Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends

Day after.......

2012-02-15T12:08:00.002-05:00

The day after what..??
Well, first of all, the day after Valentines Day.....
second....the day after I take a tumble going out to dinner with my wife, mom-in-law, nephew and step daughter...
Yeah, we all decided to go out for dinner as a Valentines present to all of us......
Got to the restaurant about 6:30pm.....I think I was the second or third person out of all of us, to get to the door of the building.....I grabbed the door with my left hand because I hold my cane in my right hand....
I had ahold of the door, grabbed it with my right hand, cane in hand. Went to step into the little foyer....and tripped over my own left foot...and down I went.
Concrete and tile are hard.
My first thought....literally, was....did anyone else see me..?
and I looked around and there were no other customers around...So, my wife grabbed me by one hand, and I grabbed something solid with the other.....and pulled myself back up.
No major damage....left hip hurts, I hurt both knees and my left shoulder is a bit sore....
I sat through dinner....pretty uncomfortable sitting there....but I managed.
Didn't sleep very well despite doubling up on my pain meds....
I couldn't sleep on my left side because of my hip being so sore and that is my normal sleep side....so that threw me off too...
Woke up this morning at 4....and I've been managing pretty fair so far today....just moving much slower than normal...
One thing I can say....I am so glad that I didn't break anything....
I wish I had a video of the fall so that I could see exactly how I tripped and fell....because as I said...I tripped on my own foot...my left foot..
It's like a brick sometimes...and when I walk, I try to make a very concentrated effort to walk properly because I know I have bad foot drop on that foot...
But anyway....another day in the life of a TM'r.
There must have been something in the air yesterday....I posted this on my Facebook group...and there were three other folks that took a tumble yesterday also....
Fortunately, no major damage with any of them.
I've been lucky, if you want to call it that....because this is only about my fifth fall...and as unsteady as I am.....that truly is a miracle...but again, I make an effort to walk with my bad foot and leg in mind.
I guess the thing is....when I do fall....I get more ticked off at myself..because it is a physical reminder of my weaknesses....and I don't like that.

So.....I know I posted last month that I had a bit of one of my episodes.......and I had another one this month..
It started last Tuesday..Feb. 7th. I woke up with what I thought was going to be a head cold....pretty stuffy...slight head ache...
So, I took a dose of Alka Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine....that's always worked pretty well for me before..
Went to bed that night and still felt pretty rough.....Got up that next morning and the headache was there....not a terrible headache....just a very nagging one....and as the day progressed....I started feeling worse...
Fast forward to the next morning...Thursday...and the diarrhea had started....and I didn't feel like eating...I was extremely tired....etc...
Finally, by Sunday I was feeling better....just weak because I hadn't eaten much of anything for three days...

Let's see...what else..
Oh yeah..I had an appointment with my pain doc about three weeks ago....no major changes there....We talked about my pain issues, talked about changing meds....
I'm just not that up on trying any other meds again....even though my MS Contin isn't working near as well as it used to....
As I told my doc...I used to have a very high tolerance for pain...and it seems that over time....I don't have the tolerance for it as I used to....
I talked to my doc about that and he said that it is common to become desensitized...which, initially doesn't make sense...because becoming desensitized means you don't feel it anymore...
but in this case.....I have become desensitized to the tolerance I used to have....I have become more aware of the pain I have since it is constant..
It is easier to be tolerant of pain that is of a shorter duration.....but for someone with chronic pain....you are aware of it more because it never goes away....
So.....with that aside...I've tried quite a few meds for my pain...and what I'm on now has been the most successful in helping dull my senses enough for me to get along each day....
but, I have spoken with quite a few people on various groups on the internet, that either use or have used medical marijuana...with much success. They say it helps with the pain, the leg spasms and cramps and also helps sleep.
So....I figured I'd ask my pain doc what his thoughts were...
I asked him.....what were his thoughts and opinions on medical marijuana.....
and one of the first things he said....was that if it was legal in Ohio....he would have me on it in a heartbeat.
I was kind of surprised of that reaction.....So much of what you hear...is that lots of people in general are against medical marijuana....I suppose they have that stereotype thought in their mind.....that pot is such a terrible illicit drug that leads a person to crime and all that other hollywood stuff...
But....it seems that I have a pretty forward thinking pain doc and knows and realizes the benefits of the drug.
So.....I suppose..all I can do, is keep my fingers crossed that when the medical marijuana bill goes up for a vote here in Ohio, that it gets approved.
I may just have some luck down the road with something that helps me with this pain, my leg cramps and also be able to get some decent sleep....
and get off of the 4 different pills I take right now, to help me with those problems.

So...for my music post this time around...
I'll post the original tune of an old standard....that's been covered by lots of folks....the most popular being Sammy Davis Jr. and also the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band..
but...the original song was written by no other than the great Jerry Jeff Walker...
and I've always loved his version best..
...

Well...it's been real and it's been fun....but it hasn't been real fun...So..I'll leave you with that...and
Till Next Time......

Monday January 9th 2012

2012-01-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

The New Year has begun....
My New Years eve was very uneventful....my wife and I stayed home.....our grandson came over to stay and he and his nephew sat up and watched the ball drop on TV, with my wife and I.

So...what else to write about today...?? Hmmm, let's see...
Well, TM wise, things are still pretty much the same....although the pain level seems to be worse this year than in years past...
Which, is kind of weird because it has been warmer outside this winter than in winter's past....
Usually the colder it was, the worse things got...but now, for some reason, I have been having some bad burning sensation in my backside and my legs....
and my leg cramps have been pissing me off....
Two nights ago I had a cramp from hell......this time in my left calf..It lasted for better than a half an hour...
It eventually subsided and I got to sleep....and then at about 1:00 AM I was wakened by another one.....
They hurt to the point that I have to get out of bed, and try to walk and stretch and massage and eventually end up taking a Valium to get it to subside enough to where I can lay down again...

The day after Christmas I had a slight return of those damn episodes I had been getting....the headache, the diarrhea, overall lethargy...etc..
That lasted for about 2 to 3 days....but it was no where near as bad as the ones I used to get....the thing is, I thought that those episodes were gone once I had started taking the the Nexium....which was in November of 2010....I went about a whole year of not having any of those episodes...and then all of a sudden this one pops up...
I hope that it does not happen again..because if it does, that means I need to get back to the doc and start the process all over again to figure out why I get them....
but.....I'm knocking on wood that I do not get another one of those episodes...

Sleep.... yeah, sleep....what sleep..?? My sleep is so screwed up that I don't know what day is what hardly anymore...
I manage a day or two to where I get to sleep in a bit...until like 5AM.....but then, my normal is waking up by about 3AM because my legs are so stiff and achy....
This morning I was up at 3.....
I get up, walk about a little.....let the cats out, let the dog out...make some coffee....and by then, I'm whooped...
I sit down on the couch for a while...drink my coffee and 9 times out of 10....I nod back off for awhile....
I am usually so tired, so fatigued, so exhausted........

All of this gets to me sometimes....recently my wife wrote something regarding how proud she is of me....and one of the things that she said, was how much I work to try and make our lives as normal as possible...and I do...
I don't ask for any special treatment from anyone...as a matter of fact, it pisses me off when someone asks me if I want them to do something for me.....
I don't....I want to still do most of the things I used to be able to do.....I know what my limitations are, and I will ask I absolutely have to....but I don't like to do it...
which brings me to my point.....since I try to continue pushing myself, I know that it is affecting my fatigue level....
and then to go hand in hand with that, when I'm tired, the pain level goes up......
So...maybe that is the cause of the pain level being worse.....unless I'm just becoming more of a wuss and can't deal with the pain any more....
I've always had a high tolerance for pain and can manage to hide it behind a smile without too much problem....
Lately, I don't feel that it is as easy for me to do that.

I want 2012 to be a better year than it's been in the past....and I'm going to continue to work towards that goal......but.....

So, for now, I'll finish this writing for today.....

My music choice today......I'm going to go back a few years....back to something that came out right about 1970.....a rather obscure little tune....from a band called The Marmalade and their hit song....Reflections Of My Life....

Till Next Time......

Wow....I've never gone this long without posting

2011-11-03T14:54:00.000-04:00

Well....I last posted back in August....and today is the 3rd of November....I guess for two reasons that I have not posted....one, is that I have had a bit of blog burnout...and two, I have been busy with my TM advocacy. So, let's back up to August/September time frame....I'm trying to remember what has happened during that time..and honestly, I'm not sure I specifically recall exactly what has happened...but I'll paraphrase a bit to cover some of the major stuff....

As far as my TM and my TM issues.... I guess the biggest things are that I have been having some real hard times sleeping...It's not getting to sleep that is hard..I can drop off to sleep at a moments notice.... It's staying asleep that is the problem. I have been waking up anywhere from 2:30am to 4:30am, consistently for quite awhile.It's my legs that wake me up...they ache, they're stiff, they hurt....and I wake up.
The first half hour I'm awake, I can barely walk...I usually take a pain pill as soon as I get up, and between that, and getting in a little movement, my legs loosen up some..I've been trying to get outside and take my dog for a short walk when I wake up in the morning.....I'll get up, let the cats out, get a cup of coffee and then go outside with my dog and we will go for a short walk up and down the road...Some mornings that helps loosen the legs up, other times, it just makes them worse.. but my dog looks forward to it every morning (unless it's raining), and I kind of look forward to it also.....I mean really, at 3:00 in the morning, there is no one up....no traffic, nothing.. So we can just wander around at a nice leisurely pace and I can drink my coffee....We can spend a good 15 - 20 minutes walking around...and then I'm about done for...so we head back into the house, so I can sit down for awhile.
Lately though, of course the weather is a bit colder and I have noticed that I am not able to make the walk as easily as before...my legs have been getting stiff with the colder temps....So, we'll see what the rest of the winter brings....

Anyway, regarding pain pills....my pain doc had changed me over to Oxycontin from MS Contin because I had told him that I didn't think the MS Contin was doing that much anymore....I had been on it for a couple of years...and I think my body had really grown accustomed to it.So, my doc changed me over to the Oxy....and I really didn't like it to begin with..I was afraid partially, because of all the horror stories of people becoming addicted to it and also, I didn't feel that it was doing as much for me as I thought it should....but I stuck it out for 3 months or so....I just went in for a follow up with my pain doc a couple of days ago....and we discussed this....and I am now back on MS Contin..and so far, I am actually feeling that maybe it is working a bit better...so maybe that break that I took from it, cleaned my system out and now I can start fresh again...
My doc also started me on another med...which I can't remember the name of right now...but it is typically prescribed for heart conditions, but one of the side benefits, is that is also works on burning type pain, which is of course, what I have. So...I will give this a 3 month trial and see what happens....if it's going to work...this is the time of year that I really need it to do something...I remember last winter...and that sucked. The cold just isn't TM friendly at all....

Okay...what else..?Let's see......HmmmmmmOh yeah....At the beginning of last year, I started on a little project of putting together a book. I finished it and got it submitted to a publisher and got it published...It came out about a month or two ago....and I have had an initial success with it, within the TM community...What I did was to ask a bunch of my online TM friends; who wanted to participate in this project and what I was going to do was to put together a book of stories from a group of us....instead of doing a "me" book....which has already been done by a couple of other people...I had no interest in doing a book about "me"...I wanted to tell the story of TM from many different viewpoints...with people from all over the world..So I ended up with stories from 20 people...from as far away as Germany, Australia and India.....and also the U.S. of course.It's available through Barnes & Noble as a paperback and also an ebook for their Nook e-reader...http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transverse-myelitis-kevin-d-weilacher/1105835166?ean=9781462632961&itm=1&usri=transverse%2bmyelitis and it's also available through Amazon as an ebook for their Kindle e-reader... http://www.amazon.com/Transverse-Myelitis-Our-Stories-ebook/dp/B005UPGY3M/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1320346049&sr=8-10 and what I've decided to do, it to donate the proceeds of this book, to support TM research.

Otherwise.....I've been busy with my TM Facebook group....it's as active as ever and there is always something going on...questions to answer, information to post, so on and so on......so unfortunately, my wood carvings have been suffering...I haven't gotten a carving done in 4 months....which is terrible.I have a piece chucked up in my vice right now, that I started on long ago...and it still sits there, just waiting for me to get back to it...to finish it...to make it a whole carving...to become a real wood spirit....and I will get it done. Soon I hope.

