I slowly learned how to walk again.

May 1, 2025. That was the day I got into the worst accident of my life, at I time when I was far from being in a good space. Barely making enough to survive, working in the mail room of this large department store, I went for a ride (on my motorcycle) to try and get back into a better headspace…

Then, in the middle of nowhere, and on a road I’ve ridden dozens of times, I went down — both tires hitting gravel midway through a turn and slid I don’t know how many feet, before my bike went over a 30 foot drop (and was soon to follow).

Then, while laying on my back, incredibly confused and in pain over what had just happened, some good samaritan wound up grabbing my torso and dragging me back off the ledge.

I was still alive, but hurt bad.

Thankfully, having all the right gear on, with the exception of wearing a leather vest that left both of my arms exposed, I was alive. But, from my right knee down, I knew things weren’t good. Nor did I know how bad the skin torn off of my exposed arms were.

At this point, I was on my back, in searing pain — screaming to whoever was there, to not touch my right leg. Luckily, the ambulance came, shortly after, and brought me to the local hospital. Still out of it, confused, but happy to be alive.

There, I was eventually told I broke my tibia, fibula, and parts of my ankle, and would need surgery first thing in the morning.

The scary thing?

The doctor said it was an “open wound.” Which, wasn’t good and could be prone to infection. Meaning, some bone poked through my actual skin (which I didn’t even know until I got to the hospital).

The next morning I had a 3-hour surgery.

This was the first time I had any sort of surgery like this. Mind you, I was already scheduled to have a melanoma (skin cancer) on that same leg, removed, in a few weeks. As well as a “basal cell carcinoma” on my head (which is another story).

Suffice it to say, May of 2025 wasn’t a good month for me. ;(

However, the surgery on my right leg supposedly went well and was fortunate enough I have good insurance to help pay for it. But, since this was a non-weight-bearing injury, and on my right tibia, fibula, and ankle… I couldn’t drive (for months).

That said, I was in a wheelchair for about a month, had a walker for about another month, then a cane, and then was able to hobble, without any help, after around 6 months. And as far as the unexpected skin cancer on that same leg as well as on my head, I had them both successfully removed while (I was still recovering from my motorcycle accident).

The love and support helped, but it was still a long road to recovery.

Although, there’s still a number of scars on my hands, arms, and right leg that aren’t that pretty to look at, I can pretty much walk normal. But inside, it still feels a bit tight and weak.

And we’re not talking about all of the bills, I wound up receiving and insurance didn’t supposedly cover, as I was in the process of healing.

The good news?

All my tattoos are intact (and I was still alive). ;)

Thankfully, I had music to escape to.

Thankfully, I had music to escape to on days that were a real, struggle for me — teaching myself bass guitar in the process.

Looking back, it’s crazy to think how much learning a new instrument changes how you play and write using all other instruments. Although I mostly sing and play acoustic guitar and keyboard, I’m probably most comfortable on guitar — outside of writing lyrics.. For me, other than playing guitar, that’s probably the one thing that comes most natural to me. Writing.

It’s actually what got me into college and gave me a decade’s long copywriting career — always being the one to come up with new and original ideas that it seemed no one else could. Then, just getting out of the way of them.

“It’s when I’m in my own way, that I start experiencing problems (and setbacks).”

At least, that’s what my partner Kelly says. And, now, is something I’m getting much better at. But, as with everything, it’s still a work in progress. With years of negative programming, from how I was raised, and having gone through rejection after rejection after rejection in just these last few years… it’s easier said than done.