So I'm out of work for three months due to a severely damaged lower right leg. I shattered both my tibia and fibula and required surgery to repair the tibia, I also had to spend three days in the hospital following surgery for pain management before I was released to go home.

With no weight bearing on my leg for eight weeks and four weeks of physical therapy I've got a long road ahead of me!

The reason for this blog is that sometimes as a man there are certain things you just can't do. Now that I am physically disabled (with doctors orders to keep the leg elevated as much as I can) for eight weeks I've had to rely on my wife and friends for even the most simple tasks.

I tend to pride myself on being a "tough guy". I was alone in the bottom of a 486' deep canyon at night after a "mostly" successful BASE jump when I caused all the damage to my leg. The pain was excruciating but I didn't scream, groan, or cry. I took the pain and started calling for help via my cell phone. I gave detailed information about my location, medical condition, circulation in my lower right leg, as well as resting heart rate and my level of shock that I was experiencing.

Now I am laying on the couch for week four of eight weeks total with no weight bearing and everything that was such a simple task before must be done for me. I can make a sandwich or heat some soup but cooking a meal is too laborious, I can't wash clothes because I can't carry a basket down the stairs. I can't drive because my truck is a manual and my wife won't allow me to driver her car with my right leg in a cast.

So here I lay a humbled man as I rely on others to drive me to doctors appointments, take me out for a quick trip to the grocery and push the cart for me, or come over to hang out and spend some time to keep me company while I'm home alone all day and my wife works.

Breaking my leg has taught me that sometimes being a manly man means having to rely on others. Sometimes you have to know when to give, and sometimes you have to know when to receive. It should all be done with much thanks!

Thanks to all the men (and women) that have stepped up to make accommodations in their day so that mine can be even the slightest bit easier and more tolerable.

The greatest thanks goes to my wife who has been my true hero and inspiration for working long hours and coming home on lunch breaks to check on me; only to return home in the evening to prepare a wonderful dinner and take care of the house. We each share the load of being in our home equally and now she is bearing the majority of the weight around here. As a man I can only say thank you and appreciate everything she has done.

Humbly,

-Mike Stone