Hardware remains in place

It's been awhile since I've last posted.  After re-reading some earlier posts I decided it's mainly because I'm off the hard-core medicine.  Some of those posts read like the writer was taking heavy duty pain meds (I was) and thought he was being really clever with his posts (I did).  Sheeesh.  Why didn't someone stop me?

Now that I'm a little more clear-headed I'll try not to over-clever my posts.....thanks for your patience.

Regarding September 4th's surgery - had an appointment last week with my surgeon - 6 weeks' post-op.  This included getting an x-ray before hand as he wanted to make sure the hardware implanted looked to still be in place.  For your viewing pleasure, below is one of the x-rays -

As you can see from this lovely side-view, the 4 screws and connecting rods appear to firmly be in place.  And yes, those are my vertebrae and at the bottom that's my hip bones.  See what $80K gets you these days!

So the good news is that the Doctor was pleased with the x-rays and said everything appears to be where it needs to be.  Whether the bone fusion is happening properly, they won't know until a MRI is done sometime early next year.

We discussed the pain and weakness I'm still experiencing in my right leg but no real concerns from the doctor.  That fact that my foot had full movement and strength seemed to be good news to him and the rest could likely be taken care of with some physical therapy.  So after a few more questions and answers he sent me on my way with the only restriction to not bend over at the waist and to avoid heavy lifting. 

PT was scheduled right away and my first session was last Friday.  After an exam and evaluation, my initial therapy consists mostly of just getting some body parts moving.  The tingling I still feel in my right shin and the tightness/ache in my right thigh is all part of the nerve trying to get itself back to normal.  The main lesson I learned is that by waiting 8+ years to get this fixed, I damaged the nerve which is why this recovery is taking so much time.  The good news is that she feels it's nothing that some time and exercise won't overcome.

So I now have some simple leg exercises to do each day along with some core isometric stuff as work needs to be done to rebuild ab and hip muscles snipped during surgery.  I'm continuing to walk daily and can manage 75 minutes at a time so feeling good about that.  Still relying on the back brace as everything feels "loose" without it but will start to wean myself off of that over the next few weeks.  And I'm even going back to work this week - not sure who's happier about that - me or Donna?!??

So yes, it is very nice to be on the backside of the mountain.  September pretty much sucked but I'm now starting to reap the benefits of undergoing this procedure and am very anxious to continue rehabbing the leg.

I would be remiss (again) to not thank Donna for her care, patience, and prodding during this period.  Pretty certain I couldn't have gotten through it without her.

Will continue to post as time and topics permit.  Stay tuned.......................

Slow but Sure

Making progress.  Yeah, I feel pretty comfortable saying that.  Yesterday was a "downer" day and I don't even know why - just in a cranky mood.  But got outside a bit and had some conversations with neighbors so that seemed to brighten my spirits.  Patience just running low right now as I'm tired of hobbling around and feeling achy in general.

But, on a better note, just got back from a 25 minute walk ALL BY MYSELF!  Donna went to yoga class this morning so while she was gone I drove over to the local park and did a slow (OK, let's be real, it was VERY slow) walk through the park.  My troublesome right leg was not happy for the first 15 minutes but seemed to loosen up some that final 10 minutes.  As I type this now the leg is not hurting.  All that on a couple of extra-strength Tylenol about 2 hours ago.

Unless things so south, I might try another short walk later today.  If I can start getting some miles in I know my recovery will speed up and I definitely know my mood will improve.  Really looking forward to my next Dr's appointment on the 15th to see how everything is healing and determine next steps.  Hopeful some physical therapy will start to build the leg strength back up.

Also as a test, Donna and I had a movie and a dinner date last Friday.  Went to "Gravity" - great, great movie by the way.  The visuals and special effects will blow you away.  Not even a big fan of either Clooney or Bullock but thought both were good in the movie.  Anyway, afterwards we went out for a burger and a beer afterwards and got through all that just fine.  Wore me out but figured it will take some time to build up stamina.

It's a nice, sunny Fall day here in Shawnee today.  Go out and enjoy your day!

Not quite Obamacare

So this is an old story the kids have heard before in various forms but I think it bears being written down for all of perpetuity.  In addition to the story itself, what makes it classic is there's just a shade of uncertainty on all the details - not dissimilar to most family stories from 50+ years ago.  But then that's the beauty of the folklore - most of it is based on fact and the reader can choose to believe what they want.

I'll explain it the best I can and in the manner it was told to me.  Since both my parents are no longer alive, there's no way to collaborate this version but then that's part of the fun, isn't it?

Here goes.....

I was born in the middle of the winter in a little town in southeastern South Dakota.  My parents had recently moved to Yankton from Sioux City Iowa a year earlier to open the local bowling alley.  My Dad had always been in the bowling business in Sioux City since moving back there after his Navy days.  He had gone to mechanic school and took care of the automatic pinsetters and various equipment at the local lanes in Sioux City.

