Age is a matter of mind

It was Thursday and we had just three days left to enjoy our vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. One of my favorite things to do at the beach is ride the waves on a boogie board. On this particular day, the waves were very high and the surf was rough because of an approaching storm. The bigger the waves the better the ride, so I was having a great time getting being tossed around and fighting the sea.

Before I go any further, I should explain that I am fifty five years old but in my mind I still think I am in my twenties. I always say, “Age is a matter of mind…if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!”

After an hour or so in the water I was beginning to get really tired but I didn’t want to quit because these were the best waves we have had all week and the next couple of days were predicted to be rainy. The waves were getting higher and the sea more violent, but I loved every minute of it!

I smiled at my wife as she watched from a lawn chair on the beach and I caught an especially big wave. I just knew this was going to be a fantastic ride! The wave carried me into shallow water and slammed me into the sand beneath with unbelievable force. As I was being crushed by the power of the sea I heard a terrible cracking sound and felt a horrific pain in my side! I knew immediately that I had broken my ribs. It was all I could do to haul myself up out of the water and drag myself onto the beach without being drowned. The waves kept smashing against me and knocking me back down again. Every step was very painful and took all of my strength.

My wife was laughing and yelling to me telling me to pull my bathing suit up; the force of the wave had pulled my suit down around my knees and I didn’t even realize it. I really didn’t care because that was the least of my worries at the moment as all my efforts were concentrated on hauling myself to shore and collapsing on the beach.

My sister went to get the car and after much struggling I was able to fall into the back seat as I grimaced in pain. It must have taken at least ten-minutes just to get into the car because no matter how I moved it pulled at my ribs and sent shockwaves of pain throughout my body. Of course I could see everyone trying to hold back their laughter as I struggled to get in the car.

We made it to the hospital and x-rays later confirmed I had broken one rib and cracked another. We were in the emergency room for several hours, which seemed like days to me because every little movement caused me terrible pain. When the nurse came in to wheel me in a wheelchair from the waiting room into the examine room she accidentally crashed into the doorway and I let out a loud scream. Of course everyone else thought this was hysterically funny!

I spent the rest of the week trying to find a comfortable position to sit in and taking pain pills. The next six months I had to sleep in a recliner because I was unable to lie down. Looking back on the events of that day I can see the humor, but believe me when I tell you I was not laughing at the time! I have not been to the beach since then but even though I now have a better respect for the awesome power of the ocean I still refuse to grow old and will probably jump right back on that boogie board again!