Happy Feet Day! 2025 (17 years) Aug 9, 2025

Looking back in this blog, I guess I forgot to post last year. Not that anyone other than me is reading these posts, I just like to look back and remember how God has worked through all these years, sustaining me! When I woke up this morning, I smiled and thank God for 17 years. I also for just a short time relived the fall, crawling t tohe car and passing out getting into the car. Who could have imagined that kind of pain? Not me! I just can't believe it has been 17 years since falling. God has been faithful through it all. I remember crying out to Him asking to let me walk again because I wanted to throw a football with my only son at the time. Now that son is 18. Did I get to throw a football standing on my own 2 feet? YOU BET!! I am so thankful for what God has given me. So thankful for the pain. So thankful for the funny walk (gait). And SO THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY WHO LOVES ME! And beyond all that, God loves me. He didnt have to grant my request, but He did. I owe Him everything. No one remembered Happy Feet Day. Even my family forgot. Time does seem to heal all wounds. Russ

HAPPY FEET DAY #15!!!

Today marks the 15th anniversary of my accident. It has been amazing to see how God has worked things in my life. I periodically look back through this blog just to be reminded of how amazing God is. We forget and need reminding. This past year, my pain management doctor put me on some different meds that have surprisingly reduced my pain and they are not opiods. For the first time in 14 years, I have many days with little to no pain and it is amazing. I will never forget the day I learned that I may never walk on my own again. The top ortho surgeon said the best I could hope for was to live with a walker the rest of my life. Collier was 18 months old. It felt like my life was over....BUT GOD! I asked God for mercy and to walk again. And here I am....walking....no walker. God is SO GOOD!!! God, thank you for all that you have done in my life. It is all you! All the praise goes to YOU, God! Until 2024.... Russ

14th Anniversary

I cant believe it has been 14 years as of yesterday. I woke up yesterday remembering my fall. I can still see it as clear as the day it happened. I am still as grateful as I was when it all happened. The pain is still incredible bit not everyday. I am still with my pain management doc. I hate that I have been on opiads for 14 years, but if I want quality of life it's a must. But I am thankful we have reduced the fentynal from 100mcg to 37.5 mcg and 10mg percocet 4x per day. I would love to find alternatives for it all. God is so good and I bless his name for my broken feet!

Happy Feet Day 2021! 13 years ago...

 Today is Happy Feet Day at the Rhodes house! Today marks the 13th anniversary of my accident. We celebrate this day each year to give special thanks to our great God because I was told I would not be able to walk again. I had destroyed my calcaneus bones in both feet. The best I could have hoped for was using a walker the rest of my life. Wow! I can remember that phone call from the leading Ortho surgeon in Arkansas. I was all alone in my hospital room that morning. It was a dark day. I had an 18-month-old son and a wife who was trying to hold it all together for me. I just cried out to God asking for His grace. He delivered above and beyond anything I could have imagined. I still walk funny but I can walk. I live with excruciating pain on a daily basis but I have a pain management regiment that helps. Each day when my feet hit the floor and the pain racks my body I am reminded of how wonderful God is and that His grace is sufficient for all of my needs and pain. So this day we celebrate the greatness of the almighty God...the one and only true God. May may crooked walk and my pain bring Him the glory and honor He deserves! A special THANKS to my amazing wife who never left my side....who also suffered greatly during my long hospital stay, 1.5 years recovery and to this day when I am doubled over in pain. She is a rock I can lean on. I love

u Robbie!

1 week out from surgery

The pain is getting better, but my foot continues to remind me that it has been cut on!  LOL

My next doctor's appointment is Tuesday.  I believe I will still be non-weight bearing for another week.

I know part of what I am about to say has to do with the China Virus (coronavirus) or we have become so self-centered that we can't see beyond our own lives..... but I am reminded again on a very personal level that it is MY responsibility to call those who are shut-in, sick, or are unable to leave their home.  Shut-ins are lonely.  Their family is not calling them.  Their friends are not calling them.  God forgive me for not doing what I should be doing to help shut-ins!

Russ

Post Op Doc Visit

I met with my surgeon the day after my surgery.  He took off my temporary cast and did an x-ray.  All hardware except for 1/2 of a small screw was taken out.  He couldn't reach the screw without causing more damage so he left it.  He is very pleased with the outcome and with the incision, except for bleeding that has not stopped.  So he put another temporary cast on and asked me to come back in 1 week.

I was up most of the night with pain.  I didn't sleep well.  Hopefully, tonight will be better. 

