Miami Sports Magazine May/June 2011

The Reluctant Kayaker
BY MARC JACOBSON
Overcoming Adversity
As I am sure you have surmised
from my previous articles, I really
don’t consider myself an athlete.
I’m certainly no marathon runner
or triathlete. Like most people,
I engage in activities until I am
tired or something hurts. Then it’s
Miller and TV time! The “playing
through the pain” concept is
nothing I have ever embraced.
Sometimes, however you have
no choice. I first dealt with that
concept in the Army when I went
through basic infantry training. Of
course, I was 21 years old and my
only recourse for not dealing with
it was court martial or suicide. So
I dealt with it. In many ways it
was enlightening as prior to this I
thought “second wind” referred to
an orchestra seating chart. Boy, did
I find out differently.
Another reason a person has to
push beyond their self-imposed
limits of fatigue and pain is if you
have a serious injury that involves
a lot of rehab therapy to regain
your former physical status. This
was my second bout with “playing
through the pain” except now I
am 68 years old. In many ways it
was as enlightening as my Army
experience mixed with liberal
does of depression. I will briefly
describe what happened to me.
In Oct. of ’09 I had an accident
which resulted in both of my
quadriceps muscles tearing away
from my knees. These muscles,
as most of you know are the
PADDLE SPORTS
large muscles in front of your
legs between the knee and the
hip. Without these muscles, you
cannot walk. I was admitted to
the hospital, had MRI’s done, and
seen by my orthopedic surgeon the
following day. The prognosis: I
probably wouldn’t walk again and
even if my some miracle I did, I
would always need a cane. How’s
that for a life changing event! I
said to the Doctor “You give me
the wheels and I’ll drive the car”.
Trust me, I sounded more positive
than I actually felt. But, like the
Army, I was going to focus and
give it 110%. I was operated on
2 days later and the torn muscles
were reattached through holes
drilled in my Patella’s. The
muscles were also shortened
because they were so badly torn.
When I woke up after surgery,
both knees were tightly bandaged
and each leg was in a steel cast
that extended from my hips to
my ankle. This was, obviously,
to prevent any movement during
the expected 8 week healing
process. The surgery went well but
obviously, the proof of the pudding
would be when the wounds healed
and they put me on my legs for the
first time.
Now, you have to understand that
I had never been an inpatient in
a hospital before. Sure, I would
visit people in the hospital and
watched a lot of hospital shows
on TV. Maybe that’s where I got
my expectation spotlessly clean
rooms filled with state-of-the-art
equipment manned by competent,
caring care givers. Boy was I
wrong. I found not particularly
clean rooms with old equipment
and a staff, with some exceptions,
pretty much indifferent. Of course
since I could not walk or use a
wheelchair, I was totally dependent
on the staff for everything. Food,
water, bathroom, etc. Just as an
aside, various comedians make fun
isco
International Sports Connection
SUP Sales
and Rentals
SUP Board and
Carbon Fiber Paddle Paddle
$785.00
while supplies last
14 • MAY/JUNE 2011
of hospital food. There’s nothing
funny about it. I did discover,
however, that the Kosher food
was better than the regular fare.
Of course, I had to hum Yiddish
tunes my Grandmother taught me
each time I was served but it sure
beat the alternative. Thank God for
supplements from my wife! After
about 4 days I was transferred to
an in-patient rehab center for the
next phase of my ordeal. I am out
of space for this column but will
continue in the next issue. This is
when the hard part starts.
About the Author
Marc Jacobson lives in Miami Beach and keeps
a Jeep Liberty equipped with a Thule Hullavator
rack that’s sports two fine Wilderness System
kayaks, ready to go at a moments notice.
standuppaddlekeybiscayne.com
Located on Hobie Beach, Virginia Key just
before Miami Seaquarium 786- 301- 3557