I had also been working hot and heavy on enlisting the help of people in various states around the U.S. to try and get a TM Awareness Day in that state...and back in August or September...( I really don't remember) we got Alabama passed....I've had many other people in quite a few states attempt to do the same, but for one reason or another, the legislators just don't think we are serious, or that this is important enough for them to address....but we keep trying...I even went to the extent, that I was going to push for National TM Awareness Day.....one single day that all the states could use to observe....but I come to find out, that something like that has to go through Congress to get to the House to be voted on....and good old House Speaker John Boehner put a cabash on any kind of "appreciation..celebratory...recognition...type day"They would not even address it if I got it submitted....so, back we go, to working on state by state....

Anyway...I suppose I could go on and on with who knows what else...I could probably sit here and type more drivel but that is really kind of useless at this point...as, I just don't what else to talk about right now...I will not let this go on as long again, without posting something....but like I said, I kind of had blog burnout....and truthfully...I was kind of burnt out all around....I had expected my summer to be pretty good as far as the TM situation...but for some reason, it just wasn't a very good summer...I don't know if I'm getting soft in my older age and the pain is now bothering me more...or what's going on.. I've always had a very high tolerance for pain...and could grin and bear it on bad days...and even manage to keep a smile on my face.. but this summer just wasn't a very pleasurable one regarding the nerve pain.I am not looking forward to winter.but regardless.....I'll make it through..I always do. Somehow, Some way.

So...to finish off this post...as always...some music for your enjoyment...A tasty little blues tune.....The late, great Paul Kossoff (from the band "Free") doing a tune with that great blue eyed soulman....Frankie Miller.I Know Why The Sun Don't Shine.....Till Next Time......

Middle of August

2011-08-16T08:57:00.003-04:00

It's the middle of August....the hottest part of the year...
We've had some days in July that were truly brutal as far as the heat is concerned...Temps way over 90 for days in a row....and humidity and weather changes (storms) to go right along with it....
Aaaarrrggghhhh...
It was certainly giving me fits....the old legs were not my friends at all....aches, pain, cramps...etc..
But you know....I just kept at it....I try so hard to not let any of that get to me...Most days you wouldn't be able to tell if I was having a bad day or not...in the words of the old Rod Stewart song..."You Wear It Well"
I guess I have to attribute the majority of this to the fact that I keep my mind busy as much as I can....
I try to stay somewhat active....not near as much as I used to be....but I keep my mind going and that certainly helps me to not focus on the "issues at hand"
My last doc appointment at the Gastro doc....I discovered that I've now gained about 20 lbs. since my last visit three months ago....WHOA..!!
So...I have been extremely conscience of what I'm eating and I also found out, that the local YMCA has a program for physically challenged people...where they can go in and have use of the pool and there is an exercise program and this is all offered for free.
So, my wife and I are going to start in that program right after Labor day http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gify when they start it back up again.

But now with all that aside....As I said, I keep my mind busy and things have been very busy as of late....keeping active in my TM activism....We've been working in trying to get National TM Awareness Day legislation passed...and that has been a challenge so far...but we keep on.
Also, been working on all the things I needed to do to get the book published...and I just got a note the other day from the publisher that it will probably take about 6 months to get it in print....So, we wait for that...
Once it is published, I and many others that I know are going to be pushing this book...

We now have the International Disability Coalition website all revamped..
so I can now make any changes or anything at all, immediately....This makes things much nicer now...
I have been working on getting the IDC website cross linked with quite a few other sites....
I've been talking with Greg Sapp at the TM Network website...which is the one that I helped co-found....and we've decided to basically associate both sites together....and work as a team with various things....and one of them is that I've been trying to locate someone to use as a spokesperson for both of the groups...
I do have someone in mind and I'm supposed to talk to them in the next couple of days...so we'll see how that goes.

My carvings have slowed down a bit lately...but that's only because of all the other things that I've been working on....
I've made myself a personal commitment to get back on my carvings and try to get a few made up and post them on one of the online websites, to sell.

I did get a pretty cool little bit of news lately...some good friends of my wife and I...I made the husband a walking stick and the wife, a birdhouse with one of my spirit carvings on the top of it.....and they just told me recently, that they hung the birdhouse out in their yard in a tree and a bird actually took up residence in it...and now has babies..
I just thought that was pretty cool...

Anyway, TM wise....status quo.. Good days, bad days...what more is there to say...I've said it all over and over in the past...
Probably one of the things that bothers me the most now....I mean after all, I've gotten over all the mental problems I was having with me not being to do all the things I used to be able to...and am now channeling to the things that I can do....
but I still sleep like crap.
I can take a pain pill right before bed...I've even tried taking a valium right before bed.....and I still wake up so early (usually about 3 or 4 am) because my legs are bothering me so bad...they are stiff and achy....
So, I get up and start moving around and working out all the kinks and so on....and usually by noon, they are in operating order..

So...for my music selection today....since I already mentioned Rod Stewart and You Wear It Well....I figured I might as well post that one....

So that's all for now folks.....

Till Next Time......

30 July 2011

2011-07-30T15:24:00.002-04:00

Hello one and all...
Just a quick update today...
I've been working at creating some more TM Awareness...
I have that petition that it started back on July 11th...as of right now, there are 970 names...
I am shooting for 1,000 by tomorrow night because that's when I'm closing the petition..
I'm closing it because I want to get this sent to the Senators...
I have a list of about a dozen people in various states that are also going to submit this petition to their Senators too....
All it's going to take is for one Senator to take notice on this....just one.
It would thrill me to no end if we can get a National Transverse Myelitis Awareness Day passed...
That way, instead of trying to go state by state as we have been....a National Day would give everyone in every state, a day in which we can use to promote our cause...
Not saying that we can't promote it every day...this would just be a formal day recognized by the gov't.

I'm also in the process of getting some things finished off to have a book published...
I am waiting for a couple more permission forms from people that had their stories included in the book...I made the book a culmination of stories from 20 different people around the world...
There have been the "I have Transverse Myelitis" books done already....4 or 5 of them that I know of....and I didn't want this book to be about "me"...so we decided to make a compilation of stories...
I was also fortunate enough to have a story from a retired NFL football player...He used to play on the Dallas Cowboys and was on the team when the Cowboys won Superbowl XII...so he has a Superbowl ring...
I felt that, that might help the book and bring more attention to it...with someone fairly noteworthy in the book...
I have a real good feeling about this...it may not hit the best seller list, but I think it will get a good response..

Otherwise....I've been doing okay...basically status quo..
I had my pain meds changed from MS Contin to Oxycontin....My body was so used to the MS Contin that it really wasn't doing much anymore...
Now...I have a very high threshold for pain, but there were days that were not fun at all...
So...I got the meds changed...and now this stuff is helping some....but not too the point I thought it should...but I'll stick it out...and keep on smiling.. :-)
I really don't like to have to switch meds again and I don't want to go to anything any stronger....
All I can say...is that fortunately the warmer weather has been a bit of a help with the pain....but who knows what winter will bring again...

For my music post.....I'm going to post some Joe Vitale Jr.
My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting him and his rock star dad a few weeks back...
Joe Vitale Sr. has been the drummer for such notable bands like Joe Walsh, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash and now for the reformed Buffalo Springfield...
Joe lives right here in Canton....and Joe Jr. is a good musician in his own right....
I sent him a note awhile back after seeing one of his videos in which he used a walking stick....and I thought to myself...The walking sticks that I make would have really fit the theme of the video...so, I sent him a note and offered to give him one of my walking sticks...
So, he and I arranged a time and a place to meet for me to give him the walking stick...
Well, my wife and I were sitting at an outside table and here comes Joe Jr. with his dad, Joe Sr. with him...
Needless to say...Liz and I were thrilled...I have been a fan of Joe Sr. for years...
We sat and chatted for about an hour and those guys were two of the most humble, down to earth guys I've ever met....
He loved my walking stick and to show his appreciation, he sent me a signed copy of his latest CD....
What great people they are...!!!
Anyway....that's my story....
Here's Joe Jr's video...

Till Next Time......

Sign Petition for a National Transverse Myelitis Awareness Day

2011-07-11T14:45:00.001-04:00

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

The Pictures I tried to post

2011-06-07T11:51:00.004-04:00

Not quite sure if I was losing my mind, if I was too tired or if the website was messing up...but I could not, for the life of me, get the pictures to post last night....and it figures, the very first try today and they posted just fine...
Go figure..

So...without further adieu....My Balloon launch to commemorate the June 6th 2011 Transverse Myelitis Awareness Day.

There were some others in Ohio that did the same thing, and also some folks in Alabama that are doing this on the 9th, which is their TM Awareness Day...
Next year, I think I'm going to try and arrange a get together of about 5 or 6 of us here in Ohio and we can do all of ours at the same time.

and now for a little music post....
From a great band that was severely under rated and because of a manager that was ultra greedy, caused the suicide of two members...
The band is Badfinger and the song...this is also one that is never ever heard and it is so good.
We're For The Dark....

Till Next Time......

June 6th Ohio Transverse Myelitis Awareness Day

2011-06-06T22:04:00.002-04:00

Yes, today is the TM Awareness Day in Ohio.
The resolution was actually passed back in 2000 but from anything that I've seen, heard and read from others....nothing if very little was ever done in support of the TM Awareness Day, not only in Ohio but in the 3 other that also have passed this resolution.
I'm not finger pointing or anything like that at all...It's just been very frustrating knowing this.
I started trying to piece something together last year and still couldn't muster a whole lot of interest in trying to do anything....but I have been relentless and have continued speaking to other TMr's and working with other TMr's to help them get a TM Awareness Day resolution pushed through in their House Of Representatives to see if they could get it passed.
That, in and of itself has been a long arduous process but it has paid off in spades....Since we can now add Alabama to our list of states and there has been much more of an interest this time, with people in various states, wanting to help out and try to get a TM Awareness day passed in their state.

So, this year in Ohio I did a TM Awareness Day balloon launch...I attached a short note to the balloons explaining who I am, what TM is and that I was trying to spread awareness.
I was told that some of my other Ohioans were going to do the same thing...
Next year, I am going to try and organize a get together of some of us TMr's here in Ohio and do a mass launch.

Well....for some reason I can't get Blogger to allow me to post the pictures right now....or perhaps it's because I'm trying to do this while half asleep....
I'll try to post the pictures tomorrow...
I'm also going to bypass my music that I usually post with my updates...

So.....
Till Next Time......

May 19th

2011-05-19T11:32:00.002-04:00

Yep...May 19th...just 4 days since my last post...
So...the reason for this update today...I had an appointment at the VA with my doc there.
He really doesn't do too much of anything for the treatment of my TM symptoms..but since I am enrolled at the VA I use it. No telling when I might truly need to use the facility and the doctors.
I went there today just as a 6 month update...and like I told my doc, everything is pretty much status quo...
But, there was one thing I did need to go over with my doc there...
Ever since I had my EGD and Colonoscopy and it was determined that the irritation in my stomach was the cause of those episodes I was having...My gastro doc told me to increase my daily liquid intake along with the Nexium that he prescribed to me.
So, I have been increasing my daily liquid intake and of course, that is making me go pee more often which in turn, I am using more catheters daily.
I have come extremely close to running out of catheters a couple of times since...so I asked my doc today if I could have my catheter quantity increased...which he gladly did.
That is a load off, because I was sweating it a couple of times...actually getting down to my very last catheter and being on the verge of having to boil them to reuse them....and my catheter order came.
I am extremely diligent in making sure that I allow myself plenty of time ahead of schedule when I order my catheters but for whatever reason....I have had those couple of issues of things getting just a little too close for comfort...
So....I am happy now...I'll not have to worry about the catheters situation again...

Other than that....doc had me do some labs...just typical stuff....and also peed in the cup to make sure things were okay...
I don't forsee any issues with any of that...

and for a little music...
Something rather tasty from Alvin Lee and Ten Years After...
I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes... a great tune written by the legendary Al Kooper

So..
Till Next Time......

Just had my three year anniversary

2011-05-15T10:50:00.003-04:00

Well, yesterday was my three year anniversary of when TM reared it's ugly head into my and my wife's life.
I have to include my wife because it has affected her almost as much as it's affected me....not necessarily in the same ways but it has affected her nonetheless...

Anyway, yesterday came and went without any melancholy or depressive thoughts. This was a good thing because even last year, I still had a very melancholy day....
I suppose that things are now just getting to be "old hat" so to speak...
I will never, ever forget how my onset was...the unbearable pain and spasms and the paralysis and numbness....and the unknowing what was going on...and I'll never forget all the tests in the hospital...
I'll not forget my year of physical therapy....and I'll not forget all the effort to relearn how to walk...
but fortunately, it seems that I am forgetting all the surrounding depression and negativity that was so abundant in my earlier days.
Now, don't get me wrong...I still have days that are SOB's and I would still give anything to be my old self again....but at least mentally, I feel better.
That is a good thing.

Now....for a little music...
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit.....singing Basically Frightened.

Till Next Time......

Hello, Hello, Hello

2011-05-04T13:45:00.003-04:00

Hi to everyone out there in cyber land....
It's time to do a quick update on here.

So, to bring you up to date...Yesterday I had my 3 month appointment with my pain doc.
As I had mentioned to him at my last appointment, I was having some issues with my pain meds in that they just weren't doing too much anymore. Especially on bad days with rainy, cool weather and the old legs and my back side would just ping with the tingling and burn like they were on fire.
We had discussed the possibility of changing my meds since my body was probably too used to what I was taking.

Well, it just so happens that yesterday was a cool, rainy day and I was having fits..The doc asked me what was wrong when he walked in the room...I told him what was up and he said that he could see it in my face.
My blood pressure was up too...usually a good indicator that the pain level is up there.
The doc also mentioned to me that most of his other patients were complaining of pain too (this doc is also a neurologist besides specializing in pain) so most of his patients deal with neuropothy pain.

So we chatted a few more minutes about the pain and the pain meds and then he told me that he wanted to try me on Oxy-Contin...My first thought when he said that was about all the bad press that Oxy-Contin gets with people being addicted to it and people getting busted for it for selling it and so on....I asked doc about the chances of getting addicted to it and he tells me that Oxy is really not that much different than the MS Contin I am currently taking...
He tells me that Oxy is pretty much the same type of drug, just different formulations....
So I decided to go with his recommendation....At first I thought about telling him about a couple of other TM people I know that are taking Tramadol with pretty good success but then I figured I'll not say anything and if it turns out that the Oxy doesn't work so well,then I'll bring up the Tramadol to him and see what he says.

While I was there at the appointment, I also got on the subject of the terrible leg cramps that I get...and he recommended that I take a Valium when one of the real bad cramps starts...
So...I got my prescriptions filled on the way home...
and strangely enough...last night I had one of those cramps hit me....just as I was sliding into bed, my left leg started cramping really bad. Every time I tried to stretch it out it would hurt more and more. After a couple of minutes the cramp was still there and it still hurt bad...so I went ahead and took one of the valium and within about 3 minutes, the crap started to subside...
I was like...WOW...this really works. Thank goodness...!!!

Now, on the other hand...the Oxy-Contin. I took one before bed last night and I still woke up about 4:00AM with my legs killing me.
So...strike one
Today so far, my legs don't feel too bad...but I can still tell that the pain is there...but with that aside, I could still tell the pain was there even taking the MS Contin.
I truly don't think those meds really take the pain away...I think they just kind of dull my senses so that I'm not as aware of the pain.
Well, I'll give this a few more days and see what happens...

Otherwise....status quo. One thing though...I just am not getting the same old feeling of happiness and the feeling that my legs are working better now that the warmer weather is coming...
Last year once the warmer weather started coming in, I was feeling a bit better and the legs were working better..
I'm just not getting that right now...and I can't figure out why...
Again, we'll give it a few more weeks and see what happens with this.

Okay, I'll close for now...I'm nodding off while I'm writing this...

My 3 year TM anniversary is coming up in 10 days...May 14th......
maybe I'll update again on that date.

So now that brings me to this....my music post..
Something from the bluesman...Walter Trout..
a little tune called "Satisfied"
I hope you enjoy...

Till Next Time......

Creeping up on the end of March...

2011-03-28T10:01:00.002-04:00

What does April Fools Day hold..?
Could it be that all of this has just been a big April Fools joke and on April 1st it will all just go away..?
HAH...I wish.
Oh well, I can wish right..

Anyway, springtime is in the air. I can't wait for the warmer weather to get here. I am so sick and tired of being cooped up in this godforsaken house..
I need some fresh air.

So, not too much new going on...I have a follow up with my Pain doc on May 3rd. It's time now to readdress my pain meds. I have had some very prevalent issues with my meds not doing what they should be doing as far as helping with the pain...so, I know I must have hit a threshold with my meds and have grown used to the dosage I'm on.
I have had some of the weirdest sensations, and more issues with my pain bothering me than I have ever had before.
I just don't know right now though, if I want to try another type of med or just see about increasing the dosage of what I'm currently taking.

Now, on another issue...I have become fully aware of the effects of TM on me and how bad the fatigue can be sometimes....
Since my wife has had that damn Reclast infusion and has had this allergic reaction to it, she has been almost bed ridden because it hurts her so bad to get up and walk around. Her hips, knees and feet are most affected...so what this means is that I am doing my best to take care of things for her. Doing some cleaning around the house and bringing dinner up to her and drinks and so on...I make many multiple trips up and down the stairs during the day. It's not that I'm complaining about that, I'll do whatever I need to do to take care of her, especially after all she did for me in my early days of TM..
But I just want to do anything and everything I can to take care of her because I have some sense of the amount of pain she is in.
With that being said, by the end of the evening, I am whooped. I'm also having sleep issues myself because of the fact that since I get so tired and wore out during the day, that my legs and my pain are now bothering me more than they had before so it wakes me up during the night....Typically, I awake now usually between 2 to 4 a.m. every morning...so I get up and go downstairs and sometimes fall asleep on the couch for an hour or two...
I even tried to keep myself awake later at night...staying busy messing around on the computer until 10:30p.m. or so, thinking that it will make me sleep in later...but no bananas...it doesn't work.
So, with all that said, things have been pretty challenging lately.
I just want Lizzie to feel better...I've learned to live with my issues...I just don't like to see her in pain like this.

Well...that's about all for now...I'll be posting again in a couple of weeks...
So, for a little music to finish things off today...
Some Van "The Man" Morrison with one of his greatest tunes ever....TB Sheets.

Enjoy...

Till Next Time......

February 17th Neuro follow up

2011-02-18T10:10:00.003-05:00

I had my six month follow up with my neurologist yesterday...it was a pretty uneventful followup as most things are pretty much status quo from before, but I did have to talk to him about some new issues that have popped up since the last time I saw him.
I mentioned to him the fact that I've been having ringing in my ears for a long, long time but it didn't start until after TM hit. This was something that has been there for a long time but I had forgotten to tell my doc about before.
He said that it is fairly common in this type of situation...which I guess on one hand, was relieving to know, but then on the other hand, he didn't offer any solutions to help get rid of it. He basically said that since I have the ringing, it is something that comes with the territory...
So, this ringing is something that I've obviously lives with for the last couple of years but if I could get rid of it, I would love that. I think maybe I'm going to start researching on my own, ways to get rid of this and maybe eventually follow up with my family doc if I don't have any success.

The next thing has been the goofy sensations on the bottom of my feet...like my socks are all bunched up under my feet and between my toes. Again, my doc says that it is common to have these sensations. Unfortunately there isn't much he can do about it.

Then there is the cold left foot and leg. It's almost always cold and I've taken to wearing thermal socks to try and help keep my feet warm. That has helped some but not completely.
Doc attributes this to the fact that my internal thermostat is out of whack...and it is worse now in the winter time with the cold weather...
I can use a heating pad to help warm it up and just hope that when the spring and summer come, that the issue goes away. But then of course it will probably come back next winter...

Lastly, there is the bad leg cramps that I've been having...for about the last 4 months now. They come out of nowhere and there is no rhyme or reason as to which leg cramps up...one time it will be one leg, and the next time it will be the other leg. The cramps are so painful that they bring me to tears and they take a good five minutes or more to get them to go away...
I thought maybe at first that I needed to stretch more, so I've started stretching my legs, but that hasn't helped the situation.
Doc gave me three possibilities here...One is that possibly since I quit taking Zanaflex for the spasms, this is causing the cramping now. Then he said that possibly my electrolites and potassium were low...and this one I know for a fact isn't the case, because I drink a 32oz. PowerAde drink every day...and I have almost ever since the beginning of when TM hit...The last option is that the MS Contin that I'm on for pain could be causing the cramps, as muscle cramping is a side effect of opiods.
So, I'm going to keep track of these cramps..as it is, they only come around about every 2 - 3 weeks...and if things get worse then I may just have to consider changing my pain meds...
Who knows...We'll see.

So, it's been two years and nine months now...and new things are still popping up. Unbelievable..!!

Let's finish this post off with a bit of music...
Something from the great Leon Russell...a cover he did of the old Danny O'Keefe song, Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues...
Leon does this song justice...but that goes without saying..

Till Next Time......

January is down the tubes....

2011-01-31T15:55:00.002-05:00

Today is the last day of the month, January....the coldest month of the year..so says the weatherman. He better be right...dammit..!!

So, I'm updating today because I had a doctor's appointment today and I had one last week also. Today was my appointment with my Migraine/Pain doc and last week was my follow up with the Gastro Doc from my EGD/Colonoscopy.

So, last weeks appointment followup..it went fine. Colonoscopy was normal, although the doc told me he had removed a polyp, which he had already mentioned to me. But during the followup he told me that the polyp was of the type that possibly could have become cancerous..(really..?) so he removed it and now all is fine..

EGD was also normal but he did find some extensive irritation in my lower esophagus and upper stomach and he said that it looked like it had been there for quite awhile. Doc had already mentioned this to me before but again, during the followup he was going into way more detail about things...So, with this irritation being as it was, he had put me on Nexium, which I've been taking since November when I had the procedures done.
Now, oddly and strangely enough, ever since then, I've not had one of my "episodes"...one of my episodes that starts out with the frequent urination, the sleepiness, the diarrhea, the vomiting, the headache and stretches out for 4 to 5 days of hell....not being able to eat anything...losing 15 to 20 lbs of weight, becoming dehydrated....The episodes that had been diagnosed as "Migraines"....
During my followup with my gastro doc, he explained to me that the irritation that I had very possibly could have been causing all of those symptoms..(why once a month like they were, he wasn't sure) but that irritation was causing excessive stomach acids and was acting like an infection and possibly causing all that was going on...The reason that I had the irritation was possibly caused by excessive stress, possibly the TM or some other thing,,,but ever since I started on the Nexium, I have not had one "episode"...not even a small one...

So today, I go to my Migraine/Pain doc and I tell him all of this...and of course he is happy for me because he knows I was extremely bummed before not being able to get rid of those episodes and not being able to even plan anything as simple as a friggen dinner date with my wife, because I never knew when one was going to hit...
I never said anything to him about the episodes not being Migraines but I wonder how he felt about it....because he was always certain that they were...
I always told my other doctors that I felt that they weren't Migraines...I think I've even posted that in here before a few times....
but regardless, whether they are or were Migraines or not....as long as things continue as they are....it's now been two months without an episode and I am knocking on wood, praying to God, crossing my fingers,arms,legs....etc..that this is what was wrong..
and if so...Thank You Dr. Fahmy for listening to me and understanding and doing my EGD and colonoscopy and Thank You Dr. Brewster for recommending me to get the EGD and colonoscopy done.

And, on that note....since these episodes seem to have been stress related...it is amazing to me what stress can do, even when you have no idea that you are stressed about anything...

So next on the agenda, I get to see my Neuro on Feb. 17th...and chat with him about some of the issues that have been bugging me.....we'll see what he has to say...

and now for some good music....some hot blues for a cold winter day...
The Late, great Paul Kossoff, he was the guitarist from the band, Free (All Right Now)
This is Paul on guitar and the great blue eyed soulsman Frankie Miller singing...
Here's Frankie's song...I Know Why The Sun Don't Shine

Till Next Time......

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T15:32:00.002-05:00

Yep, I decided to update today...Christmas day. Why..? I don't know.. I thought about updating a few days ago and I decided against it just because I really didn't feel like writing.

So, what to update on...well, the typical stuff I guess. It's cold outside and my legs ache and are full of pain. I went out the other day, I had to drive to the drug store to pick up a prescription, the drug store is only a 5 minute drive from home. I was gone a total of maybe 15 to 20 minutes and when I got home, my legs felt like hell.

Also, I think my body is used to the pain meds I'm on, because half the time I swear that they don't do a thing anymore. It's obviously more evident now in the cold and winter time. I have an appointment with my pain doc at the end of January...time to talk to him about that.

My episodes....yeah, those damn episodes...I've honestly relinquished myself to the fact that if/when they get as bad as they have the last two times I'm going to let my wife take me to the hospital and let them admit me. Why..? Because I know I am terribly dehydrated for one, and two, maybe, just maybe, I'll find a doc that takes an interest in the situation and happens on something that just might stop them. I can only hope. Seriously though, the last couple of times I have been miserable, the vomiting now is really what is taking it's toll on me. I'm not nauseous at all, it's just that the vomiting hits me five to six times during the four or five day duration of these episodes and it comes out of nowhere.

Leg cramps...not that they are coming around more often, it's just that when they hit, they hurt like a son of a bitch...I had one a few days ago and it literally brought me to tears it hurt so bad and I had a hell of a time getting it to go away.

The last couple of months I have had the weirdest sensations on the bottoms of my feet. It feels like my socks are bunched up inside my shoes and bunched up between my toes. The feeling makes my crazy so I'll sit down and take my shoes off and of course my socks are fine. I'll take my socks off and rub my feet for a minute and put my socks and shoes back on and they are okay for a short while but within 15 minutes the sensation is back and within 30 minutes it's back to the point to where it's really bugging me. I'm at the point now that it's happened so often that I try to ignore it but sometimes I just can't. There are times that I will swear for sure that my socks are bunched in between my toes, I'll swear that I can feel it, but their not. What to do..???

Anyway, today is Christmas...I was awake early this morning, 4:00am. My legs were hurting. I was awake early yesterday at 4:00am also but yesterday I thought I had an episode starting. Thank goodness it seems it was a false alarm. Anyway, I'm tired. Exhausted actually.
But today was a wonderful day...so far anyway. Regardless of all the TM goings on...I was in a very good mood and very happy. I truly think I was filled with the Christmas spirit.
So, perhaps that is why I decided to do my update now. The time felt right.

I think that's about all to update for now....
So, to close, a little music.
A beautiful piece by Mannheim Steamroller, Silent Night.

Merry Christmas..!!

Till Next Time......

It's time for a new update

2010-11-04T16:24:00.002-04:00

considering that the last time I updated was at the end of September.

To back up a little bit, A month or two ago, I can't really remember..(thanks TM) I decided to go to my primary doc and talk to her about my episodes that I get. The ones that are supposedly diagnosed as migraines and that I have felt are something other than migraines for quite some time.
After explaining the symptoms to her she was stupefied and so she suggested that I see the gastro doc since a good portion of my symptoms consist of diarrhea and vomiting.

So, that brings me up to yesterday. I had a colonoscopy yesterday....the procedure was fine. The prep for it sucked. The stuff taste like crap, even with the flavor packet and running to the toilet every 5 minutes was a royal pain, considering I have a hard enough time walking as it is.
As I said, the procedure was fine, the doc said everything looked fine but he did a biopsy on a small polyp.
Today I feel like crap from the .....stuff they give you to knock you out...(again, thanks TM, I can't think of the technical term) and my stomach is sore from gas.
I go next week for an EGD. That's the down the throat one...

Today I went to the VA for an appointment with podiatry to see about getting a new pair of shoes, considering that the ones I got a year and a half ago are pretty much worse for wear. Also, to see if I can get some with better tread on them since I went down on my ass a few times because of these shoes since they are almost entirely treadless. The shoes will take about a month to get here.

Also, I'm now the proud user of Medicare insurance..(sarcasm)...
I got notified that with the Tri-Care insurance I was on (which was great insurance) since I am on disability, they are requiring me to go on Medicare. The cost of it is also being taken right out of my disability... kind of like I'm being penalized for being disabled...
At least I get to keep part of my Tri-Care insurance that covers my prescriptions....(whew)

So, that's about it for now....
With that said....my music post...one of my very favorite videos ever....
from Willie Nelson's 70th birthday party....a great Leon Russell song, A Song For You...with Leon, Willie and the great Ray Charles......who does the song such justice and brings a tear to Willie's eye...

Till Next Time......

Another September Morning.....

2010-09-27T09:21:00.002-04:00

Hmmm, that almost sounds like the title to a song...don't believe it was though. Maybe it should be...the song of how literally crappy I have been feeling this past week with another of my "episodes".

Yep, it happened again, it started last Sunday and then Monday cranked up and I had all the typical stuff and was particularly hard hit with vomiting this time. From Monday through Wednesday I had 5 bouts of vomiting and it was just stomach bile.
Between that, no sleep, diarrhea, slight headache, not being able to eat for the week, I ended up feeling like hell.

My wife and I decided enough was enough....I have felt a long time ago, that I just don't think these episodes are "migraines" like I've been supposedly diagnosed with...there is something else going here..

My wife called me new family doc and got me an appointment for the past Friday. I was finally feeling well enough to get out to go plus if there is something going on, I might still have a bit of it in my system. So, we went and talked to doc and they took blood and I did a urine sample. We'll see if that tells anything.
Otherwise, doc wants me to get to a gastro doc and start there. So, I'll be making an appointment and at least see what happens with that.

I have to do something, I cannot continue on with these too much longer...I am flat on my back for up to 5 days.
That pisses me off to no end.
I get so completely weak from not eating and that compounds the problems with healing back to normal.
If it weren't for these "episodes" I could almost just about manage the TM situation without too many problems...At least my wife and I could make some sort of plans once in awhile.

So, we'll see what the blood tests and urine sample brings back....if anything. Otherwise, I'll update again after I see the gastro doc...

TM wise, the cooler weather is already bringing in the stiff legs and nerve pain....dammit. Woke up this A.M. and they are aching like a sunnofabitch...

For a little music....I have to post this only to keep the thought of some sunshine alive....today is a cold, overcast, drizzly day here in N.E. Ohio.
This is a beautiful song first off....I've always loved George and this also has Pete Ham playing with him. Pete Ham was with the incredible group Badfinger. George and Pete were very good friends and George actually played the slide guitar part on Badfingers song, Day After Day.

With that aside...the video...George Harrison and Pete Ham at the Concert for Bangladesh playing Here Comes The Sun...

Till Next Time......

9/11

2010-09-11T11:46:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post..
I know I don't need to send out a reminder but I just wanted to post this.

It's hard to believe it's been 9 years. 9/11/2001

I'm Back

2010-08-16T18:28:00.003-04:00

Yep...I know it's been almost a month and a half since I last posted....

You know the drill by now.

So what has been happening..? Well, I'll tell you...as far as doctor stuff goes not really too much. I had another follow up with my pain doc and it was pretty much the same thing...except that I went over something with him that I'll explain in a minute but it leads me to the fact that I'm going to be trying bio-feedback. A form of meditation to relieve stress. Stress can bring on migraines.
Bio-feedback can be taught to yourself but it isn't easy to do. I've researched it some and have done some reading. My search continues. if I have no luck with doing it myself, I'll seek help from my psychologist.

Okay, Last month my wife and I went up to Erie on the 10th. My wife stayed for a couple of days and then came back to Canton and I stayed there in Erie for a nice long visit with my mom. This was the longest visit that I have ever had with my mom ever since I left at 18 to go into the Air Force. It was the most wonderful, enjoyable visit you could ever have asked for.

Firstly, it was great just to be there to visit with my mom and second, it is so nice and quiet and serene there at her place and third, it got me out of this place and got my mind away from all the day to day things that I think about....all this combined to make one awesome visit.

Now, I came back to Canton on the 19th and ironically enough, two days later I started with one of my episodes.....hmmm, go figure.
So, as I was saying about my doc visit, I explained to him what I just outlined here and it was as if a light bulb went off in his head. he didn't outright say it, but I'm thinking that he is thinking that my episodes are stress related.

Okay, so what else...Hmmm, let see. Right before I left to go to Erie I had an order to make a cane for a woman. I finished that recently and just shipped that off to her today. I have another order about ready to come in for a guy I know off of Facebook. He wants me to make him a cane that he can give to his grandmother for a present.
Speaking of carving, I had to revamp my website....
here's the link...http://kevinsraisingcane.snappages.com/

By the way, the woman that I made the cane for, had also asked me if I could carve an owl. Well, I told her I had never carved one before but that I would give it a try. I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted to do and I also did a little searching on the internet and found something that I kind of liked. So, with those ideas in mind I set off to create what I envisioned and this is what I carved...

Thing is, it looks a lot better with stain on it which I didn't take any pictures of after it was stained....oh well..

So my repertoire is getting larger...oh, which by the way, I know I don't have very many pictures posted on my website. I'll get some more posted to the picture show soon.

Alright, now as far as other updates with me....this heat and humidity suck. The barometric pressure drops and my legs ache like a son of a gun...I know that the weather is going to be bad.
The humidity is high and my head sweats like no tomorrow and I get so rotten tired.
The heat wears me out, my legs don't work.

Something unusual happened a few days ago....My wife and I went on a little trip to the Ann Arbor Michigan area to meet up with some friends of hers.
We stayed at a Days Inn. We all went out to the pool and sat around and chatted and a couple of them hopped in the pool. The water looked really inviting and I was really wanting to get my suit on and get in the water.....it's a good thing I didn't...
I went over to the edge of the pool and dipped my legs in the water...just up to me knees...the water was cool...I saw there for no more than 3 or four minutes...and when I went to get up..my legs would not work. I struggled to get up and when I did, I could barely walk they were that stiff.
I will say that fortunately two of the friends that we met up with are doctors so if something would have happened, we're in good hands, but still...even after just a couple of minutes I would have never thought that my legs would have gotten that stiff.

Geez...the trials and tribulations of TM...

Time to sign off....
A little music to end the day..
Doobie Brothers and STEAMER LANE BREAKDOWN......YEEEEE HAAAWWWWW....!!!

Till Next Time......

Happy Birthday Mom

2010-07-05T08:39:00.002-04:00

Today is my mom's 79th birthday...Happy Birthday Mom...!!!! I Love You...!!!

I know it's been a long time since I've updated this blog, I've actually had one of my friends that this blog gets sent out to, send me a text message wondering if everything was okay since he hadn't gotten an update for over a month. Now, if that isn't a good friend or what..?
It's just that as I've explained before, that things get kind of monotonous after awhile and I hate going over the same thing time after time...

Well, this time I do have something new to update on..actually a couple of new and interesting things...
The first thing, back starting on June 10th I had one of my migraine episodes start and this one was the worst one I've ever had. It stretched out over a full week and I literally wasn't able to eat for the first 4 days. I was sick to my stomach multiple times and the diarrhea was worse than it had been in the past. I got so weak because I wasn't able to eat that even after I was able to start eating it took me another week to even start getting my strength back. So, I was basically incapacitated for two weeks from this one. It flat out sucked.

I have to say that I was getting kind of bummed because the Canton Blues Fest was on the 18th and 19th and I so wanted to go....well, even though I was still really weak, I managed to go. My wife and I went down there, found a nice spot to set up our chairs, I plopped down and then didn't move. I sat and enjoyed the music. We took cold drinks to keep me hydrated and also fortunately the weather was absolutely perfect.

So the next thing, my wife and I changed family doctors. We were getting tired of all the run around with our doctors and the insurance issues that we were having. We have had to change doctors three times in the last year because of the doctors having what is called "credentialing" problems with our insurance..TriCare.

We found a doctor just down the road from us that has been with TriCare for a long time and so we went in and had an appointment to establish ourselves there. While I was in with the doc, we were discussing my TM issues and she mentions that she also has another patient with TM. I think this is a good thing because she will be familiar...but then I am also thinking...wow, this is interesting, because I thought I knew all the other people in town that had TM, This is apparently someone different.
So, I say to the doc, I know that she can't give me their contact info but I ask the doc if she will pass my info on to this person. She says that she will do one better, she says that while I am there in the office, she will call the guy and ask him if it's okay if she gives me his info. So, she calls him and he says sure, to go ahead and give me his info. So the doc gives me his contact info and so I call him the next day. This guy lives in a small town right outside of Canton and has had TM for 5 years.
This is all really bizarre because the stats for TM are that about 3 - 5 people per million get it and now there are 4 of us right here in a roughly 20 mile area that have it.
So anyway, this guy doesn't have internet so he really isn't very connected on alot of the information on TM and the support groups and the things that are happening and so on, so I told him that I am going to print off a bunch of info and ail it to him and then I'll call him again in a few days, I'd like to set up something to get together for a coffee or something. It would be great to meet him and maybe get all of us together so that he can meet the others here in town too.

Okay, one other thing, a few weeks back I met this guy on Facebook through a group that we are in. The group is called Forgotten Bands, it's a group about music bands that are old, kind of obscure and have been kind of forgotten over the years. This group is for the hard core music lovers that want to keep that great music alive.

Anyway, this guy is from Finland and he is a professional photographer and artist and we were discussing what each of us does. I explained to him that I am disabled but that I carve wood and I directed him to my photo page on Facebook to see some of my carvings. When he saw my canes he fell in love with them and inquired about having one made. We struck a deal that I would make him one in exchange for him taking professional photo's of it and letting me have them to use for myself in a website or business cards or whatever. He said that he would take whatever photo's I wanted.
So, I have the cane made and now I am working on getting it shipped to him. I checked on shipping and didn't realize that shipping to Finland would be so much. Almost $190 for UPS or FedEx. He's saving the money now to wire to me so that I can ship it.

Yesterday I'm on Facebook and I post a few pictures of some of the old carvings I did. Well lo and behold as soon as I post them I start getting comments about how cool the stuff is.
A little while later I get a message from a woman inquiring about one of my canes. She wants one and she asks about pricing and what I need to know to get started to build one. I send her back a note and the next thing, she send me back a note with all the info I need and she says she wants one...I'm thinking...Cool!!
So just a little while after that, I'm sending a message to someone else about something and I get a Facebook instant message from a friend...we chat for a bit and he asks what I've been up to. I tell him that I've been doing a little carving. He asks about that, what do I carve.. I tell him to go to my photo page...he comes back a few minutes later and asks about the canes. Do I sell them and how much..I tell him and he asks if I could make him one..He would like to have one made for his grandmother. I tell him sure, that I just took an order earlier that day and it will be a couple of days to finish it but I will be glad to make one for him. He says that is great.
So, within a matter of an hour or so, I took two cane orders....how cool is that..?

I got started on the first one yesterday, will get working on carving the face today. This is too cool...I am so happy.

OK, that's about it.
Oh, by the way...that website that I had put together will be closing soon. The "Ning" site that it is hosted on is going to start making everyone pay to have their site.
I created another one that is currently a work in progress. I will be developing it over time. Here is the link... http://kevinsraisingcane.snappages.com/

Now for a little music....I'm feeling a little Jazzy today...how about some of the late great Maynard Ferguson and that absolute amazing ear blaster song "Pagliacci"

Till Next Time......

A Month and week

2010-04-27T20:47:00.001-04:00

since I posted last.
Since that time I was supposed to have had an appointment with my psychologist at the VA and unfortunately that didn't happen because the doc ended up having to cancel that day. I had to reschedule and the appointment isn't for another week or so.
I'm still having the dreams so I'll still have some stories to talk to her about...

I did meet my new primary doc at the VA, seems to be a good guy. Not entirely knowledgeable about TM but I expected that. He did know what it was and did know how it affects people, so he did get "it" when I told him about the pain issue and how the weather affects things. he asked me to tell him the "story" of how it happened so I went through that explanation again and I got the same thing from him as I have from so many other doctors and medical people...a shake of the head in amazement that I went from sleeping to being paralyzed from the waist down in a matter of a couple of hours, all the while feeling like my lower half was on fire. Anyway, not too much that doc can do for me so I'm on a 6 month visit schedule with him.

I had an appointment with my Primary Care doc last week, it was a follow up from 3 months ago, which was just kind of going over some of my issues with sleeping (or better, the lack of), the possibility of my thalassemia and Gilbert's Syndrome possibly being one of the keys that is setting off these so called "migraine episodes".
Well, I get to the docs office and there is a sign that the doc is leaving on the 29th of April.

I can't friggen believe it....Just in the last year, I have gone through, this being my fourth primary care doc, my first one we had been with since 1999 when we moved here to Ohio and then she changed insurance carriers and they didn't accept Tricare, so we found another doc nearby that we really liked, that we went to for four months and she ended up leaving and going to another office that didn't take Tricare, so we went to another doc in the same office she had been in and he was okay but then it turns out that he was having problems with his Tricare credentialing, so we went to the other doc in the same office and it turned out that we really liked her and now she is leaving to move closer to where she lives which is an hour away.

I've been fairly fortunate in that all of the docs have been fairly knowledgeable with TM but I have had to still educate them in some things.
So, now there is a new doc coming into this office that is going to be replacing my old doc. We're going to give this doc a chance and see how she is. Again, I'll probably have to educate her some on TM.

I'm just flabbergasted that I've had to switch docs this many times in one year....
At least the docs that I really need to be stable, my Neuro and my pain doc are still around.

I did see my pain doc today, same old song and dance. The only change is that he wants me to bump up my Topamax dosage to see if that helps my episodes. Reason being is because I had a real brutal one a couple of weeks ago. It was a 5 day one that had me on my back and diarrhea throughout the entire time. I felt like holy hell. That was the worst one I've had since I've been getting them.

Otherwise, Keep plugging away on the pain meds and pray that the weather gets better. I swear, I can predict a storm coming on better than the weather man. When the humidity goes up and the barometric pressure goes down, the legs ache bad. It's funny, the other day when I went to my primary care doc, my blood pressure was 110/60 which is really good and that is what it almost always was prior to TM. I mentioned to my wife yesterday, that I could tell that the weather had changed, I felt like someone had beat me with a bat. Today I went to the pain doc, my blood pressure was 138/86....Yep, I knew it. Pain goes up, the blood pressure goes up.

So with all that aside, I've been back into my carving again which has been nice. I met a guy on Facebook that is from Finland. He is a professional artist and photographer and he also teaches. He was reading through through my blog and also saw some of the pictures of my carvings and saw my canes. At first me mentioned that he would love to photograph the canes, he loved the canes. Then he asked me if I would make him a cane that he could have and he would use to photograph and I could have the pictures to use.
So, I've been making a cane for him and he is terribly excited. I am also, I'm going international....how cool is that..? Here is a pic of the cane handle....

I never did post a picture of the Cigar Box Guitar that I made either...
and I have plans to make another one....this one turned out pretty nice, but the action of the strings is too high to learn how to play the guitar with. I have some other plans for this guitar after I make another one...

Okay, I guess that's about it for now....I'm not too sure what else to post.
I'll finish with the music...
Something from a band called "Moonalice"....these guys are great....G.E. Smith, Pete Sears, Jack Casady...and others...
A little ditty called "Kick It Open"

Till Next Time......

March 20, 2010

2010-03-20T13:44:00.002-04:00

Just over a month since my last post....and as usual, not too much has changed...for the better or worse.

This post is just a rambling of thoughts, ideas and who knows what else...

I guess the first thing...I have my VA appointment next week to meet my new primary doc at the VA. We'll see how much, if any that he knows about TM.
I sort of can't wait for my mental health appointment in April at the VA....I think Dr. Fitzgerald, my psychologist, will be interested to hear about the dream I've been having over the last few months. Not to go into detail, but this dream is pretty troubling and of course related to the TM.

Next on the list, I've begun a new project, well, actually it's almost finished. I'm making a "cigar box guitar". Yep, you read that right..a cigar box guitar. http://reddogguitars.com/
I don't even remember where I first saw them, but obviously I came across it somewhere on the internet and thought they were cool. I then saw a website with some plans to build one and from there I really started researching them.
Instead of buying whatever parts I would need to do it, I put an ad on Craigslist for an old cheap guitar and within a few hours someone sent me a note that they might have what I was looking for.

Well, I went and looked at the guitar and it was the perfect candidate to be scrapped and used for parts. The man wanted $15 for the guitar, which was a bargain considering the parts that I would have needed to buy, would have probably cost me about $40 or more. I even salvaged the neck of the guitar and used it for my cigar box guitar.
A couple more things to do and a set of strings and it will be ready to go...Now, to learn how to play...
What fun this will be...
Pictures to come soon..

Third thing, this has been bothering me for awhile... my old buddy in Erie, that I've been friends with forever, that we get together whenever I get up to Erie, that even drove me back here to Canton last October when I was in Erie visiting my mom...
that I've sent multiple emails to, with general chit chat about things and never got any response back and then the last email I sent I asked if everything was okay and I still got no response.
I can't figure out what's wrong...if I did or said something or what happened..
I'm at a total loss and it really bums me out because as I said, we've been friends since high school.
I just don't understand...

Fourth thing, I went to a wood carving show today. WOW is all I have to say...
There was some amazing work there. Some of it beyond description and words...
The wonderful thing about it though....is that it really inspired me to start getting back into my carvings again and to work on improving my detail. It will take me a long time to get to the level of many of the carvers there, but as I said, what an inspiration it was to see this work and it gives me this desire to be better. I even bought a nice chunk of Basswood there, to use to start a project. I can't wait..!!

Last thing, I've been working pretty hard at the non-profit I'm with, the International Disability Coalition. I've assembled a group of IDC state reps for about 9 states and one province in Canada.
Right now we're working on submitting the documentation to the various state government legislatures to get a state resolution passed for a TM Awareness Day in those states.
If we can get this done, then we're going to work on getting the media (TV, Radio and Newspaper) involved to broadcast the information. Hopefully, this will give us some awareness.
Also, I made contact with a man, Tom Rafferty, who is a retired NFL football player that was with the Dallas Cowboys. He was even with them when they won the 1978 Super Bowl XII. Tom has TM, his onset was one month prior to mine.
Tom has joined the IDC on our Board of Directors.

Well, I guess that's it for now....I'm going to be busy working on a wood project here in the next few days and also finishing the cigar box guitar. As I said, I will post pictures.

So now as usual...to finish off..a little music..
Some good old Johnny....

Till Next Time......

New post

2010-02-24T16:22:00.002-05:00

Well, it has been awhile.
I guess now about a month and a half since my last post. Just not so much in the mood to post so often any more.

The snow and cold have been really getting me down. The snow is so hard to walk in that I rarely even bother going outside unless I have to. The cold, well, do I even need to speak about the cold..? It makes me hurt. I'm not a whiner or complainer but I've caught myself a couple of times, on trips going somewhere in the van with my wife. The temp outside being bitter cold and the pain literally made me cry.
How frustrating is that...?

So, yesterday I had a follow up with my Neurologist. Pretty uneventful appointment. I went over some of the things that have been bothering me...things that aren't really new, just things that are cropping up with the weather.
He asked me some questions and also said that he is going to start researching my case all the way back to the beginning since I was given to him when my first, original neuro left.
Otherwise, he is going to have me start coming in every six months. On one hand, that's good...I get tired of having doctors appointments all the time...but then, on the other hand....that tells me...that there is nothing more that he is able to do. I have pretty much plateaued as far as my recovery. I kind of knew that anyway but when I was going in every three months it felt that there was some hope.
*sigh*

Well, I've been staying very busy with the International Disability Coalition. I've been recruiting a team of State Representatives to work within their own states for us. We have some pretty good plans coming up. One of them is to work on contacting each State Government and presenting to them the information to try and get a TM Awareness Day passed in those states. So far we have Ohio, PA and New York. We have lots of work to do and in conjunction with this I am going to have my State Reps start contacting the media in their area and try to get them to promote the TM Awareness day if we can get it passed in their states.

Working on things like the IDC gives me some satisfaction that I am doing something for my fellow TMr's and I feel like I am making a difference, which I like but then there are days that I just feel like hell also. I'm still fighting some of the mental monsters that have been bugging me from the beginning and it's tough to shake them. I'm still having the dreams that I started having months ago...

The pain is still making my concentration and attention span pretty bad. I find it hard to sit and pay attention to one thing for more than 20 minutes at a time before I have to get up and move around. My legs begin to bother me and it's hard to sit in one position so I have to move around all the time.
Even laying in bed...I can't even sleep on my back any more. The pressure and weight that there is on the back of my legs and on my tailbone area drive me nuts. So, I sleep on one side or the other and sleep is a relative word...
What sleep I get isn't very good sleep. I'm so blasted tired during the day...by the time the evening rolls around, If I sit down on the couch for a little while, I'll nod right off.

I can't wait for the warmer temps to get here and we can start opening the windows of the house.

One last thing....I am now going to have moderate comments coming in to my blog. I have been getting some real garbage lately. Also, anyone leaving a comment will have to do a word verification.
I'm sorry that I have to do this, but I don't want to have comments left here by some crap spammer.

And with that....some music to finish off...
Sugarloaf and their 1970 hit Green Eyed Lady

Till Next Time......

My legs are freakin killin me......

2010-01-09T16:01:00.002-05:00

Aaaarrggghh.
I am sooo ready for winter to be over. I will now gladly suffer through the heat and humidity and the fatigue and the head sweating anytime I do any kind of physical exertion. This cold weather is just not TM friendly at all. I don't know why but today it seems worse than the last couple of days.
I normally am pretty good about being able to keep my mind off of it by keeping busy with things, but today I was in the basement working on a carving and the cold just crept in and the pain kept getting worse.
I came upstairs thinking that maybe I would warm up and the pain would subside....not.

I do not want to sound like a whiner, but today is not a good day. Time for a pain pill and see what happens.

I have a doctors appointment on Tuesday with my PC doc. I'm going to talk to him about pursuing the possibility of my "migraines" maybe actually being something connected with the Thalassemia or the Gilberts Syndrome that I have.
I've done a little research and there is some possibility that the symptoms that I get during the "migraines" could instead be attributed to one or the other of those.
It sure would make a lot more sense to me anyway, than it does to just all of a sudden start getting migraines that don't even fit the typical migraine description.

I'm such a medical mystery.....

Oh well....
again, a little music post....this time to post something from one our TM brethren....Hal Ketchum... yes, he has TM although you wouldn't know it...

till next time......

The day before New Years Eve

2009-12-30T09:32:00.002-05:00

I'm back again with another post. I know it's been a bit since I last posted but again I say, not too much has been going on.
I'm taking the time today to post only to give a quick update on just a few little things.

First to say, that I can't wait for 2010. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I'm holding out hope that a cure will be found and things will start to happen. I say that because Dr. Doug Kerr, the leading TM researcher in the world that was at Johns Hopkins and the person that established the TM research center there, has left there and headed to a research center in Boston. He has done that because research dollars at Johns Hopkins were drying up and it was getting hard for him to do what he wanted to do.

I blame part of this on our commander in chief, I'll explain briefly. Back in March 2009, you may remember that he lifted the ban that President Bush had in place on stem cell research funding. That was great, many people had hope finally, stem cell research is the key, the possible answer to a cure to many diseases and disorders. There was some sunlight on our horizon.
8.2 Billion....(yes...Billion) dollars was to be going to researchers to advance stem cell studies to find cures for disorders such as mine. I know, you say, the Federal Government could spend that money in better places, possibly so but when you see a little three year old girl that has to breathe through a tube because she has TM, I want to see her cured so she can have a normal life. Honestly, I could care less about myself, I want to see her walk again and lead a normal active life, Not have to breathe through a plastic tube for the rest of her life.

Anyway, this was back in March. As of today the researchers haven't seen a dime of that money. Why? Our president say we can't afford to do it because of the war and the economy.
What was different back in March than it is now? The war was going on then and the economy was in sad shape then too. So he lifted the ban on funding and spoon fed all of us this false hope and then pulled the rug out from under our feet by not telling anyone that he had no plans on releasing any money anyway. A real pisser I'll tell ya...!!!

So, Dr. Kerr is changing positions to where he has access to better funding for his research. Good for him, he is devoted to our cause.

Second thing, I'm been kind of busy puttering with my carvings. I'm delving into a couple of other things besides the canes and the wood spirits too. I'm really getting enjoyment out of working with the wood. It has such a beautiful quality as you work it to a finish. I just love to see the grains of wood take shape as I carve the different shapes in the wood.
I found a local networking group online and they meet here locally once a month. I went to the meeting last night. I want to try and use this to possibly expand my carving business. I don't know if it will work but it's worth a try. There were 9 other people there and they seemed genuinely interested in the pictures I took of the carvings I've done.

Well, not much else I guess....other than old man winter is finally starting to settle in. About 4 or 5 inches of snow and colder than the dickens outside. My legs are reminding me of this every single day. I am getting now to where I really don't like winter at all. I love watching the snow fall, it is pretty to watch but I'm even getting to dread taking Sophie out for her nightly walk. In the summer it's not that hard for me to do because my legs don't ache and aren't painful but now within just a minute or two of being outside and it is a chore to even go a few steps. I can't penalize the dog either, she loves going outside for her walk and it's always been something just her and I have done. I like taking her out and watching her take in all the scents of the wildlife and everything.
Frustrating...............................

A little music to end with.....
Something by The Hollies

Till Next Time......

Middle of November

2009-11-16T17:04:00.002-05:00

We've had some mighty nice weather lately, I guess we did get an Indian Summer after all. I was beginning to wonder if we ever would. For awhile the weather was really crappy but then we've had a streak of some really nice days. Today though it was pretty overcast and chilly, back to a typical Ohio day.

Yesterday I went out a raked and bagged some leaves...(We have what seems like tons and tons of them) and I managed to get five bags done and the old legs just had enough. I could barely stand after that, it's from the up and down bending to grab handfuls of leaves. And again....with the sweating, the only thing that sweats is my head. It's so weird, the rest of my body get's warm from the work but my head drips with sweat. I have sweat just pouring off of my nose and down the side of my face. It never used to be like that.

Last week I got to go to two "Take a Vet to School Day" events. One for my nephew and one for my grandson. I attended these last year too but this year was so much better. Last year I was still early into my TM and it was rough on me. Not only physically, but mentally also. I was in a very somber mood last year at Veterans Day. Of course, I wasn't medicated then either...
I really enjoyed going to these events this year, the kids did such a wonderful job with the presentations they did.

I've been keeping busy working on my carvings and also have been going full force with the International Disability Coalition, trying to get things rolling there. I'm trying to help Gunny build up the website and also build up the organization. We would like to see it have some recognition and actually be doing the good that it is intended to do.
We are currently running a raffle to raise some funds....
The raffle is for one of my canes and tickets are only $1 each. Even if you don't want my cane...we sure could use the donations. The money is going to Dr. Kerr at Johns Hopkins Research Center for the advancement of stem cell research. This could be the ticket for a cure...
http://www.disabilitycoalition.org/raffle.shtml

So...I guess that's about all for now..
I'll post up some more soon. Now for a bit of music. Back in time to a great band...Blood, Sweat and Tears with I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

Till Next Time......

Cold Sunday Afternoon

2009-10-18T13:48:00.005-04:00

Hello, Hello, Hello......
Well, like I said...it is cold..not cold, cold but for this time of year, it's cold. Unseasonably cold. My legs don't like it. Seriously, this weather has been bringing on some leg aches. It's been rainy and overcast also...what a crappy fall so far. No Indian summer at all.

Well, I've been keeping busy....I've been working with a guy that I met online that lives in Youngstown. He also has TM. Back in 2001 he started a website and a non profit organization that he uses to try and generate funds to channel to Dr. Kerr at Johns Hopkins hospital who is the head of the TM research program there. The guy I'm working with goes by the name of Gunny because he is a former Marine. Gunny is Dr. Kerr's cousin.
The website and the organization unfortunately never for into full swing but when Gunny and I got together we realized that the potential is there and we are going at things full bore now. We are running into some problems with the lady that was running the website though. She apparently got tired of running it and never made any changes that needed to be made and is now passing it off to some other company to run it. So, we're in limbo waiting to hear from these guys because we need some changes made. We want so bad just to take over the site ourselves and probably will as soon as we can get some things settled.
Anyway...the organization is the International Disability Coalition. The website is
http://www.disabilitycoalition.org/
and I will be the new Vice President as soon as we can get the changes to the site made.

I've also been playing around with making some business cards for my canes. I think I finally got something together that I like...
Take a look....

The last thing....I just started working with a woman online...she had an idea for a business. She has TM also. Her idea is to create an information website that covers virtually everything. Q & A, Medical advice from professionals, message boards etc...and then the site would exist on sold advertising.
She wants to launch on January 1 2010. Currently we are bringing on people to run the site, medical pro's, managers, etc...and initially we are all going to be volunteers but as things start rolling and we get the advertising going then we will be getting compensation. Now, her thoughts are that for those of us that are receiving SS or disability and don't want to mess that up, then the compensation will come in the form of gift cards. Sounds like a pretty smart plan to me.

So...that's about it for now.....except for a little music...
Something from a band called Moonalice.
A gathering of musicians the likes of G.E. Smith from the Saturday Night Live band fame.
Pete Sears from Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna
John Molo from Bruce Hornsby and the Range and Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.
These guys have put together an interesting little band...

Till next time......

It's been awhile

2009-10-04T10:34:00.002-04:00

since my last update. I updated on the 25th of August the last time and today is the 4th of October. I suppose that could be because of a couple of reasons...firstly, and I believe I've mentioned before that things have pretty much leveled off, or I guess I could say that I've become more used to everything. What I mean by that, is that I'm used to the day to day discomforts and pain and spasms. No sense in griping and complaining any more because it isn't going to do any good. I've learned to live with what I have and I'm moving on with everything.

Second reason for the lag in updates is that I just don't know what to update anymore.
I'll post what has happened lately....I met my new PCP doctor last month, pretty good guy. Seemed genuinely interested and concerned with my TM. We sat and discussed it for quite a long time. He wanted all the details starting from the moment it happened.
Another thing is that my migraine situation seems to have leveled off fairly well. I saw my migraine doc the other day and we went over everything. I still have slight ones on occasion but not near the level that they were...thank god... So I continue taking the Topamax at the same dosage I've been on. Seems to be working fairly well.
One thing..while I was talking with my migraine doc...he also specializes in pain, and we were talking about the nerve pain I have in my legs..and he asked me if I had ever tried Lidocaine patches before. Nope, I hadn't..So he gave me some samples.
I tried one that night and first of all, it didn't seem to do much to relieve the pain but here's the kicker....when I went to take it off in the morning...now imagine this...these patches are about 4" x 5" with some heavy duty sticky on one side. My skin on my legs is pretty sensitive already from the nerve sensations I have. I was in the bathroom getting ready to get in the shower and I was trying to peel this patch off...and first of all, it was pulling the hair on the back of my leg and second, pulling the patch off of my skin was like setting fire to my leg....it about brought me to tears...
So, needless to say, no more Lidocaine patches on my legs, thank you.

We're into October, the cooler weather is setting in, I can notice already that the cool is starting to bother my legs. I could always tell the slightest change in humidity in the warmer weather. It's amazing how the slightest changes in weather can affect things.

Well, I think that's all that I'm going to update for now. I have some other things to update on, that I've gotten involved in with the TM community but right now it's all in beginning stages...so maybe in a couple of weeks I'll post some more.

and for a little music post....
let's do some Crosby Stills and Nash....Long Time Gone.

Till Next Time......

A quick update

2009-08-25T16:39:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update today.....
I got to meet my new neurologist yesterday. My last one (the one that I had since the onset of my TM left to head to southern Ohio to be near his grandkids) and he turned over most of his patients to this new neuro.
I had my reservations going in to this appointment, one reason was that he has a reputation of being against prescribing meds, especially pain meds. Now, don't get me wrong...I'm the worst pill taker there is but I will tell you....out of all the types of pain that I have ever had...nerve pain is by far the worst and when it flares up it certainly helps to have something to take the edge off...so I was prepared to state my case on that.
Second, even though he came highly recommended by my last neuro...(who I liked very much and was very highly respected in the medical community) I was kind of put off because I thought this new guy might be kind of *high and mighty* seeing as he was a Harvard Medical School grad.

Well, fortunately for he and I, I liked him. He was friendly, he was genuinely interested in my specific situation and when we addressed the pain concern he was more than happy to help out with the pain meds....even the nurses there at the office were surprised...
I take that as he totally understands the type of pain that I am experiencing and that it needs to be addressed.
So, that did take a load off as far as that goes.

