how this all started.kind of.

In The Beginning....(23 years in)

Third ever rugby league game 20 May 2012.....

Coach: Pass the ball to scott!!!

Me: Ahhh, fuck it...

*BANG* *CRACK*

Me: Owww my fucking neck

Trainer: Mate, keep your neck still, ambulance is on the way

*short (and bumpy) ambulance ride later......

Doctor: Your a lucky boy scott, you escaped a serious injury..

Me: Yeah doc, whats the story? Can i get up and go now?

Doctor: *evil laugh*......no, you have a hairline fracture on your C2 vertebrae, your going to have to wear this super uncomfortable neck brace (or something along those lines) for 12 weeks.

Me: HAHA yeah cool joke man, but seriously.....can i go?


Yeah so a fractured vertebrae apparently is NOT a laughing matter. So after being fitted with, what i (and George Wood) can only as describe as one half of the white power rangers outfit, i got my pain killers and medical papers and headed home. 

Having had many breaks as a small (fucking tough) kid, i was prepared to deal with a few "unpleasantries" associated with that kind of injury. WRONG!!

Turns out breaking your neck is actually not similar to a broken wrist or dislocated shoulder at all. Who'd have thunk it?? Instead of asking what i couldn't do with a broken neck, i should have just asked for the much shorter list of things i CAN..

As it stands, here are some things i was told i CANT DO:

• Twist
• Bend
• Lift more than 2kgs (really limits my gym routine)
• Drive
• Overhead movements
• Run
• Sleep with a pillow (flat on back)
• Play any sports (good bye league career)
• Shower (i cant take it off)
• Sit on anything remotely comfortable
• My Job (garden maintenance technician)

So yeah that was a hard pill to swallow, but so far its been a week and already, i can add to that list of things. So far here are some more CANT DO'S:

• Subtly check out girls
• Breath properly
• Smell good
• Take a piss
• Dress yourself with out looking stupid
• Hop in and out of cars easily
• Look cool
• Generally look like you fit in because you have some giant semi-permanent storm trooper armor wrapped around your neck
• Did i mention 'get paid'?  

So i am sure that list will continue to grow. The brace is designed to "fit in comfortably" under your clothes. Yeah, those dickheads at the  neck-brace construction factory are pissing them selves laughing at every single 'wearer' right now. This thing sticks out likes dogs balls, but unlike dogs balls it does get you one good thing: SYMPATHY

Which brings me to my list of things i CAN DO:

• Get sympathy from people
• ummmmm have a positive attitude? 

Good old social media helps spread news fast these days. So naturally being a regular facebook user, word spreads quick. Real quick. I am not saying i liked the attention, but after the 'broken neck facebook status' goes up, i had complete strangers even inboxing me. It really feels good to know people care, even if it is just a facebook message.

Cant be bothered to keep going on about the past week, but coming to terms that i will be reppin' this brace for 12 weeks (3 months for those of you in the imperial system) has been hard. I know for a fact that it will be made a lot easier with the help of so many of my amazing friends and family. Peoples true colours really do shine through when you are in need.

I am very lucky i can even walk, and i have already decided that i will most DEFINITELY do some volunteer work for people with physical disabilities. I have had a week in  fucking neck brace, and i am struggling. I have no idea how those tough bastards overcome the tasks of daily routines. 

UNTIL NEXT TIME........

scotty

-oh yeah by the way....we won the footy game. GO BROTHERS!