When The Doctor Tells You ‘You Can’t’: New Injury

Part 5

Thursday, March 01, 2007

2 Months In Thailand…

Hey Everybody.

Seems like it’s that time again, when I pause, ponder and dial you all into some of the happenings of my daily life. The past bit has been interesting. Got my knee taken out sparring with a fellow Canadian. The guy pulled a move I’ve never seen before (tried to take both my legs out at the same time). I maintained for the .25 seconds before his shin hit my 2nd knee in the attack. Thigh went one way, calf the other. Pop. Been out for almost 2 weeks now.

Couldn’t train for almost a week until the swelling finally diminished. Walking was a bitch, not to mention using a Thai toilet (Ooo how I hate you). Can’t run, which I cant believe I’m missing, but I’ve been working my hands and elbows a lot. Been told it’s not serious, but I’m still a bit worried. Like I said, it’s been two weeks….sparring again tonight, just with no more Farang.

What else. I bought a yellow and black Yamaha scooter with gold detailing. Unfortunately I got ripped off buying the thing though. And to add to it, it was through the best friend I thought I had out here, my Thai tutor. I’m glad I listened to my gut. It’s always good. I nailed the sitch, the gym has my back and I’m not sure what the outcome will be, but I’m fine. I got street for a minute but was able to come out of it. Just another indication I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m growing. I won’t get specific but yeah, this would have made me go blind two months ago….

Good things, good things….let me think of good things…..

One of my favourite moments out here took place in the mountains… nighttime. The sky is black and I’m on the back of a Thai kid’s bike. We’re as close to the top of the mountain as we can get. We can only go so far as there’s a temple claiming its peak. So there’s a steep, winding trail to our left, a temple barely visible through the trees to our right, and the village spread out below us. Tiny white lights struggling against the pervading darkness. The wind is strong enough that it’s audible, but soft enough to not kill the crackling of the burning trees behind us. Not in the distance. Directly behind us. I could feel the heat on my back. The fire must have been dancing for miles…and just as a monk nailed the temple bell to announce the time, the Thai kid, who was staring off over the horizon said…..

‘All those lights, they look like hundreds of candles’.

..and my entire perception shifted.

And this is one of the reasons I love Thailand. If that was back home, the monks would have called the cops, the fire would have been put out and blown out of proportion in the news (Monks almost PERISH in forest blaze!), and we would have probably been ticketed for not wearing helmets…..

We live in a culture of fear and sensationalism. It took for me to skip across the world to really understand the depth of its bondage.

Sebai, Sebai –

ldf

Part 6 next week.

Previously:

Part 1: Ailments, Injuries And Dreams.

Part 2: Impressions And Settling In.

Part3: Muay Thai Training And The Healing Begins.

Part 4: Muay Thai Training Video.