home and see where I'm at in 2 weeks, with the possibility of flying into Alice eventually. 

So while I'm parked up at home for the next 2 or so weeks, I know it won’t be wasted, I will defiantly get something out of this. But I don’t need every man and their dog telling me ‘everything happens for a reason’. I will make something out of this frustrating situation and I am sure to learn something, but that’s because I want to, not because it’s the reason why I sliced my leg open.

Every action has a lesson to be learnt, be sure to pick the right class and you will take something away from every situation. 

- WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW -