An Emergency Surgery Made Me Happier
The simple things can give you a zest for life if you're deprived from them long enough | Music and Content recommendations
Good morning readers :)
Every Friday I look forward to posting it, and look forward to getting messages from you to discuss what I write.
That’s the whole point really - I’m just sharing these lessons I learned to save anyone who reads’ time and energy.
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Before we continue with this one - I just want to touch on the severity of the earthquakes in my home-country of Turkey.
It’s a devastating natural distaster, almost beyond comprehension.
The confirmed number of collapsed buildings is 3500 and counting. Turkey has 85 million people living in it and is smaller than South Australia - so a lot of people live in residential apartments - this will be hard to recover from.
If you’d like to donate, even something really small (100TL is around 8AUD), here’s a link:
AKUT - Search and Rescue Association
How an Emergency Surgery Made Me Happier
It was the game to make semi-finals.
It was a nail biter and tensions were high.
We’d been trading baskets for a few possessions.
On a play to the rim, Kerry rolled his ankle pretty bad — a key player for us.
I told myself I had to step-up.
We were inching in on the win.
I stole the ball, and went to start the fast break.
I felt shoe pin my foot down, and when I went to take off, I felt a nasty sting.
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A week later, I was told I needed foot surgery — emergency surgery since it’s within the foot.
As they wheeled me in, I remember the surgery bed the most.
It was a pale blue colour.
It felt stiff and cold — I was frightened, I can’t lie.
They asked me to count back from 10 as they applied the anaesthetic — they assured me I wouldn’t make it but I was confident I would.
I only got to 7, which I’m still a bit upset about to this day.
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3 months on crutches, and the 3 months walking in a moon boot.
Why am I telling you this?
It’s not so that you feel sorry for me, although sympathy gifts are welcome.
It’s because the day I walked out, hobbling in my moon boot, was the first time I realised how much I took the basics for granted.
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Until you don’t walk for 3 months, you don’t realise what life would be like without it.
You can’t go for a walk to clear your mind.
You can’t run up and grab your little siblings.
You can’t take a quick shower, or whip up a nice meal without rolling around on an office chair.
And these are just the trivial ones.
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It made me imagine not having vision to be able to see my friends smile as I walk up to them.
Not having a voice to to say “I love you” to my little sisters and Mum.
Not being able to hear my Dad give me advice in his husky, way-too-many-cigarettes tone of voice.
It made me imagine wheeling around in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, and missing the small things I missed during that 3 months.
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Try telling someone who’s lost their legs that you can’t be bothered to go for a run.
What about whinging to them that the 10 minute walk ahead of you is too long and boring.
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They say a healthy man has 1000 wishes, but an unhealthy man has only one.
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When I feel those thoughts creeping in, I think of what it was like when I was laying on a bed with my foot raised up in the air and frozen peas on my foot.
I think of the burning urge to get up and go for a run.
I would’ve done anything to just go for a run.
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This is just proof that the same activity can be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it.
When I can’t be bothered going for a run, there’s someone out there working hours each day just to try and walk again.
So, here’s an Elsewhere newsletter exclusive, heard-it-here-first phrase:
Take a photo of the same thing from a different angle.
Every time I catch myself thinking “I don’t want to do this.”
I think about how someone out there would KILL to be able to do it.
Music
I Feel You (Renegade Soundwave Afghan Surgery Mix) - Depeche Mode
The 80s electronic band is one of the pioneers of electronic music. This song is from the Remixes 81>04 album, featuring all remixes of their tunes.
This song is industrial and chuggy, gritty and bleepy - the sweet vocal balances the song well. This one might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely mine.(We Had) A Thing (Matty’s Deep Zone Mix) - Abstract Truth
A more palatable song from Abstract Truth. This one is a bit more soulful, jazzy and dreamy. Don’t worry, there is a nice kick drum to keep the dance-floor going. If you liked Soulstice the other week, you’ll like this track.
Downtown (Dark Mix) - Kerri Chandler
American dance music legend, Kerri Chandler, has blessed us with this grimy deep house classic.
The kick is deep and thick like a tech-house drum, the crisp hats provide the rhythm and the deep, soulful vocal is the cherry on top.
Enjoy.
Content Plug
This week’s content recommendation is an article by, and about, Sahil Lavingia, the founder of the company Gumroad.
The article talks through his ups and downs starting his own business, and how he learned to focus on VALUE rather than capturing more and more people’s attention. It’s weirdly emotional and triumphant, I really enjoyed the read and found it easy to keep going.
For context, Gumroad is basically an easy way for creators to sell courses without going through a shopfront, you just buy the course for X creator and you get access to videos, text etc.
Sahil's Article: Reflecting on My Failure to Build a Billion-Dollar Company
Thanks to everyone for reading!
This newsletter means a lot to me, and it would be nothing if there were no readers, no matter how few.
I’ve been getting up before work to get this done, so it’s a bit draining but totally worth it when I get messages and replies about the content.
Sincerely,
Eren ‘Emergency Surgery’ Elsewhere.
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I feel like a 2000s YouTube micro-internet-celebrity saying that.