When they first moved to Yankton, a small 8-lane bowling alley was built and opened in the downtown area.  At that time there were no automatic pinsetters.  You had "pin chasers" - these were people that perched on a little plank above the pins and after a ball was thrown, they would hop down, clear out any downed pins and put the ball back on the rails that returned it to the other end of the lane for the next shot.  Not an easy job as these pin chasers were apt to catch a flying pin off their arm or leg - lots of bumps and bruises for likely not a lot of money.

Anyway, during that winter in early 1958, my Mom was pregnant with me and they were trying to make a go of it in a little rental house literally 1/2 block from the rail road tracks that cut through town with my 2 older brothers.  My grandparents (from my Mom's side) also lived in town in a local trailer court so it was nice having additional family in town to help out.

Keep in mind that Ed King was quite a bowler.  His bowling was well known throughout the state of Iowa for many years as he owned numerous state titles and championships.  After his death 10 years ago, I kept his 1958 Iowa State Championship trophy as a cherished remembrance to his bowling days.  He bowled in local leagues right up to just a few years before he died and it truly was his passion in life.

Unlike today, life was much different in 1958.  People didn't have health insurance and most workers didn't make much money.  Doctors made house calls if necessary and paying for health care was often a conversation between you and the Doctor to negotiate a fair price.  If you could afford it, great.  If you couldn't, well, something likely could be worked out.

Having babies in 1958 was also a bit different than nowadays as well.  The Dads were typically sequestered into some type of waiting room while the labor and delivery happened.  Moms and babies would stay put in the hospital for a few days at a minimum and the thought of getting the Mom up and out of bed moving around after childbirth just wasn't part of the plan.  The "Family Experience" of today's childbirths looks much different than it did 55 years ago.

Yankton had a hospital in those days (still does).  Sacred Heart Hospital stands in basically the same spot it always has and in addition to my birth, saw the birth of my daughter many years later as well.

Saturday, February 1st, 1958 was a cold winter day with a forecast for some bad weather to move in later on.  While I'm not exactly sure when my Mom's labor started, I do know I was born sometime that Saturday morning or early afternoon on the 1st.  Like all Dads, my Dad waited in the waiting room while my Grandparents watched my brothers.  And hopefully like all Dads, his chest swelled a little when he found out he was the father of a brand new, healthy son.  Mom and Son were both doing fine.

Whether this was always planned or simply a spur of the moment decision, my Dad and a couple of his bowling buddies decided that a road trip to Onawa Iowa was in order as there was a bowling tournament there that weekend and when you ran a bowling alley and had the opportunity, you went to nearby bowling tournaments during the weekends whenever possible.

In today's world, the child services people would've been called and my Dad would have been shamed as some sort of dead-beat but that's just how it was back then.  Dad had a chance to go bowl and if I know his thinking, he probably thought he had a chance to make some money.  You also need to understand that these tournaments paid cash and in some cases there was enough money involved to help pay the grocery bill for that week.

So early that afternoon, knowing that his wife and new son were safe and sound at the local hospital and that his other 2 boys were being well taken care of by the Grandparents, off he went to Onawa to bowl later that evening.

Using today's Interstate, Onawa is about an hour and a half from Yankton.  Since the Interstate wasn't yet finished in 1958, you had to take State and County highways to get from here to there - probably a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive.

As mentioned earlier, the forecast wasn't particularly good but off they went anyway.  Of course on the trip down, it began to snow and the road conditions deteriorated but the group was already on their way - why stop now?

You can probably guess the remainder of the story - Dad of course, won the tournament and collected the winner's share of the prize money.  I wish I knew more of the details - I wish I knew who all went, what was his score, and how much he won.  But those details have been lost through the years.

Late that night, the group finally made it back to Yankton.  Terrible weather caused their 2 1/2 hour drive to take much, much longer but they did make it back safely.  And that next day, my Dad went to the hospital to visit Mom and me and of course not a word was said of the previous night because my Dad knew what Mom's reaction would be.

A couple of days later, we were released from the hospital and sent home.  And wouldn't you know it, Dad paid cash for the entire bill.  Keep in mind this was from someone that made hardly any money and couldn't keep 2 quarters in his pocket for more than 10 minutes if bowling was involved.  But the bill was paid and no questions were asked.

It wasn't until years later that the true story finally came out and if I remember correctly, it took another few year until my Mom finally forgave Dad for his antic.

So that's the story - I deep down have this unbridled delight that my birth was paid for with bowling winnings.  Partly because few others can tell a similar story but mostly because I know the pride my Dad must've felt when he paid that bill knowing that he whipped a bunch of other bowlers for the privilege to pay off the birth of his son.

Maybe for all our sake, they just don't make them like Ed King anymore - both good and bad.  But I still miss him and this story can't help but make me smile.  Go get 'em, Dad!