[RetArmyMedic]

Oh goodness. I think my highest "high point" was graduation day. Not for the reason you might be thinking either lol On the last Bn run, I was called out of the entire formation by the Bn commander and informed that I would run with him (apparently my drill sgts had told him that I was doing my best, but having a hard time with the run...thanks lol). So while it was really hard for me (Im a really good sprinter, but never really that good at distances, coupled with a fairly serious back injury toward the last part of training), I kept up with him the entire run. On graduation day, he pulled me to the side and presented me with a Bn coin (usually only honor grad gets a coin). I still have that coin too! So thats my high point...as far as the low point...probably the back injury I mentioned. We had done the O course the day before and apparently I had strained my back, but had blown it off as just being sore. However, during KP the next day, I irritated it so badly that by the end of lunch I was basically ordered to stop working and by the end of the day (I was never one to leave the work to others...or to listen for that matter) my back muscles were spasmed so badly that my shoulders drew up to my ears. My Drills even tried pulling my arms down (guess they thought I was faking lol) and they wouldnt come down...so off to the ER. After a couple weeks of physical therapy I was allowed to come out of the gimp platoon, but it was never the same. Because I didnt have an injury that others could see (crutches, a cast, etc) I was labeled a slacker (not by the drills, but by the other recruits) and spend the rest of basic proving otherwise.

All in all, NOT an experience I would ever want to endure again, but one of my proudest accomplishments!