Hey Everyone,
Happy Holidays to all of you! Hope Santa spoils you this season. As you know it has been a while since you have heard from me, so thought I should send out an update on what has been happening in my life in 2011.
It has been a roller-coaster ride with some amazing highs and a few lows. Lets start off with the highs! I placed 4th at the Clash of Nations Freestyle Contest in Sweden. Traveling to Europe was a first for me, so that was a fun adventure in itself. Europe is not meant for us tall giraffes. Everything is so compact and tiny, it was interesting seeing the difference between our cultures. After Sweden, I got a sweet job working commercial development/construction that was going to help pay for my wedding! I finally married my long term girlfriend Rhaena October 1st in Revelstoke.
So now the lows... if you didn't know. I shattered my right calcanious (heel) July 17th while I was practicing at my compound. During my third session of the day, my sled sputtered and cut out in the belly of the ramp and I came up short onto the knuckle of the landing. My surgeon had to use his best moves 10 days later to put me back together which involved 9 internal-external pins, 2 screws, custom plate, K-wire and artificial bone. So for the next 3 months I was unable to weight bear... which included my wedding. My creative wife found a brace that suspended my foot so I was able to walk down the aisle and have a first dance with her. There was no way I was missing out on those moments.
A couple of weeks after the wedding and 3 months after surgery I had the pins removed which meant I was cleared to start walking! I was so excited and it was such an incredibly weird sensation. I had been battling an infection for 3 months that came back even stronger, which meant I had to go back in for surgery. They removed all my hardware because I had contracted a Staph infection from my original surgery. Since then I have had a permanent IV placed into my arm that tracks into my heart for 24 hour antibiotics. I feel way better post surgery and the antibiotics have made a huge improvement with walking and my infection seems to be under control.
Now looking ahead, I am excited for January 1st. I am excited to start challenging my foot in recovery and learning new ways of becoming stronger toward getting back on my sled. I am grateful for everyone's support and sincere concern in my recovery. I am thankful to be in the sport I am and that everyone has continued to support me. So, now full steam ahead working toward getting back and being 110% for 2012!
- Cody
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