[He sags a little, sheepish. But he tries not to sulk about the past.

(It's always a golden challenge, that...!)]

... A pretty bad one. Multiple surgeries and taking things out kind of bad.

[He makes a fist, determined.]

I've continued on so far; I don't see why one terrible event should slow me down anymore than it has! Push through the pain, keep striving forward -- as they say, plus ultra!