How Much Pain Can I Stand?

I broke two of my toes three weeks ago. The last three weeks have been the busiest 3 for me of the year.

First off I managed to make the last three days of scout camp hobling around in my post-op shoe. Let me say one word: Ibuprofen. I was tapped out Thursday evening, which means I was selected by my fellow adults to be in the Order of the Arrow. Because of my toes, I sat out the rest of the evenings festivities and will have to make them up at a later date.

My son and I left summer camp and immediately attended my nephews wedding (Congratulations Bethany and Zach!) - and when I say immediately, I mean we drove home, showered, changed, and left again for Burnside Ill (population 75). It was a wonderful wedding, and the only mar was when somebody stepped on my toes at the reception. Fortunately they got one of the good ones on my left foot, which when examined later looked as bad as the two broken ones only with (somewhat) less pain.

We caught our breaths long enough for my son and I to then head off for Northern Tier, the Boy Scouts high adventure experience in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. I cleared my participation with the docter at the urgant care place that x-rayed my toes. He said broken toes are just a nuisance, and that my pariticipation was a matter of how much pain I could stand. When I told my wife that, she immediately remarked I wouldn't be going (which pretty much insured I did go.) Four days of travel (22 scouts and scouters in 2 15 passenger vans), 5 days of canoeing, portaging, and camping in the wilderness. Have I mentioned Ibuprofen? I took enough for my toes that my arms never got sore from paddling. I noticed the first day in the van my post-op shoe was shot - delaminations and deep cracks in the sole. One of my co-travellers observed that shoes like that didn't usually get the workout I was giving them.

We saw the Harry Potter movie on our return and yes we were at a book store at Midnight to pick up our reserved copy of The Deathly Hallows. My son finished the book on Saturday and was enjoined to secrecy until the whole family had finished it. I finished the book after a short break Sunday to mow the lawn and all I can say is that Ms. Rowling continues her fun and inventive ways all the way to the end. I expect that now I'll have to read the entire series straight through from beginning to end.

The best thing is that despite the toes and the whirlwind of activity, after three weeks off from work I'm as relaxed as I ever get.