The Rest of the Story!
Very Beloved Friends and Relatives,
Your prayers would be very greatly appreciated. This Thursday morning, at 6 AM, after seven months of intense pain and discomfort, in my back and legs, I go in for surgery on my spine to repair three damaged vertebrae. This was caused by my dumb decision to ride a horse, with stirrups that were too long, last Easter Weekend.
Once I got on the horse, I knew that the stirrups were too long, and asked that the stirrups be shortened. The person who took care of the tack and horses said the stirrups could not be shorted any further.
As I knew that was not true, I should have insisted, but the film we were shooting was behind schedule and I wanted to ride. As well, I had some fear I could not get back on the horse by myself again. But, whatever, I knew better than to ride that horse with too long of stirrups.
As well, when they scouted the shooting location, in the middle of the week, it was deserted and appeared to be a great place for filming. But, when we arrived on Easter weekend, instead, we found it was a paradise for dune buggies, dirt bikes, etc., so the horses were spooked, as well.
In fact, before my ride, my grandson, Haden, who is a great rider, got bucked off, in a full gallop and took quite a high, long and rough fall. It must have really hurt, but he did not show it. Being young and tough as nails, without any hesitation, he got back on the horse and rode him until they became one, just as he was taught by his beloved father.
Even though I knew my horse was spooked, the stirrups were too long, I was wearing moccasins, and he had a tough month, I gave him a strong squeeze with my legs, along with a voice command to go, and that horse relative literally jumped into a trot. With no way to use my legs, like springs, I went up and slammed down on the saddle, several times, each time feeling like my back had been shattered.
Once we started galloping though, I did want to stop. Not only because it felt so good, but I did not want to face the pain of trying to stop. Of course, all rides need to eventually end, and with a little more pain, I eventually managed to stop. When I got off, my upper right leg was in deep pain, but, at the time, I thought I had just pulled some muscles and possibly a ligament or two.
From there the pain and my inability to use my legs increased. Finally, after arriving home, from San Francisco, in a wheelchair, and having to crawl up the stairs to our bedroom, my beloved son and wife convinced me to go to the emergency room. Miraculously, as it usually takes months in Canada, I was able to get an MRI the next day.
When I went in for the MRI, I asked why I was able to get the MRI in such a short time. The person who was giving me the MRI literally said, believe it or not, “ the Doctors decided that the man who was scheduled to have the MRI, was going to die anyway, and didn’t need it.” Very reassuring!
As I very strongly wanted to avoid surgery, I had 25 chiropractic and spinal decompression sessions over several months. Through these sessions, I was able to travel several times to fulfill the commitments I had made, every time, after I returned home, I had to stay in bed for a week or so. While I no longer needed to crawl up the stairs to get to our bedroom, it became very clear, despite all my prayers to the contrary, that surgery needed.
Four weeks after making the decision to have surgery, with some very kind and loving support from friends and relatives, I will have minimally invasive surgery in Vancouver. My greatest fear is being forced asleep and not waking up. Even though there is a slim chance of this happening, at 75 winters, it is possible.
Except for blacking out or passing out from consuming too much alcohol, in my young days, the last time I was put to sleep was when I was five and had my tonsils out. They gave me Either gas, and the gas made me feel I was suffocating to death before I passed out.
To bring myself, to full account and responsibility, the cause of all of this was my own ego, and nothing else. I knew better not to ride that horse, under those conditions, as my beloved father had taught me well. But my desire to demonstrate that I could still get on a horse and ride at 75 winters, like my father, overcame my good sense, reason, past experience, and my beloved father’s teachings.
My beloved father always shared with me that a primary spiritual quality we need to acquire in this life is humility, and when you need to learn more about this quality, you will humble yourself. I have found his words to be true, more than once, but most especially, this time.
So if you can find it in your heart to pray for the healing of an old man, who did a dumb and stupid thing and needed to be humbled, it would be very greatly appreciated.
As well, I can assure you that the next time I ride another horse, I will make sure that the stirrups are not too long. LOL, just joking, as it appears that my horse riding days are over, although you never know what the future may bring.
With Warm Love, Thanksgiving, and Gratitude,
Dekshi and Brother Phil