It's interesting...my wife and I were talking yesterday....just in the last year...
as far as our doctors....I have had to change neurologists, we have had to change our family doctor twice...once because the doc we've had for years changed insurance carriers...then our second doc left the practice to go somewhere else.
I've also had to change my primary doc at the VA because the one I had, retired and we also had to change the pharmacist that we had been using for quite some time.
Kind of makes you feel like an orphan.....

Well, I think that's about it for now.....that brings us up to date with the most recent happenings....

Let's close with this selection from Leon Russell...I happened across this video the other day..a very stripped down version of "A Song For You" ...just Leon and his piano from 1971...this is about as soulful as it gets...

Till Next Time......

Well, Hello World.......

2009-08-17T12:17:00.006-04:00

My last post was July 5th...and today is August 17th....what a long strange trip it's been since my last post....no, not really.
I've just decided to scale back my postings....for a couple of reasons...first, I got tired of my bitch sessions...complain, complain, complain...Seems that TM can make you complain alot about many things... That creates a very negative feeling and I didn't like it so much.
Second, I've been puttering around with my wood carvings and cane making...not that it has been taking up a ton of my time, it's just that it is a bit more constructive, helps relieve some stress and allows me a chance to escape from the day to day drama of this house.

Here is my latest cane.....

I'm going to make a few more canes and then start posting them on a couple of craft websites and see if I get any hits on them so that maybe I can sell a few....keep your fingers crossed..!

Otherwise, as far as me and my TM....pretty much at an even keel now...I've grown accustomed to the pain and the achy legs. Although there are days that the pain is considerably higher than others and I do have to resort to my pain meds.
What I mean by the pain...just to give you an idea....is that it radiates from my tailbone...and it is a burning/fiery pain that goes down through my butt and down the tops of the backs of my legs where it feels like my skin is being ripped open. That is nerve pain. It's a really weird feeling/sensation to have all the time.
I also have one muscle in my left glute that runs down to about halfway to my knee that is almost always in a constant state of spasm. Usually, more so first thing in the morning and late at night.
The humidity of the summer is playing hell with me...I can tell the slightest change in humidity in my legs...the more humidity, the more achy my legs are...weird, huh..?
Also, with the heat/humidity...fatigue is really bad. I sweat like a fool and I wear out in a matter of minutes.

Lately I've had pretty good luck (knock on wood) with the migraines....I've not had any of the real bad ones at all. Just a very low grade headache that ran from August 10 - 13 but it didn't affect anything that I did. Hopefully, this new medication the doc has me on is doing the trick....

Well....I guess that's about it for now....I'll close with this and maybe write a bit more soon....
With us being in the middle of August....and the weather being hot...it makes me thing of an old album by a great artist...the album...Hot August Nights...Neil Diamond
Off of that album there was a song that I love to this day.....so....with that..here we are.

Till Next Time......

5th of July

2009-07-05T10:21:00.005-04:00

No particular reason I'm updating today...I guess I just felt like it.
Nothing has really been happening as far as the TM goes...the biggest thing since my last post was yesterday, it must have been the weather.....the temp was about 75 but we had 98% humidity...and it was killing me...I was sweating bullets doing nothing. My wife was saying she was kind of cool and here I was, miserable from sweating. If this is any indication of what the summer come August is going to be like....arrggghhh....just shoot me now.
Today is better...it's nice and cool outside and the humidity is back down some...thank goodness.

It seems that overall things have been going a bit better for me as far as being able to get around.. This past Friday my wife and I went to what is called "First Friday" http://cantonfirstfriday.com/default.aspx where on the first Friday of each month the city closes off a few streets downtown and there are street musicians and artists and food booths and bands and so on. There is quite a bit of walking involved and I did pretty well. Only once did we have to stop to let me sit for awhile. We found a picnic table and relaxed and grabbed something to eat and drink and I was re energized and off we went again.

Lately I've been trying to dedicate a bit more time to my carvings...I recently just finished my first cane to sell. ..picture...-->>

I also had posted some pictures of my carvings on one of the email TM lists that I belong to and I got a note back from one of my TM cohorts. She is a renowned artist, writer and poet and musician based in New York City. When I say that she is a renowned artist...she is known around the world and I was looking at some of the work she has done and it is incredible. Well, the note I received from her, she said that my carvings are powerful and handsome and she wants me to send her more pictures of my carvings as I complete them....how cool is that..???
I guess I really need to work on my carvings and really get better at it...this could turn out to be a pretty cool thing.

Well, not sure what else to write about...I suppose it's time to get a few things done around the house...I need to get some weeding done outside and and work on my latest wood spirit carving. Since it's supposed to be nice outside today I'll be sitting at the picnic table on the back deck. It is so nice to sit out there while I'm carving...

So, I guess I'm done for now...I'll update again soon....and until then...a musical selection.
How about a little Mungo Jerry...In the Summertime. I know we're not that far into summer yet...but what the hell...I like this song...it was always one of my faves as an early teenager and it's a catchy little song...
enjoy..!!

Till Next Time......

Just about

2009-06-21T10:49:00.002-04:00

a week shy of a month since my last post....Hmmmmmmm....what'sa been happenin'..?

Well, had another friggen migraine episode...laid out for 5 days before I could function normally again....dammmit I'm getting to really hate these things. Next doctor appt. he and I are going to have a comin to Jesus face to face because this is nuts. ............Okay...so, that's that with those...

Back on the 10th of June I had an amazing surprise visit from my youngest son that lives in Tennessee. He called me the night before at 10:30pm and said he and a friend were 4 hours away in Cincinnati at an amusement park and were driving up the next morning. I was ecstatic....I hadn't seen him in a number of years and, well, let's suffice to say that this was a wonderful reuniting.

This past Friday my wife and I went out to dinner with two other couples. This was our Canton Ohio TM group. This was Lora that got hit with TM in July 2008 and her husband and then also Lizzie's boss and his wife Nancy who is also a TM'r. She has had it since 2006. This is really bizarre because we all live in Stark County Ohio which encompasses a fairly large area and even more specifically, Nancy and I live in Canton and Lora lives in East Canton which is 15 minutes away. Stark county has a population of about 400,000 and Canton and the surrounding area is about 300,000 of that. So there are the statistics of about 3 to 5 per million that get TM where here we have 3 per 300,000 that have it. What's up with that...? We all even had the same Neurologist and the same physical therapists in the hospital. Anyway, we had a great dinner and it was wonderful to talk with them. Hopefully this was the beginning of many more little get togethers with them and possibly getting in touch with at least three other TMr's that I know of that live here in N.E. Ohio. That would be nice.

...K...this weekend was the weekend for the Canton Blues Festival. http://www.cantonbluesfest.com/
This happens every year and they get some pretty good name blues bands to come in on Friday and Saturday. This year...Friday was Johhny Winter and Saturday was Taj Mahal. Well, after dinner was over Friday it was too late for my wife and I to head downtown so we made plans to go Saturday. This is an all day event but I knew I couldn't make the whole day so we wanted to go at least to see Taj. We got there about 6:00pm and watched the band before Taj....and then he came on stage at 8:30pm. Now, to say the least...he was amazing...and the evening was soooo wonderful, the weather was picture perfect to even just a tiny bit cool after the sun went down. A slight breeze was up and the crowd was incredible. We had taken fold up camping chairs to use and it was pretty comfortable but with the pain I have and the legs cramping I had to shuffle my butt around quite a bit. Now, when we got up at the end of the night..and that was about 10:15pm the legs were shot. I had to have my wife hold me up for a couple of minutes to get my stability back. i had doubts also about how the legs were gonna feel this morning too...but to my pleasant surprise...they are not too bad. A bit tired but not bad. That's a good thing.

So, we had two wonderful days in a row...and I'm kind of getting a good feel for what kind of activities and the level of activity that is going to affect my legs. This is good info to know.

Getting ready for a nice cookout today for Fathers Day...

Music to complete my post for today....why not something that Taj did last night....and boy, dummy me...I didn't even take my camera to the show...I coulda got some great pictures....oh well.

Till Next Time......

Friday update

2009-05-29T10:22:00.003-04:00

Okay then, well, I have reason to update today....nothing TM related though. To back up to Wednesday the 27th...that day was my wife's and my anniversary...unfortunately we didn't have anything spectacular planned as my wife had to work that afternoon.
Now, as I wrote before...I just had my one year TM anniversary and I was fortunate (sarcasm)enough to be in the hospital last year for my wedding anniversary.

So, this past Wednesday...I awoke and things were pretty good other than the fact that the arthritis in my left hip was flaring up because of the humidity. It was really no biggie because I can deal with the pain but it is an annoyance...
Well, today was going to be kind of a big day for me because I was going to be driving myself for the first time since I got TM. I had to run to the drug store to get some of my meds. My Neuro had cleared me to drive on my last appointment with him and this was kind of like part of getting my identity back.

So, about 10:00am I get in the shower and get dressed...and then about 11:30am I decide to make myself some lunch before I go to the store. About 1:00pm I head out to the drug store and by the time I get home I'm having this feeling like something is stabbing me in the left side of my back up under my rib cage..It doesn't really hurt, but it is uncomfortable. The day continues on and I'm relaxing on the bed for a bit and had taken a vicodon just to try and help relieve some of the discomfort.
My wife gets ready for work and leaves about 3:30pm to stop at the store beforehand. So, I'm hanging out here at home and this pain starts to get worse..to the point where I'm thinking maybe it's a kidney stone or who knows...but all I know is that it was getting very hard to walk. At one point I went in to the bathroom and the pain was so bad that it actually made me break out in a sweat and I vomited.
So, back to the bed...and I find one position to lay that isn't excruciating and I start to think that something is really wrong...I had no idea what was going on. I think to myself..okay, when Lizzie gets home from work (10:00pm) I'll have her take me to the ER.
Well, about 7:30pm she calls home anyway just to check in and when I answered the phone she could tell something was wrong and she came home and called the EMT's because I could not get up off of the bed.
EMT's got here and I got another ambulance ride to the hospital...

So, I'm laying there on the gurney at the hospital in the ER waiting for the doc to come in and the pain is so intense...and of course I can't get any pain meds until the doc sees me and gives the order...so I wait and wait and wait...I don't know what time the doc finally comes in but when he does, first he has no idea what TM is when I tell him I have that..and then I describe what is going on with me now...and he asks me what I think is wrong...I couldn't believe he even asked me that...
Anyway...long story short...after 2 MRI's, X-Ray, blood work and urine..the doc tells me there is nothing he can find. No kidney stones or anything else...must be a pulled muscle..
I was like..????? What....?????
How, where, when....
Anyway...now to fast forward...my wife and I get home about 2:00am Thursday and I'm so juiced up on pain meds that I am able to sleep...but I sleep in a reclining chair instead of the bed because I can't lay flat still.
Thursday my wife calls my PC doctor and she gets me in. I am barely able to walk to get in and out of the van but we get to the docs office and I cover everything with her and she starts checking me out. Since she already has access to everything they did at the hospital the night before she goes over that and she starts thinking as to what might be going on.
First, she is going to have some blood taken to check for a blood clot in my lung. That could potentially cause the type of pain I was suggesting (that came back negative)...and then she had me get up on the exam table on my stomach.. and she starts manipulating the area and I tell her when she hits specific spots...and then she says..hmmm, 10 to 1 it's the floating ribs #11 - 12.
Apparently they can get out of place and cause the type of pain I was having...funny thing is though that they usually show on MRI's..
Anyway, my doc worked on the area for a few minutes and told me to up my zanaflex for a couple of days.
Well, I'll tell you...as the day went on yesterday after I saw my doc...The pain in that spot starting feeling so much better.
I slept in the chair again last night and took my zanaflex this morning and now the pain is all but just a mild twinge. I don't know what my doc did but she apparently knew what she was doing.

So...two years in a row..my wedding anniversary..ambulance ride, hospital...This is getting to be a bit of a habit.

Music today...just for fun....
A song from the 70's called Popcorn from a band called Hot Butter....

Till Next Time......

