I know you guys have all missed my seemingly coherent ramblings from the road, life has slowed back down as I have sort of transitioned back to “the real world”. In doing so, I have now ended up needing a hernia repair from a hernia I developed two and a half years ago after the bike wreck. Started off as just a fatty hernia but after still getting some pinching pain they sent me to a surgeon and to get a CT scan. Luckily nothing is strangled off or compartmented, but now my colon is pushing (or has pushed) through. 
 

So the doc has me set up for what sounds like a somewhat serial surgery 3/10. Guess I’ll stay in the hospital for 2-3 days and then wear a drain with me for a week or so. Unsure of how long I’ll be out of work, but oh well. For whatever reason this surgery has me more worried than the surgeries to stuff me full of metal after the bike wreck. Anyone had a hernia repair and care to share some insight? I assume not all repairs are the same either way but my anxiety (which was through the roof waiting to hear back from the doctor ) is just as bad, if not worse now that there’s a date, and he seemed to rest that the whole was of relatively good size. It’s just strange that I had this hernia and between the bike wreck and now I’ve managed to run a marathon, run an ultra marathon, get back on a wrestling mat and compete, walk across the country, and now I’m back to being sidelined. Frustrated I guess is the word.

In non-hernia and post-walk related news:

Its been a bit of a mental struggle since finishing the walk and being home. I’ve regressed back to the same routine, and have eaten myself back up to close to where I was before I left on the walk. I guess with it ended it, and the reasons transitioning into gray S.A.D. time had a double effect on me.

I attended a workshop called, “Is Starting a Nonprofit Right For You?” And got a bit of an idea of the mountain that seems in front of me in that regard. Trying to figure out how I can do that in what seems like a world rife with mental health nonprofits. Truth be told if I had the sponsorship and income to pay bills and whatnot, I’d have kept on walking. Talking to people, advocating, alas that isn’t to be just yet. At least I’ll have time off soon to try and rearrange things in those areas and try to figure out what the next move will be. 

Much Love Y’all!

-Joe