Here we go again

[cozmik_cowboy]

As you may (or may not) recall, 4 years ago I had surgery to remove a cyst from inside my spinal canal, which required removal of parts of a couple of vertebr?.  It went wonderfully (well, except for the pain - but it went away, and so did the pain from the cyst).  
All was well, & the Dr. assured me it would remain so as long as I refrained from things like football, skydiving, and heavy labor.  The no skydiving was a drag - always wanted to try that & never got around to it - but I was quite OK with the rest.
Except no one was hiring historians, archivists, or soundmen, and they were hiring assembly line workers.  Like any red-blooded All-American boy, I had on my WWJWD? bracelet (What would John Wayne do?) so I spent 3 months building car seats before I couldn't take it anymore.  Can you say Spondylolisthesis?  No, neither can I, but I can assure you don't want it.   (I'll save you the Google - it means the forward displacement of a vertabra, usually L-5)  
As it turns out, having my hands hurt too much to play guitar the entire time wasn't the worst of it; turns out the guy knew whereof he spoke.  Now (after 2 years of agony & opioids) I have insurance again (thank you, Barak) and so Tuesday I get to go have L-3 & L-4 fused.  Ain't we got fun?
 
Peter (who promises to swallow his macho better next time)

[bigredbass]

As someone who regularly rotates thru 'Rio Grande', 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', 'Fort Apache', and 'The Searchers' (often mixed with 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'), JW would have said 'listen to your doctor, Pilgrim'.
 
(Of course he also said, 'Well baby sister, if I had a big old horse pistol like that, I wouldn't be afraid of no booger man'  Words to live by !)
 
I have had to realize that as I am speeding towards 60, that I just don't bounce like I used to, and try as I might, there's just things I have to do very carefully that I would have roared thru without a second thought 20 years ago.  My only real concern on a motorcycle isn't getting in an accident per se, but IF I did how long would it take me to get over it.  Probably a lot longer than I can imagine . . . or my vanity would like to admit.
 
I have people I have to take care of, and if I don't come home, what will they do?  Once that really, really dawned on me, it was a lot easier to let the swashbuckling go.  I guess I'm not too old to dance on the piano, but I'm getting a little long in the tooth to swing from chandeliers anymore. But damn do I hate to admit it !
 
So . . . get this fixed, heal up, and remember:  Old Age and Treachery . . . . .
 
J o e y

[jacko]

good luck with the Op peter. Fingers crossed you'll be jumping out of airplanes in no time at all.
 
Graeme

[David Houck]

Peter; hoping all goes well for you.

[sonicus]

Peter __  
   
     I send my best wishes for the best possible results. May healing and recovery lead you to writing and sharing  such good news with us soon. I always enjoy reading your posts and look forward to many more years of the such ____
 
Healing vibes to you

[lbpesq]

Peter:
 
With 60 on the next horizon, I've decided that, while getting older may suck, it sure as hell beats the alternative!  I may still be able to party late into the night, but I can't make that 9:00 a.m. class the next morning anymore. lol    
 
Good luck with the surgery.  Take your time re-habbing and get back to that Alembic when you can.  Good vibes from the west coast.
 
Bill, tgo

[pauldo]

Peter,
Well wishes and healing thoughts for you.

[artswork99]

Wishes for a speedy recovery!

[cozmik_cowboy]

I dunno, Joey - watch Eldorado (or maybe it was Rio Bravo; I get those 2 confused as they're really the same flick) where JW goes into the big showdown with an arm not working.
Thanks for the wishes, all.  Went out tonight & played an open mic, as last time it was 6 weeks before I could even pick up an acoustic (did Pamela Brown, Louise & Last Lonely Eagle - none of them particularly well) .
 
Peter

[dead_head]

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery, Peter. The Duke once said privately when he was facing his own serious health issues and the constant media scrutiny: Never let 'em know you're hurtin'.  
 
Good Luck.

[peoplechipper]

Peter, good luck! I have two smushed vertebrae (L1&2) that I just lived with...a long story but it went undiagnosed for a while and I deal with it all the time...oh well, I'm still going...

[5a_quilt_top]

Pre and post healing vibes sent from AZ.
 
I know from personal experience that back pain ain't no fun.
 
Best wishes for a successful procedure and unevent-FULL recovery.

[cozmik_cowboy]

Well, I'm home (since Thursday), and doing well.  I must say 48 hours on a dilaudid pump is not without it's charms, but probably best if that's all of that for a while.........
This one is turning out to be a fair bit less debilitating than the last; a week in last time & I could just make it the width of our lot with a cane; today I made it around the corner and halfway down that block & back with neither stick nor problem.
And, best of all, this time only the Duolian & Sheraton are off limits at this point!
Thanks to all for the thoughts!
 
Peter

[cozmik_cowboy]

oops - doubled up
 
(Message edited by coZmik_cowboy on June 29, 2014)

[sonicus]

Hang in there Peter , I am happy to read your positive post . Now you have the time  and  inclination  to do lots of listening and relaxing to music.  
This one is always a blast ___ https://archive.org/details/GratefulDead
 
 Wolf