It hasn't been a great few days up in the north, and you all get to hear about it. Today I am in Geraldton on a hospital run, because I have infected lesions on my legs. They hurt terribly. The problem is, when treeplanting, the idea is to work 10 hours per day, every day, 11 if they'll let you. You should never take time off, never take a break. Example? The block we've been working on lately has a few kilometre hike into it. The block is nicknamed jumanjii because of the 7 foot poplars we need to plant in. Ugh. At any rate, I have great difficulty with a fast walk in weighed down by 60 lb bags and infected wounds on my legs. Yesterday, I puked at the end of the hike. It wouldn't be the first time I puked on the block. My foreman made his way over, handed me a starburst to get the taste out of my mouth, and then I went to work. Half an hour later I puked again, made note of it, and kept working. I assure you, if planter pukes in the forest and no one is around to hear it, it didn't actually happen. When something hurts, one asks oneself, "Can I plant with this?". If you physically can, then you do. There is no "Should I plant?" And my body is breaking down from it. The problem now is that the doctors are making me take time off...which costs me money, disappoints my foreman, and generally blows. Stupid infectious leg wounds.
In addition to this, my company gave me $100.00 to do today, having dropped me off in Geraldton at 11:00 pm last night. $72.00 hotel room, $24.00 prescription to kill the infection, and no food for me for the rest of the day. I'm not sure why it didn't cross my mind that between the two expenses I would have no money for anything else. Dumpsterdiving behind the Lowfoods, here I come. Literally. I'm doing it.
Send me some love, guys...until I get back to camp, there is no food, no hugs. When I get back to camp, I'm looking at a recovery that will cost me $75.00...and planting in Jumanjii has been less than lucrative as of late.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Holy crap shannon. Infected lesions?? Dumpster diving?? puking medicated by starburst?? please tell me that mom is living in blissful ignorance of all this.
I love you, please get better and make some more good money. Then give me some... I'm a little job-less.
The troops here will pray for you... saltspring is crawling with cool hippies, many of them pray. It will all be okay. God is with you and I think of you often... a veritable statement of Canadian culture. w00t
guys, thanks, your comments have made my day off:)
Post a Comment