November 10 2002, a sunny Fall afternoon, I was walking to work in Albuquerque, a place where I was pastry chef, and baker...at the corning there right at work, a car ran a light, and hit me, when the car stopped finally with me on the hood, i kept going. 50 feet later in the middle of 4 lanes on my side, i landed on my right hip, as a result, 1 1/2 years, of Physical Therapy, 3 times a week, Physiatrist, a hip doctor, 2 neurosurgeons and countless other doctors, months of alternate modalities for pain treatment, i had to enter opiates, and pain contracts with ass holes that basically take your life then, if you drive, it's a DUI, if you smoke pot, we kick you out, and you can't find another pill pusher. So after 8 years of that, I stopped, all pain management, 5 day ween, and never looked back at narcotics for pain...but living in pain everyday, with no assistance, is brutal, this past summer I worked 12 plus days as Sous Chef, for the season, the year before I worked as Lead Cook at a Buddhist Meditation Retreat..it was nice, in the mountains, living as a sage, giving to the community, and learning to live a life as a buddhist...So life is bitter, sometimes we get enough sugar to sweeten our chocolate, for the most part i have my career back, for which i am thankful, but the rigors of a chef, on your feet that long, daily, has wore my back back down...I paid my dues, i continue to pay my dues, and to be honest, never spent a day in a culinary academy, I apprenticed, started low, and learned my way through every kitchen and bake shop I have worked at, for more years than i wish to admit too...I am getting help with my resume, soon, i will publish it...peace
