The Side Effects of Endorphins

46 years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted.

The massive eruption sent ash and steam skyward as the north face of the mountain collapsed, sliding into the North Fork Toutle River below.

The blast killed 57 people and covered 230 square miles. It permanently changed the landscape in the region.

And Still We Climb It

I’ve broken ankles while running, a nose while playing baseball, ribs while playing soccer, and a finger while playing basketball and I probably missed a few.

Do you see a pattern there? I’ve climbed Mount Saint Helens with each of our kids. Our middle daughter Riley and me scaled the mountain on a summer day many years ago. We camped the night before and that was a jovial adventure, all its own. We found the day overcast and our ascent was without fanfare.

I was rather proud of Riley as when she puts her mind to something she gets it done. I probably won’t get the chain of events exact, but it was something like this. We found out later she broke a bone in her foot during this hike. Endorphins are a powerful thing and can temporarily mask pain.

The Long Road Back

It has been a long road back. We made many a road trip up to Seattle for surgeries and follow up visits. By this time she was going to school at Seattle University..

A Not So Interesting Aside

On one of these trips up north I got a phone call from one of my colleagues who worked for me. I was just pulling into the parking lot of the medical Center and my colleague was crying on the phone. She told me that our Company had laid us all off. It may have been the best break in my life. Not so much for Riley.

Riley is Persistent

There were setbacks, and there were strides forward. It is probably a small pinprick compared to giving birth. A few months ago, my wife, her husband and two children stood at the top of the 11 mile marker of the Shamrock half marathon. Riley crested that hill and it was all downhill from there.

In A good way.,

Other tales of broken bones.