...up until now, that is.

Ten days ago I was fetching my neighbor's newspaper as I do every day because she is partially disabled and has trouble walking the 50 yards to her paper box.

After placing the paper on the top porch rail, and as I was taking my first step down the concrete steps, my feet went out from under me on the ice and I landed on my back/side on the steps. For a scary moment I couldn't breathe from having the wind knocked out of me...but even worse was the ragged pain spiking through my body.

Getting up and walking home was as painful as anything I can remember in my life. Even my many kidney stone episodes were nothing like this.

I decided to 'tough it out', hoping things would heal. Sure enough, after a few days the pain began slowly subsiding. Although feeling very sore, I even went to two of my granddaughter's basketball games. Things were getting better.

Then...Sunday morning I sneezed. Holy sh*t!!! Now the pain was back and this time it was really pissed...I almost came unglued and I'm pretty good at handling pain.

Today I had my son take me to the ER.

The results...three fractured ribs and three Transverse Process fractures in my spine.

I had just started my indoor 2011 training at this point. Now it looks like I'll be waiting at least a few weeks until things improve (I can't even lift a leg over my bike).

Coincidentally, The day before all this happened...my neighbor warned "Louis be careful of the ice on my steps - I can't always get out here to salt it so early in the morning."

Of course I paid little attention to her words because I was invulnerable.