[Paddlewise] Fatter, tired, and WET!

Well,

	I made it!  New water, getting kayak on and off truck went well, my 
impatience was a bother, but I got WET!

	Ya know, when I woke up from coma, my feet had grown nearly a full size 
[can you say size11 to 12?<g>] and it looks like much of the rest of me has 
too...  UGH!  Haven't worn my wet suit for over 2 years... sheesh, and I 
thought my dry suit was a chore!<g>  Darn thing wouldn't fit correctly, but 
I decided the heck with it, and wore it anyway.  Skipped the dry-top as the 
straps on the farmer john were so tite, I didn't want to add more "pain" to 
the process, at least for today...<g>

	Then there's the skirt... and no, I didn't get the full neoprene skirt on 
today either.  Said aww the heck with it and pulled out the other 
one-neoprene deck with nylon tube, and got it going.  I suspect that at 
least part of the problem is that I am more out of shape than I ever recall 
being...

	Anyway, got my PFD on, the skirt on, ensured I had my paddlefloat with me, 
as well as my water proof fanny pack with the necessities, grabbed my 
Werner Kauai [now how does one pronounce that word?  Anybody know?] paddle, 
and away I went.

	To do that however, I had to GET IN THE BOAT....  ummm... yes...  getting 
in...  Remember some of you, that I had "fitted" my boat to my body just 
prior to my accident?  Yes well, apparently I was a wee bit smaller back 
then-not my belly, I mean my legs and such...

	In fact it was such a tite fit that within 30-40 minutes, my whole lower 
extremities were numb.  I was also sort of tired...  Clearly I should get 
at the boat with a Sureform plane, etc...

	I got in the water and tried to let my suit get fully wet, in hopes that 
it would stretch and fit better-it did but only slightly.  Then I 
remembered the sign at the put in about the presence of "Swimmers 
Itch..."  Oh boy-forgot about that! <grumble><g>

	Came back home to take a shower and clean out my suit/booties, and of 
course, the pilot light on the water heater had been somehow blown 
out...<!>  Got the heater going, made a couple of sandwiches, and fell 
asleep for 3 hours...<g>

	BUT I GOT OUT THERE FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <VBG>

	I think I found out some things about this "new me" and paddling today.  I 
am probably more "out of shape" than I ever have been.  My body seems to 
have grown in all places, apparently more from the waist down.  Some/much 
of the "muscle memory" that I had, seems in some ways to have gone.  My 
boat needs some attention to the insides shape, etc...

	Getting the boat on and off the truck today went very well however and I 
did get a skirt to fit correctly on the yak, and the SUN was out, and, and, 
and... <g>

	I am thinking that perhaps tomorrow, I will take the old rec. boat-the 
Caspia<G>  My idea is that the Caspia is harder to paddle, but does not 
require wet-suit, skirt, etc... and is easy as heck to get into the 
water.  Perhaps if I attempt to get that to the water as MUCH as I can for 
a little while, I can get myself back into a physical shape that is better 
for the Pursuit?<g>  Now where did I put that Advil? <VBG>

	Oh and my w/w boat?  It's in Kirkland across the Sound.  I have an 
appointment at hospital Monday and think I will take my truck on the ferry, 
so that after the appointment, I can venture off to get my other boat and 
bring it home with me.  [yes, I haven't given up on anything yet-just 
perhaps "stretched" out the schedule a little bit-"nothing succeeds like 
success, even small successes...<g>]

	Thanks everyone,
	
		Tom...
A kayak paddler with a brain injury that is VERY glad
He no longer lives in the close vicinity of seattle...
            <gadfly911_at_earthlink.net>
               homepage: none yet

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