Florida Keys Reef

The Christ of the Abyss

Ever since I was a little kid I have dreamt of seeing the famous statue of Christ located in the John Pennekamp coral reef state park.  I have been scuba and snorkeling the Florida Keys reefs since 1988.  Last week, I finally dove the reef - Dry Rocks - where the statue is located.  (That is me reaching out to his hand)  Dry Rocks, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and within the John Pennekamp park is about 3 miles out from land.  The statue is in about 25 feet of water.  The statue was a gift from Emilo Cressi - a famous dive gear manufacturer.

 "....This submerged bronze statue of Jesus, of which the original is located in the Mediterranean Sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 metres depth, and stands c. 2.5 metres tall. Various other casts of the statue are located in other places worldwide, both underwater and in churches and museums.
The sculpture was created by Guido Galletti after an idea of Italian diver Duilio Marcante. The statue was placed near the spot where Dario Gonzatti died in 1947. He was the first Italian to use SCUBA gear. It depicts Christ in a pose offering a blessing of peace. His hands and head are raised toward the surface (or the sky, when positioned above water)..."  -- (this from Wikipedia.)

I met all of my goals while in the keys - I dove, I kayaked, I spend time with family, and generally did nothing but enjoy the beauty of these enchanted islands.

Key Largo Bound...

Taking off for Key Largo Saturday for a week with the family.   Goals - Re-connect with one of the most beautiful and unique parts of our country.   Swim, Snorkel, Scuba, Kayak, Explore the reefs, explore the mangrove canals, nap in a hammock, rent a boat and explore the flats and patch reefs.  Eat a lot of good seafood, check out local bars and restaurants.  Hopefully my kids and their boyfriends will fall in love with this place as much as I did my first trip to the keys way back in 1988.

G

Happy 4th!

A day late I know....  Catching up on the news as I started my vacation this week.  Funny the political correctness around the 4th.  You have got to be kidding!  We can't in this country even celebrate what is a great holiday without politicizing it.   Yes - we celebrate our independence from Britain on this day.  But to me - it's more than that.  It's the high-point of Summer!  A great time to take time off with friends and family. To spend time outdoors - even if it is 100 degrees out!  Over the past 2 weeks I was lucky enough to catch 3 fireworks shows!  One on my boat in Branford CT - the scene of my Lisfranc accident last year.  Then, from the back of my boat in my homeport of Stratford CT, and finally, aboard a friends very nice boat anchored in front of the Fairfield CT fireworks.  All awesome!  We came back to our marina last night in the dark - with lightning lighting up the sky and a couple of tropical down-pours. Glad I was not at the helm - sometimes its really fun to let somebody else do the driving.

A New Chapter

Well - Given that I am as healed as I ever am going to be - I thought I'd use this page to chronicle some of the more interesting (at least to me anyway) parts of my life.   So first and foremost, I am a husband, a father, and a businessman/boss.  In that order of importance more or less.  I'd also think that I try to be a good neighbor and friend.  No secret I like to spend time on my boat.  Probably my biggest passion.  I love the water - Everything about it - the smell of salt air, being in it, around it, through it - and everything nautical is my passion.  I have logged over 100 scuba dives in my life - from tropical coral reefs in the Caribbean to the cold dark depths of a Jersey Shore Shipwreck.  I've been into Surfing, collected tropical fish, explored tide pools, beachcombed and generally any free time I have you will find me near the water.  A while ago I told my wife and kids I wanted to start a blog to chronicle my life - so they could read it after I am gone.  They thought that was pretty morbid LOL!  Anyway - I am going to change the nature of my blog hereon in - To write about this and that.  If they read it some day - great!  If not, at least I had fun doing it.

G

1 Year Later

It has been one year since my accident.  I went back by boat this weekend to where the accident occurred for the same event.  This time, I was VERY careful stepping off of the boat, and walking about the marina.  My friends were all commenting on last year - and joking about making sure it did not happen again.

Well, one year later, and I am very appreciative of the fact that I walk with no limp, and if you did not know my story, you would never know that I was injured.  I'd say I have even improved since my last post.  My foot is not as stiff as it was even 1 month ago, and I rarely have pain.  I will now book my final follow-up with my Surgeon and close this chapter of my life.

For all of you suffering from this injury in your early stages of healing - or even the late stages of healing - Remember - not all the stories are doom and gloom.  Hang in there -  time will hopefully heal your wounds.

I wish everybody the best of luck.....

                                   Last post for awhile.....  Glenn

A Permanent Reminder of a Temporary Feeling

Hello Lisfranc world.  Coming up on Memorial Day Weekend here in the USA.  A time for picnics, friends, family and remembrance to all those who have served our country and paid the highest price for our freedom.  Weather wise, the weekend here in the NE looks mixed - partly cloudy, chance of storms and warmer and humid.  I certainly plan on eating my share of hot-dogs, burgers and other food that's not so good for me.

So where to start - 11 months out.  Coming up on my 1 year mark.  I visited the scene of my accident last weekend on my friend's boat.  It was chilling to look down at the exact mooring cleat that I tripped over - and my entire ordeal came flooding back.  After kicking the cleat with my good foot a couple of dozen times - I felt better and then went up to the dockside bar for lunch.

So my permanent reminder of that fateful night is still with me.   NOT A DAY goes by that I am not reminded of my injury.  Every day when I get out of bed to a stiff foot, trundle down the stairs into the kitchen for coffee - holding onto the railing for support.  But once warmed up - no issues.  Or, every time the weather changes - the slight soreness that comes and goes throughout the day reminds me of the injury, or looking at my foot barefoot - the scars from the injury and resulting surgeries stare back at me, or the fact that when I put on certain shoes, the snugness of the shoe on the left foot - due to the fact that my left foot will always be bigger.

Having said all that - I know I am lucky - all things considering - I feel like I am 98% healed.  I can run, I can jump, I can do things in the Gym that I never thought I would ever be able to do again.  Albeit - sometimes with a little pain or stiffness.  Above all, I do not walk with a limp - which I was not sure I would ever be able to do.  So physically - all is good.

Mentally?  Almost one year later - I am still affected.  I am SO careful on stairs, hills, bumpy terrain, around the boat, sidewalks, curbs, etc.  Not to the point of paranoia - but knowing I NEVER want to go thru this again!  I still think of my trip through ER, the pain, the frustration of learning to walk, dealing with NWB for an entire summer - It was not easy!  So it has changed me.

I am going back to the scene of the accident again next month on my boat.  I have requested a mooring slip - on the other side of the harbor - I don't think I could actually put my boat in the exact same slip - tied up to the exact same cleat, almost to the day of the accident - and deal.  But I am not - not going to get on with life and do what I enjoy - in what is actually a very beautiful harbor to spend time with friends and family.

My last post for awhile will be next month on the anniversary of the accident.  I'll post a final pic of my fat foot and chronicle the boat trip.  After that, I plan on seeing the surgeon for the last time - and invite him down to the boat for a cocktail and dinner as appreciation for his fine work.

I think I'll most likely post sporadically, up to my 2 year mark.  They say it takes a year to heal.   I'd say I am pretty much at where I will be for the rest of my life with respect to this particular injury.  But I am curious whether I'll ever achieve additional flexibility and less pain over the next year, whether I develop arthritis additional scar tissue and pain, or stay the same.  So I'll post that.

Until next time - I wish all you Lisfranc people the best of luck and good Karma in your journey.

G