Life Change (To Live Like a Dawg) by Deputy Chris Beltz
Was Thinking today everything is done for a reason.This evening while in the shower it hit me. I have been blessed with a second chance around and a new perspective on life. it all started in June of 2011 when my Dad was diagnosed with Lymphnoma.PoP passed away in Sept. 2011. I never spent the amount of time with PoP as I should have. brief shout on the phone quick hour or two visits every now and then. But when he passed, I thought I need to spend more time with my Mom you know try to make up on lost time. But between family and job back to phone calls and quick visits when time allowed. I thought I needed to do something to honor Pop so I took up running gonna run 5K's in honor of Pop and to help raise awareness of Lymphnoma. Mom and my family where behind me had my own little fan club. Worked my butt of and had my time down to around a 23-minute 5K I didn't think that was bad for a 47-year-old. Didn't care about placing just to finish with a decent time.
Then 2 weeks out from my very first 5K came an event that changed everything and I figured out never ever take anything for granted.I went on duty at 1600 on Oct. 7th 2011 and by 1745 my whole life changed. Nothing major I'd done it many times before a foot chase but about 50 yards from my patrol vehicle I heard a pop like someone snapping their fingers and then I felt myself going down.I hit the ground and heard a snap like the sound you hear when you crack your knuckles.Damn boy do I feel like a fool.Left leg out in front of me and right leg bent at the knee beside me. Then I look again my right foot was facing 180 degrees from the way it was supposed to be.Didn't hurt so no harm no foul right? Grabbed my foot and pulled it back facing forward still no pain, turned loose and it snapped back 180 degrees WTF? I thought to myself.I tried to stand and went right back down,started cussing loudly and my 4 legged partner came to my aid. "Alle" assitted me back to my vehicle and I was able to get her and myself into the vehicle.I then drove myself 14 miles to the hospital.My wife my son's my Boss and my Brother where there to check on me. Was Xrayed and told I was going to need surgery to repair what was wrong.Boss loaded me in his patrol vehicle and hauled myself and my wife to Garden City. Surgeon told me that it was gonna be a long surgery to repair the damage.Seems I had broken both bones in lower right leg and also tore all tendons and liagments.Ok I thought no big deal little down time little did I know how long the down time really would be.Was taken into surgery at 0500 on Oct 8th and into recovery at 1030 with plates and screws in my ankle. Oct 11th put in a cast and then the fun began. Physical Therapy Dr. visits new cast's more surgeries.Nov 20th 2011 final surgery removed 1 screw and left the rest along with the plates. Dec 2011 cast removed and placed in a walking boot.Scary feeling 47 years old and learning to walk again. Rehab every day 2 hours at a time. I thought I'd be back to work by the first of the year,not so.
Jan 9th 2012 my Mom informed me she had breast cancer and had been battling for quite some time but she had Pop to take care of and put herself in second place. Mom's cancer was terminal and she was at piece with it I was mad as Hell.Why hadn't she told us sooner we could've done something.First pop and now mom things couldn't get any worse. Still not back to work and rehab everyday.mom was placed in Hospice and myself and my brother where by her side.I then started to see things a little differently God had a plan.I got to spend the last days of my Mom's life with her got to talk to her more then ever.I then found out how strong she was she wasn't afraid to die she was ready to be with Pop and I felt bad not wanting to let her go.Mom passed away in Feb.2012 and we gave both her and Pop the best Valentine presents ever and she was buried next to pop on Feb 13th 2012. Reunited again as they had always been.
March 22nd 2012 finally released to go back to work but still couldn't train for a 5K was on a low impact cardio restiction by my Dr. stayed on low impact cardio restiction until March 2013 Dr. says it's up to me now. Dr. says i can run 1 day and suffer 4 days it's up to me whatever I feel like.I want to honor Mom and Dad but for right now think I'm gonna hold off on the 5k's I'll figure someway to honor them.I just hope I'm half the parent to my kid's as they where to me.I also hope that I'm half the husband to my wife that Dad was to Mom.
Now I don't take everyday for granted nothing is a given.Things change in a split second and I found that out first hand.I give my wife more kiss's and talk to my boy's everyday gonna have 2 in college next year and only gonna have my little man at home.But everyday he gets a hug from me from now on as long as he'll let me.I now think I've got my life a little more in order gonna be more family time from here on out