So for now, no driving.  We are pretty much stuck at home anyway due to the coronavirus issue.

God is good!

R

Repair Surgery Day

I went to Dr. Lorio about 2 months ago to have him look at a bump that had come upon the back of my right heel.  It was bothering me as it rubbed against the back of my shoe.  He scanned it and said that it was a calcium buildup, but he was more concerned about the pain I was dealing with.  The pain has been increasing over the past 4 months.  He saw metal rubbing against bone.  My right calcaneal bone had to be reconstructed with some kind of bone putty 11 years ago.  During the past 11 years, it had flattened out some causing the hardware he put in to begin rubbing against the bone.  His solution was another surgery to remove as much hardware as possible.

So today is the day!  Another surgery.  This time outpatient....so that is a huge blessing.

God has this.  He is faithful.  I am his.  I have been through much worse.

To God be the glory!

Russ

11th Anniversary Happy Feet Day!

Time really does fly when you are having fun raising a family.  It is crazy to think it has been 11 years since my accident.

I took the time to listen to my rehab song, "In Christ Alone" by Michael English.  https://youtu.be/AwBjEcDYVQM

Went back through my notes, blog, and diary from that period just to remember the greatness of God and to find people who came to our aid so that I could call them this morning and tell them thank you once again.

I called Dave Hughey, my Pastor, who came to visit me in the hospital many times.  It wasn't just a 5 minute "hello, goodbye" visit.  He would pull up a chair and ask, "how are you really doing?"  I gained a new friend and huge respect for this man.

I called Cheryl Arnold, the business manager at my wife's clinic.  At the time, Saline Memorial Hospital didn't have public wifi.  I was dying without internet access.  She pulled some strings and got me access to the employee wifi.  A Godsend!

And finally, I called Troy Cheatham.  He too was battling some major health issues that came upon him quickly without warning.  He gave me some stark advice during this time, advice that I needed to hear.  He gave me his rehab Bible verse and I used it to get well!

As always, we will be going to Branson to celebrate Happy Feet Day (next weekend).  It is a great time to look back at all the wonderful things God has done in our lives.  Crushed heals, constant pain, and days when walking is just excruciating....yet there is pure joy, peace, hope, and love for my Savior, Jesus!  To Him be all glory, honor, and praise!

Until the day I get to heaven and my feet are completely made new, we will celebrate Happy Feet Day!

10th Anniversary

Wow!  Happy Feet Day #10!!

I can't believe it has been 10 years!  As I look back on this blog, I am reminded of how wonderful God has been to me.  I can't think of anything else to say as it has already been said.

I am STILL thankful I feel.  I am STILL thankful I have crushed heels.  I am STILL thankful for each day's pain.  I am STILL thankful I can walk unassisted.  I am STILL THANKFUL!  I have seen a side of God that I would have never seen had it not been for my accident.

Robbie and I were lying in bed last night reminiscing.  She was in tears.  This is a rare thing for Robbie as she does not cry for anything.  She was remembering the utter loneliness she experienced while I was in the hospital.  I have to remember that I was not the only one who was hurt.....she was hurting too!  She was the best caregiver I could have ever had.  She was a trooper all the way and for that......I am eternally grateful!

As time continues to pass, fewer and fewer people take the time to say Happy Feet Day as they have forgotten.  Even some in my family forget.  And that is OK.  Life goes on.  This is why my wife and my boys celebrate Happy Feet Day.  Not for me, but for the wonderfulness of God!  So despite the fact that few remember, the ones that count do remember!

Thanks for sharing in our celebration!

Russ

9th Anniversary

Today is happy feet day.  I am reminded of how wonderful my God is.  Thank you God for the limp...the scars....the pain.....they remind me of your faithfulness.

Happy Feet Day 2015

Happy Feet Day 2015

It is hard to believe that 7 years have come and gone since my accident.  My family and I have reserved this day as a celebration of the goodness and greatness of God.  He has sustained me and will continue to do so for eternity!  I am so thankful for these past 7 years!  I am so thankful for my accident and how it has changed me in so many ways!

Last Sunday, my Pastor preached on 2 Cor 1:3-11.  These verses say what I have been living since the day I fell:

"3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,so also you share in our comfort.

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

The only reason for my accident was to bring glory to my God.  By doing so others will be comforted!  That is very exciting to me!

Happy Feet Day 2013

It's the 5th Anniversary of my accident today!!  I am filled with all kinds of emotions, but most of all, I am so thankful to my gracious God who continues to give me grace!

