Everything I Learned from Unbreakable Sole Became Real in this Season

My Veyo Hill has not been a single obstacle. It has been an extended season of life marked by physical setbacks, unexpected disruption, and moments where the illusion of control was taken from me completely.

Most recently, that reality became impossible to ignore.

This October, I underwent a reverse shoulder replacement. Prior to surgery, I strengthened my body, changed my diet, followed every recommendation, and entered surgery focused and ready. The surgery itself went exceptionally well, and my early recovery had exceeded expectations.

Six days later, that momentum ended. Without warning, severe spinal issues affected my left leg and lower back. I was carried out of my home by ambulance and diagnosed with spinal stenosis, degeneration, and arthritis at L3, L4, and L5, along with cervical issues at C5, C6, and C7. A crash course in anatomy I did not sign up for.

Almost overnight, my independence disappeared. Six days after a successful shoulder surgery, I could not walk without a walker. I had to learn how to move, stabilize myself, and recover using a walker with one arm while protecting the arm that had just been surgically repaired. How do you top that…a frozen shoulder on my good side; uphill we go.

This was not the challenge I had prepared for. The weeks that followed were complex and humbling. Steroid Epidural injections, multiple shoulder injections, more medications, and rehabilitation not just for the replaced shoulder, but for my spine and the chain reaction it triggered throughout my body. Twelve weeks later, I am walking without a walker or a cane. The frozen shoulder is beginning to release, and I am still rehabbing my surgical shoulder while continuing to address the spinal issues that remain.

Beyond the physical pain, this experience demolished my sense of control. In moments of adversity, I learned that when control is removed, the people around you respond in very different ways. I could not manage how others processed fear, stress, or uncertainty, any more than I could force my body to heal on a preferred timeline.

That lack of control was one of the hardest realities to accept, and it was also where the most important lesson lived.

My wife carried a weight she never should have had to carry at any time in our life. She navigated fear, logistics, exhaustion, and uncertainty quietly and consistently. She showed up in her own way every single day, steady when I could not be. Without her, I would not be where I am today physically, emotionally, or mentally.

The ideas I absorbed from Unbreakable Sole stopped being concepts and became a lived experience. Progress was not predictable, my recovery is not linear, and some days are simply overwhelming. The inflection point hit, it was time to slow down, accept support, and stop measuring progress by how quickly I wanted things to improve.

It is now January, and rehab continues. I am learning that real strength is not just pushing myself harder, but allowing help, accepting support, and honoring the people who stand beside you when you cannot stand on your own. This hill is not fully behind me yet, but I am moving forward every day.

And when I look back on this climb, I know I will not only recognize the effort it took to get through it. I will stop, turn around, and thank those who stood with me beside that boulder. I will particularly treasure my wife’s presence and carry deep gratitude for the love that helped me keep going when I could not do it alone.

Progress is not always obvious, but it is still happening. One mile and silver balloon at a time.

Thank you Missy for taking us on this journey and helping ready us for whatever lies ahead. You are in our hearts forever.