Great Followup Visit

What a great visit to the doctor last Friday. It was the post-operation 2-week followup session. And the really great part was that the staples and the catheter were all removed! It was almost like a rebirth. I'm not sure anyone could ever really become comfortable with a cath and having the staples come out makes the followup exercises feel much better. Now, if the PSA levels stay where they are supposed to be during my next visit, no radiation will be necessary and then we just continue on the road to complete recovery.

As is the case following any major surgery, rest is still a very significant factor in my life. But, as time goes by, I'm sure I'll be making short visits to the station and hopefully be able to talk to you on the air as well.

Again, thanks to all of you for you good wishes, cards, e-mails, and notes. It has been very gratifying hearing from so many of you....makes us feel a part of your family!

On another subject, don't forget to join Lyn and me on our annual Fireside Christmas Show trip scheduled for November 11th. We'll be taking a great Gold Star coach and enjoying a super dinner and the most popular performance of the year at the Fireside. Call today at 921-1071 to confirm your reservation. We're over half full already and Terri is taking calls every day so don't wait. We'd love to travel with you!

Talk to you soon.

The Return of "The Body Function"

Well, we're now post-surgery by just over a week and I'm happy to day improvements are made, and felt, almost daily. Still find taking a nap numerous times a day to be an enjoyable pasttime. Everyone needs a hobby, right? I've decided that as long as I have the opportunity and indeed the mandate to "take it easy," I'll enjoy these respites.

One thing I noticed during this ordeal is an appreciation of certain body functions. Indeed, some which are taboo in public become not only "socially acceptable" in a hospital setting, but, in some cases, mandatory for your release. These are the ones I won't discuss here as I'm sure you already figured out just which ones of which I speak, especially if you've had a hospital stay.

Other automatic systems in our bodies take on a whole new significance following a surgical event of any magnitude. One of these caught up with me a couple days ago.....the SNEEZE!!
Now, normally, we sneeze when our bodies say sneeze....totally automatic, no social consequences, we do it, someone offers God's blessings, we thank him/her, and life goes on. Not so post surgery when one of those sneaky things makes it's first appearance. While walking at home the other day, the dreaded post surgery SNEEZE made it's first appearance in my life. No warning, no nose tickle, no nothing...just a sneaky sneeze. I'm here to tell you that following the SNEEZE'S sneaky attack, (and I'm not just talking one of those dainty ones....I'm talking the from the toes variety) I found myself checking the walls in the hallway around me for any or all of my midsection internal body parts!! You automatically grab the area of the surgical prodecure and feel around for anything at all, liquid or otherwise. Finding none, you realize just how much a sneaky SNEEZE can actually cause pain in your life. Granted, it is happily short-lived pain and happily no body parts have escaped, but, my goodness, for a fleeting moment, you wonder!! The good news though, is that survival of that traumatic return of a normally inocuous body function leads to the need for another nap! Which is exactly what I did that day and am looking forward to again shortly now.

Thanks again for all the good wishes and prayers received from so many of you. Lyn and I have really felt blessed.

We have a Fireside Christmas Show trip planned for November 11, 2006. It's a Saturday. We'll leave KFIZ probably around 11:30 and return by around 9. It's a great show....the most popular Fireside production each year. We could only get 50 tickets this year....so you need to book soon. Call Terri or Joy at KFIZ at 921-1071 or 1-888-900-1450 to book your seats now so you don't miss out on this fun event. The food is always outstanding and the performance memorable. Great way to kick-start your holiday season. Many seats are booked already, but we still have plenty left. Yours is waiting....all you need to do is call Monday thru Friday 8 to 5 to get your seats. We look forward to travelling with you!!!

Have a great day.