Eight years ago this spring, I blew out a lumbar disc while running a jackhammer
in the desert near my house an accident that was the result of simple bad luck,
with the odds skewed by the fact that a jackhammer was the wrong tool for the
job and that alcohol may have been involved. After a long, miserable recovery
period during which I was as ornery as a walleyed mule, I finally mended enough
that my wife, Eryn, could get me out of the house, which was a great relief to
her. As I began to get back on my feet, Eryn asked what turned out to be one of
the best questions I've ever received: 'Bubba, now that you're finally healing, how do you want your life to be
different from before the injury?'
My reply was immediate and spontaneous. I just want to walk and walk and walk.
