Here’s the basic plot:

I was called to active duty.

Life was good.

One day I got an “Ouchy” and my Sargent and I tried to fix it ourselves.

It wasn’t getting better so I sought actual medical help.

That went nowhere fast, and the Ouchy got worse.

My captain was getting impatient. He told me to sign up for Tricare Prime.

We went outside the usual base MTF. (Medical Treatment Facility)

I was strongly leaning towards corrective surgery.

When I finally got in to see the surgeon,  he left me with the impression that I should probably try another non-surgical alternative.

I went along with it, and for a while it seemed like it was actually getting much better.

The mobilization in-processing thought differently. They wanted to send me home. I didn’t want that. They didn’t care.

I get back home with no job and no insurance. I figure I’d just wait around for the Ouchy to heal up on its own, and I’d be able to go back in without any problem.

Time passed. Everything seemed fine. But then…

The Ouchy tore itself open again. (Yes, there was blood.)

Now the situation was even worse. I had no insurance, and was running low of funds. (Don’t worry, I just refinance these things.)

So I quickly signed up for Tricare Reserve Select… Had to wait for the Open Enrollment date over a month away.

The condition gradually but consistently worsens.

The pain gets worse. Much worse than it’s ever been.

It hurts so bad it causes other parts of me to ache. I have trouble sleeping. I feel sick.

I cannot even sit at the computer to make my webcomic.

I’ve got a doctors appointment tomorrow.

Too be continued…