Monday, November 18, 2013

STUPIDITY – but I’m not alone



While spending a week on my back with an elevated leg, broken in several places, and a more so elevated crappy attitude, I had ample time to contemplate the true meaning of stupidity. I can highly advice anybody who is willing to listen to what should be common sense, that you do this ‘contemplating’ before a broken leg is involved, because I found that concerning stupidity, I am not alone – at all.

It took some days to get an appointment with the doctor who came highly recommended. He is a cute man who also hikes and bikes; very pleasant and as I was told in the reception, a very shy man. As I am that shy-thing as well, I was sure we'd get along just fine. We actually had a blast, as much as you can have a blast in a patient/doctor relationship, discussing a broken leg. Here is how he became my new best friend – simply from me being guided by the Goddess of Stupidity, as in DUH…

We had planned a day of medium strength hiking on the side of a small mountain south of here, in the company of good friends, followed by lunch; a grand time was guaranteed for all – except me.

The last thing my wife semi-sarcastically mentioned before we left home was: ‘Are you hiking in those?’ pointing at my sneakers; I smirked and we left.

The hike is rather rocky and rooty, up and down, for about 6.5 miles (10+ kilometers for the metric readers). The weather was sunny and warm, but the narrow trail was shaded by tall trees; so a perfect day for hiking. We figured that in a calm and relaxed step, we’d be done in three hours. One of those steps ended up not being a calm one at all.

Understanding my massive stupidity in this case, I will voluntarily, no matter how embarrassing it is, mention that I have 3 (yes: three) pairs of boots specifically made for hiking. I must also admit that I rarely use them, but that after any hike in my cool looking sneakers, I complain about sore ankles, legs and feet. The few times I have worn the boots, no soreness at all – go figure. Did I mention that ‘ignorance’ and ‘stupidity’ go hand-in-hand extremely well?

Long boring story short; after about 4 miles I was in the middle of chatting away with a fellow hiker behind me. At the same moment my wife, who was ahead of me, advised of a sudden drop in the trail, rubbles and leaves, I was half turned to the friend behind me, (so it must be all his fault, huh?) and on this kind of trail you do not ‘half-turn’, you only pay full attention to where you put your feet next; that is the rule – or if not the rule, it should be. 

The next moments passed in slow-motion. I thought I heard a snap, felt a horrific pain in my lower leg, as I experienced that same leg and foot sliding by my eyes with the foot in what seemed an impossible as well as illegal positioned manner. Then I fell on my butt, but as the trail was luckily descending at that point, a harder fall was negated by the kindness of my right arm. And then I screamed. I am in no doubt that the wild squirrels, mountain lions, deer and whatever other innocent animal fled in horror, as such language they had never been exposed to.

When the hysteria settled, I stubbornly decided to walk the rest of the hike out, which took about two hours – seemed like two days. I was convinced that it was only a sprain or light pull of something – I was wrong, again. 

It was established that I had fractured/broken that leg at least two places. After the CAT scan (seriously, no real cats were harmed), my new best friend told me that it was worse than expected, so I was operated on the next morning. I left the hospital with matching sets of screws and plates and more screws now decorating the inside of my lower right leg. 

And there I was – in a position to which I had been guided by the Goddess of Self-Inflicted Stupidity; amen and at least six weeks of first level recovery and then physical therapy; who knows for how long. At least I was told my bones, compared to my age, are solid and healthy – so that might help; but not helping with my stupidity.
Stupidity is understood as lack of mind, lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense. My Mother always corrected my brother and me when we used the term stupid (in Danish, of course (dum, if you really want to know)), as it was more so related to the mental illness of being slow. And the English version can also relate to that, but is not used here as a derogatory, but more so in a descriptive way of, well stupidity, as we use it.

 We all do stupid things in our lives, self-inflicted as I like to call it. But the severity of what is caused by our innate stupidity can be devastating and not just silly and fun like a broken leg or a bloody nose. Because in comparison I should be ashamed of even trying to receive the slightest compassion for what happened to me, graced by my ignorant stupidity – seriously.

When we read through the news and make some impromptu statistics of accidents, mishaps, etc. that the news, for some reason like to sell us, and we look carefully at the reasons for most of these tragic incidents, we find that they are too often based on our stupidities and the way we for the most part react without thinking, without understanding, zero reasoning and with a total lack of common sense.

I know I should not hike in sneakers – I don’t need my Mother or my wife to tell me that. I’m 67 and have been around the block a few times, so I should and I MUST know this stuff – this is simple common sense. But now I’m paying – I am lucky considering how bad it really could have been.

But it is rather devastating to think of all the accidents, fatalities, mishaps, loss of property and the list is so terribly long, that could have been negated, been avoided and should never have happened, if we had just thought it through one moment. I should have been sensible and snapped on one of the three pairs of great and comfortable hiking boots, but my stubbornness got in the way, creating a bad decision that I’m now paying for. I will NEVER go on another hike without boots on – no more sneakers.

There are no doubt many reasons why we don’t do the right thing, when we know we are going to do something wrong – so why do we make those decisions so casually. Do we aim for broken bones, totaled cars, fatalities and loss of mind to remind us not to do it again? And when it’s too late – like me and my crappy leg?

I should have been sensible and not just thought about myself, because that’s what it burns down to. I am normally physically very active with doing stuff around the house, walk the dog, hikes, exercise, etc. and now this lying-low crap? If I had thought beyond ME, my wife wouldn’t have had to pick up what I can’t do now, with one leg. I mean, how selfish I was in my ignorance – and for that I suffer more than the broken bones, and for that I am so very sorry.

But it could have been worse –so please take care out there; let’s cut down on being self-inflicted stupid – agree?