Each year, I look back over this blog, re-living the events of 5 years ago.  God is so good!

I saw a Pain Management Doctor on Wednesday of this week.  I believe I am on a new path to pain management.  I didn't like the direction I was going.  I didn't like the medications I had to take just to walk some days.  I am very excited for this new approach to controlling and managing my pain.

I thought I was going to get on here and write a long post because this is my 5th anniversary.  I should have more to say, but for some reason I don't.  LOL

I am sitting here, watching my 6 year old draw on paper, my 2 year old is taking a nap and quietly, I am praising God in my heart for all He has given me.

To God be the glory for GREAT things He has done....in my life!  I am forever grateful!  I love all of you!

We are off to Branson this evening for a quiet weekend of fun and reflection!

Happy Feet Day 2012

It's Happy Feet Day 2012!!!  Today is the 4th anniversary of my accident.  I fell through my attic 14 ft, crushed my heels and was told I would never walk without without a cane, walker, wheelchair, some kind of assistance.  Yet, our great God blessed me with the ability to walk on my own.  I walked for the first time, unassisted on Thanksgiving Day 2008!  A day I will never forget!  Despite the extreme pain I constantly endure, I am blessed beyond measure.  I cant begin to tell how my life has changed, how God has carried me on those days when I couldnt get out of bed because of the pain.  Those days when I looked out my hospital window wondering if I would ever get to run and play ball with my son.  But I placed my trust and faith in the only powerful being in the universe that could deliver me and He did!  Thank you God for all that you have done for me and my family.  May my life be a continuing testimony to you and your son Jesus!  Thank you to my amazing wife who has been my biggest fan throughout my healing.  May God bless you Robbie.  I count it a privilege to be your husband.  I could have never walked this path without you, my love.

Many times we link our experiences in life to a specific song.  I have loved the music of Michael English for a very long time.  His version of "In Christ Alone" is that song for me and my accident.  Listen to it.  It tells my story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nSfsM0hQrM

Happy Feet Day 2011

Happy Feet Day today! Its my family's annual celebration of my accident 3 years ago. Today and yesterday, I spent 12 hours each day on my feet walking around Disney World here in Orlando. I have been praying each day that God would allow me to endure and be able to get up the next day and walk. Typically, after a long day on my feet, I have lots of trouble standing and walking the next day. But I made it! God answered my prayers! It wasnt without pain....oh the pain.....a few tears yesterday because of pain, but I walked and I walked and I walked. So Praise You God for all of your kindness and grace and for giving me the ability to celebrate Happy Feet Day #3 walking all of Epcot and Hollywood Studios! I love and praise You!

The Movie Avatar Reminded Me....

I had a great date night tonight with my wife! We had a wonderful dinner and then went to see Avatar. In the beginning of the movie, you meet a guy (a Marine) who is in a wheelchair for life due to an injury from a war he fought. If you have seen this movie, you know that this guy lies in a pod and in some virtual setup lives out a different life in the body of an Avatar on the planet Pandora. As an Avatar, he is able to run, walk, run, run, run! The first time he does this, he takes off and runs, loving the fact that he has use of legs through this Avatar. I began to cry. I had to take my 3-D glasses off several times to wipe away the tears.

You see, having been in a wheelchair (not as long as this guy), but in one long enough to realize that not having the use of my legs (feet) was devastating. This guy longed for the use of his legs. And I was totally able to relate in a small way.

I want to run again. Right now, I can't. My feet, specifically my right foot will not let me. But, with much less weight to haul around and a body that is in much better shape, I will again run. I will be able to run bases with my son when we play baseball together. I will be able to run when my son grabs my hand and says "run Daddy, run!" He does this now and I have to pull him back and tell him that Daddy can't run like he can.

Continue to pray that I will be able to run. I want this as much as I wanted to walk for the first time, unassisted at Thanksgiving 2008 (and I did, praise God!). I want this! I want this!

I love you!
Russ

So Very Blessed

We just finished watching VeggieTales St Nicholas. And yes, I know, Christmas is over so why are we watching a Christmas video...well my son watches Christmas videos and listens to Christmas music year round.

The theme of this specific video is this, "I give because I am happy and I am happy because Jesus gave everything to me!" As the video was coming to the end, everyone was coming together to help this family who was in need. As usual, I start crying. I began looking around and specifically at my son and wife and I was reminded of how blessed I am by our wonderful God. He has given me everything and I owe Him my life.

