The Summer of 2011 will go down in history as one of my best and one of my worst. It started off innocently enough with me teaching summer school for extra moneys. Grad school started on the third week in June so I was just biding my time until it started. Well one Monday evening after work, some friends and I went to Super 8 (so good). I sat down, kicked my feet up and then I started getting light headed. I felt like I was going to pass out...which I didn't because I rudely grabbed my cousin's soda and started drinking to keep conscious. I thought nothing of it and went on with my life. The next day at work though, I got really light headed again before I started my class. So light headed that I called a sub and made my way down to the office before I nearly blacked out on the nurse's bed thing. EMT's were called, vitals were taken, and they said I was fine.
I took it easy for a day and then one night went on a drive with my wife, suddenly my right leg felt like it was going numb. I panicked, ran to the ER, almost blacked out again, feared a blood clot, did tests, freaked out etc...nothing came back positive.
What the Hell was wrong with me? Doctors kept saying, "stress, it's stress," which is usually the answer they give when they don't know.
I had just finished a hectic school year, I was teaching summer school, prepping for (and dreading) grad school, and all of this had...I guess...caused a short circuit of sorts. Yep...I was stressed.
Well I quit summer school and waited for grad school to start. It started and lo and behold my teachers were quite awesome/chill. I was still getting tests done for the "just in case" idea that had formed in my mind. I got an MRI on my brain (insert empty x-ray joke) and did this really cool nerve test that they called the torture test on my leg. They basically "tazed me bro" for an hour and stuck me with needles. In the end they said negative on everything, including MS. SO....apparently when I get stressed it causes my right leg to get a numb feeling which causes my brain to think I've got a life threatening clot which causes anxiety which leads to...whatever.
I got to go on my yearly de-stressing trip to Cave Falls which is located in the southwestern corner of Yellowstone National Park. Fishing, hiking, camping...it relaxes me like crazy while simultaneously stressing out my wife. The water was really high this year so the mosquitoes were biblical plague levels. Instead of camping in the normal spot and getting eaten, we stayed in a nice spot by a golf course at the mouth of Cave Falls road. No skeeters, grass instead of dirt, it was soooo nice.
The only problem with the trip was that the high water made the river nearly impossible to ford. (I say nearly impossible because I got really ticked off and forded it just to say I did) In a summer where I'd realized my own limitations (I'm mortal? What!?) I was sad to see that my yearly shot of confidence (conquering nature all over the place) was not going to happen. The river had the best of me...the fish weren't biting for me...ugh.
I started tying my own flies this year and hoped beyond hope that I'd be able to catch a fish with a fly of my own making. This would truly make me a man...well since all of the fishing holes I usually wade out to were now abysses that could in fact contain rogue Russian submarines, I couldn't even get a bite.
Well standing the river, mentally cursing the stupid water level and my stupid stress levels and this and that, I looked to the heavens and said, "God, this summer has been lame. I know this is a dumb request, but I really need to catch a fish on this here fly that I tied else I'll go home with my head hung low."
God blessed me with 2...
He also blessed me with the Captain America movie when I got home. It was incredible. So grateful for my friends who selflessly waited a week for me to get home to see Cap with me...sacrifice ladies and gentlemen...that's what it's all about. Cowboys and Aliens along with The Rise of the Planet of the Apes rounded out the summer nicely.
Right before I posted this I sent my final term paper to my professor. I'm done with this round of classes. I've got 2 weeks til school starts so I'm relaxed and a little busy.
311/Sublime concert on the 17th
Fantasy Football Draft at the end of the month
Life is good. I appreciate all who have supported me this summer. God Bless You All.