Thank you God. I will never ever be able to repay my debt to you, but I am so thankful for all that you gave and continue to give to me! I love you!

Pain!

Have you ever been in so much pain that all you can do is just get in a fetal position and cry? That was me last night. I had a great time with my family in Branson, MO this weekend, but I was up on my feet too much and I paid for it!

Strangely enough, as I was lying on my bed crying like a big baby, I was praising God for the ability to walk! Walking with pain is much better than being confined to a wheelchair and no pain! Thank you God!

Russ

Recovery is Slow, Slow, Slow

I have not posted in a long while and I am not sure because of my lack of posting if anyone is still out there listen, but, if not, I can talk to myself and can go back in the future to remind myself of what I was thinking and feeling.

Looking at the title of this blog, you might think that I am complaining about my recovery. I am not really complaining as much as I am surprised. I really thought by now I would be recovered with some minor difficulties. And in reality, I can get around and do pretty much anything I set my mind to except running. The pain is what is aggravating. The pain stops me in my tracks and I really hate that. I can take all of the pain meds I want to take and the pain never goes away. How annoying and frustrating. I have a new appreciation for people who live with daily pain. It is always there. It never leaves. It is like a ball and chain around your neck, constantly pulling you down.

Recently, I have not been doing my workouts as much as I should be. Nor have I been losing weight like I need to. Those 2 things will help in dealing with the pain, I am sure. So why in the world am I not doing these 2 things? Oh, I can come up with a long list of excuses, but it all boils down to laziness. I know what I must do, yet I don't do it. Sound familiar?

There is one bit of of sunshine in this whole thing. As of Dec 15, I am off disability and I can go back to work full-time!

So here are my goals. I need to lose 50 to 60 lbs. I need to work out 3+ times per week. Pray that I will do this! I will post again in a month and let you know how I am doing.

Lesson #26

Helping people who are in a crisis is wonderful, but you must continue to follow-up after the initial crisis is over.

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I still struggle with this one today...despite the fact that it is in my list of lessons learned.

It is so easy to run to the aid of a friend in the moment of crisis. I can testify that we would not have made it had it not been for everyone who rallied around us at that very moment. We still have a few people rallying around us and we are still amazed by their love!

But, the momentum of crisis soon wears off and then things tend to go back to a state we consider normal. We check in from time to time on those who are in the post-crisis mode, asking if there is anything we can do for them. And on most occasions, they tell us no, there is nothing you can do. But I am here to say this is just not true! There is something you can do. Drop by their house. Go visit...you don't need an invitation...just go. Right now, Robbie and I have friends who are in the throngs of difficulty. The initial momentum of crisis is over, yet the aftermath of crisis is very difficult and trying. The fires of tribulation are still there. And yes, we ask the standard question, "what can we do to help", and honestly, there is very little that can be done at that moment...there is very little we can do to take their burden away. But Robbie is the one who revealed to me just tonight...she said this, "you know what I wanted the most while we were in our fire?" I said, "no, what was that?" She said, "I wanted someone to stop by, say hello, hug us, love us, even if I could not tell to come and do this." She continued, "I know there was nothing more they could do but pray and say I love you, but a personal visit...that means a lot!" Let me tell you, people have done this for us and now we must do the same for our friends. So we are going to change our strategy! Why, because we love these friends so much...we have a convenant friendship with them and we must be there at the moment of crisis, during the crisis and well after the crisis; especially afterwards because that is when most people begin to walk away and get back to their lives.

So what is the bottom line here? Am I whining? Am I complaining? Heavens NO! I am sharing with you a lesson that I learned....and for that matter still refining and learning as of today.

Just because time has marched on does not mean post-crisis people don't continue to have needs that must be met by all of us!

We must walk from the beginning to the end with those we cherish the most!!

Lesson #25

My Wife is My Best and Closest Friend In The World!

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There is no doubt in my mind that this is a true statement. Robbie has been there every step of the way, from my fall to my healing, she has been a constant rock from which I draw strength. She has been a trooper, diligently working hard to make my healing the best it can be. She has helped me in so many ways, I know that I would not be where I am right now, had it not been for her. Of course, her strength came from God Himself...and I am so thankful to Him for giving her to me. I am so blessed, so loved and so twitter-patted (sp?) by her. There is no doubt she is my soul-mate, the one created specifically for me. I am so thankful that I am still alive and here to enjoy her company and love.

Robbie, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You still capture my heart and soul and I am so in love with you, more today than I have ever been. My God richly bless you for all that you have done for me!

I love you,

Russ