14 May

2009-05-14T14:32:00.003-04:00

One year ago today...1:00am to be more or less, exact..
My wife and I had taken a little vacation to Niagara Falls and then stopped in Erie, PA to visit with my mom for a couple of days. We arrived in Erie on the afternoon of the 13th and had a great evening. Early morning of the 14th that all came to change.

I awoke at approx. 1:00am with what I felt were bad leg cramps....little did I know.
The EMT's were called and by 3:00am I was in the emergency room paralyzed from the waist down. The pain throughout this time was incredible. Hmmm..Did I say pain...more like fire. Fire from my waist to my toes. I still remember hollering out while the EMT's were there...I hollered.."My balls are burning"...and it literally felt like I had been doused with gasoline all over my crotch and legs...and a match thrown on me.

What the hell was happening to me..? I had no idea... I was scared..was I dying..? I'm sure my wife was scared as well as my mom too. This was like a dream gone bad. I remember thrashing around from the pain/fire...it wouldn't go away. I couldn't voluntarily move anything from my waist down. The thrashing was all involuntary...why was my body doing this..? Please make this stop.

.....The memories of that night/early morning have flashed through my mind countless times in the last year...more than I care to remember and unfortunately those memories will probably rear their head many more times...
But, I must say...even though those memories are probably never going to go away...the actual events of that morning are gone and should never come back.

One whole year has passed...and what a year it has been. I am glad this past year is over....all the physical problems...all the mental problems...have been an incredible challenge. I've just completed almost one full year of physical therapy...and have made progress by leaps and bounds. The mental challenges are pretty much under control...
I still have some limitations, but at least I know and understand what they are and how to deal with them. I can live with that, especially knowing that with each passing week, month and year things should slowly continue getting better. One thing I do know is that there will continue being some physical challenges brought about by the weather here in Ohio. I suppose I'll just have to be prepared for that when it happens.

I've had this day on my mind for quite some time....I suppose everyone thinks about certain "anniversaries" and this one for me was no different. I knew it was coming and it was quite a milestone...after all, when TM first hit me I had no idea where I would stand one year out. Well, now I know.

An "interesting" thing did happen to me this morning though..and I don't know if it was a result of me thinking about today being my anniversary or what..but, at 2:00am I woke up with an incredible leg cramp..in my left leg. The pain was incredible to the point where I got up out of bed...walked into the bathroom and was trying to walk the cramp out...just as I had done one year ago. The cramp continued to get worse and my mind started racing....This pain was familiar. I'd heard of reoccurring TM before but the chances are very small...but then again...so are the chances of getting TM...
Surely this wasn't another TM flareup...I started thinking about what if it was and I got paralyzed while I was in the bathroom...what was I going to do..? What if I fell while I was in there..What if I had to drag myself back into the bedroom to wake my wife..? The thoughts I was having were like a bad dream...

Anyway, the cramp started to subside...so I continued to stretch and walk it out...I was up for a half an hour working this cramp out and finally it did go away....
You want to talk about being relieved...

Well...I'm sure that I have gone on long enough now....I wanted to update today with it being my anniversary. I do have alot more that I want to say...but I'll hold that for future updates...
Having TM has really changed my thoughts and outlook on many things...has it made me wiser..I'm not sure, but it sure has made me more appreciative of some things...
With that being said...I want to thank all of you...friends and family that have been there...those of you that have popped in and read this blog...and all of my other TM friends out there for their words of support. All of you are a great bunch.

Music for today....and I know this isn't going to be everyone's taste...but I'm posting this song for one reason....
The band...Judas Priest...and the song...."PAINKILLER" and I think you can understand why I'm posting that...

Till Next Time......

Saturday

2009-05-02T10:59:00.002-04:00

May 2nd 2009...
Figured I'd do a bit of an update today. Since my last post...if you recall, I was recovering from another migraine. I'm now over that and back on my low to no tyramine diet to see if that helps me with these headaches.

I've recently been "lucky" enough to get notice from my neurologist that he is moving to another part of the state...4 hours away....so I won't be seeing him anymore. Even though it sucks that I have to change Neuros...the new doctor that my current neuro referred us to seems to be on the ball. My current neuro tells us that he is younger and very educated..he studied at Harvard Medical School and he is also very aware of TM. I've yet to meet him but I feel that he should be okay..At least I don't have to educate a newbie on what's going on with me.

Also, on top of having a new Neuro...my wife and I had to change our Primary care doc too. Our old doc changed insurance carriers and they were not going to accept who we have our insurance through...After our doc and her new carrier bickered back and forth the insurance company told her that they would grandfather any old patients...well, they blew smoke up her butt because they are not honoring that. We got a letter from our insurance with our new docs info. My wife and I were concerned because both my wife and I have unique situations and again, we didn't want to have to educate someone new. We had our first appointment this past Thursday and to be honest, we were pleasantly surprised. She is very aware of TM and I can say that with certainty because while I was talking with her she asked me some very specific TM related questions. She also told me that she had done some training under my old neurologist...so, I feel very confident and comfortable with her. Whew....that takes a load off.

Okay...let's see...what else..? Oh yeah...yesterday I was busy around the house trying to do some things...(cleaning up and scrubbing our laundry room top to bottom)
Not a terribly strenuous job but after I got into it after a bit...I was sweating like a fool. I figured out what was going on...we had all the windows in the house open because it was absolutely gorgeous outside as far as temperature. It was raining out but that kept the temp down...the only problem though...is that the humidity was up pretty high. So, with 70 degree temps and the humidity being over 80% it whipped me. I ended up taking three showers yesterday...
The one thing I can see now that is starting to bother me...is that this summer when the temps are floating around 80 and the humidity is high..(which is very common here) I, again won't be able to go outside. I'll be stuck in this friggen house again.
I'm getting as much outside time as I can now...like today...high of 60 and partly cloudy...I'm getting outside...the only problem...I can't do much yard work..the ground is saturated from all the rain we had yesterday....Oh well, I'll figure out something.

So..everyone..that's about it for now

For my music selection today...I'm going to go with a little jazz...something from the great Chuck Mangione.
The song is Children of Sanchez.

Till Next Time......

It's a beautiful Friday

2009-04-24T13:25:00.002-04:00

outside and I figured I'd update.
You haven't heard anything from me in awhile and I'll tell you why. Other than the fact that I was scaling back my posts I ended up having another one of my "migraine" episodes. I'm still recovering from it but I feel much better today.
It started on Tuesday when I was really sleepy all day. I rode with my wife to pick up our grandson from school and I fell asleep in the car. That never happens to me. Then when we get home and I'm sitting on the couch and I fall asleep again. Tuesday night I sleep pretty fair but on Wednesday I get up and I know it's there. The headache is starting and the diarrhea is starting and I feel like hell. Wednesday night I sleep terrible and yesterday all day I am so tired and weak and just wishing that it would stop. I slept terrible again last night night but after my shower today I did feel a bit better. I am just so blasted weak..
Now, I just recently posted that it had been over two months since my last episode ended and then I was knocking on wood that I was over these damn things....and then this happens.
I'm going back through my diet to try and remember if there was anything I ate that might have been on my No-No list that I was trying to reintegrate into my diet. The only thing I can remember is that I made a banana and peanut butter shake the day prior to this episode and both of those are on my list. I'll stay off of these longer this time and see if that may have been what caused it....otherwise, I don't know.

Today and this weekend are supposed to be in the 80's or high 70's and I'll be damned if I'm going to be stuck in the house with the first gorgeous weather of the season...especially since it comes around some rarely.

So, with all that being said...it's 79 degrees outside right now...that is a nice change from what we have had...and to segue into my music selection...let's go back to some Little River Band during their 1982 - 1985 years...their vocalist was John Farnham..arguably one the greatest vocalists ever...and here is LRB with "Cool Change" even though our weather isn't cool...it is a cool change... :-)

Till Next Time......

Sunday

2009-04-12T14:29:00.003-04:00

update..
I figured I'd update for a couple of reasons today.
First, The last time I updated was last Sunday...so it's been one week. Second, today is Easter...so Happy Easter everyone..!!
Third..just a couple of quick little updates about the TM.

I was going through the blog and finding all the dates that I had recorded as far as my migraine episodes. It seems that my last episode ended the 21st of February..so that makes it almost 2 months now since I've had one...(I'm knocking on wood while I type this) So, please....let me not have another one ever again...
Now, to start figuring out exactly what it was that was triggering them. Hmmmmmm...

Otherwise..all else has been pretty good...the only thing that was a bit of a bugger...here about a week or so ago...we had some pretty chilly days and it was also raining...the humidity was high...and my legs were letting me know it. I'm guessing I'm a human weather weather barometer. I could tell before hand that the weather was going to be bad and all while the rain and cold my legs felt like hell. They were so stiff and achy. The one good thing is that the pain level wasn't any worse...it's just the stiffness and ache.
Now, yesterday and today..it's been sunny and the temp has been about 50 degrees. I woke up and the legs were stiff but as the day wore on...the legs felt much better.
I guess now since I've experienced the cold, the rain, the humidity..I'm curious as to how the heat and humidity is going to work out...I'm not sure I want to find out..

The last few days I've been thinking about some things I could be doing to keep myself busy for a cheap hobby...and I've always liked things I could do with my hands...well, I came across an issue of a woodcarvers magazine where they talked about carving wood spirits...and I went rummaging around some of the cut up logs we have laying up behind the house. I brought a couple in to start practicing on...so, the last couple of days I've been playing around in the basement in my workshop and this is what I came up with...now, remember...this is practice...I'm learning what I need to do to get some of the detail correct..things like the eyes and the nose and mouth..but, so far it's been pretty fun...
take a look...

So...for the music today....This song combined with the way the weather is today...makes me think about just laying in a huge field and just taking in the sky, the breeze, watching the birds....just loving life...!!
The band...Dream Academy...and the song...Life In A Northern Town..

Till Next Time......

Sunday

2009-04-05T09:31:00.003-04:00

morning.
Well, I figured I'd do a quick update this morning.
Let's see...since last update what's been happening..? TM wise....the legs have been a bit of a bother again...We had a day where the humidity was high and it was raining ALL DAY LONG....and on top of that the temp was back down into the 30's. I think for my next career I shall become a human weather barometer...I know when the weather is going to be crappy outside.
To top all this off...sleep has been lacking the last two nights...This really sucks too because there for a couple of nights I slept like a baby..I mean I really slept well..and it felt so good to wake up and know that I actually had a great nights sleep. I suppose I might as well get used to this because I don't see anything changing down the road.

Okay...now..as far as the "migraines" go...knock on wood...I've had no episodes seeing I've been on the meds and been following the diet. I am slowly integrating some of the foods on the diet back into my normal diet...for instance..bananas were one thing on the list that I was supposed to stay away from..and over the last week I've had two bananas..and no migraines..so, I think now I'll start with something else and see how I do with that.

Since I'm down to one day a week at PT I've also been hitting the treadmill here at home a bit. That's going fairly well also..now, if the damn weather would start warming back up a bit again...I'll be back outside and hopefully be walking down the block a bit.

For the music today....I'm posting something from one of my favorite guitarists....Jeff Beck, who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. He was inducted last night as a performer but had been inducted twice before as a member of the Yardbirds as a solo artist and a band leader.
He is one of the true guitar heroes....

Till Next Time......

Tuesday

2009-03-24T18:54:00.002-04:00

evening update.
Okay boys and girls...well, I figured I'd go ahead and update this thing...not that there really is a whole lot to update right now.
I'll back up to Saturday since that's my last update. Since then things have been pretty uneventful. The biggest thing is that for a few days my stomach had been really crappy and I was having the most awful time sleeping. I could not figure things out for the life of me. Well, I think I may have figured out what was going on, When I went to see the headache doctor he gave me some name brand Depakote ER sample packs to take and he also gave me a script for them. I had the script filled but had been using the sample packs.
Well, I looked online on Sunday on the side effects on Depakote ER and one of the top six side effects is "trouble sleeping". I thought to myself...Hmmmmmmm.
So, for no reason other than to see what happened..I started taking the script pills which were generic ones. Lo and behold...no more stomach problems and I'm now back to sleeping okay again. Doesn't make sense because they are supposed to be the same formulation, but somethings up.

I went to PT yesterday for the first time in two weeks...it went well. Strength is up and I felt pretty good although a bit wore out afterward. While I was there at PT my therapist mentioned to me about maybe cutting down to one day a week. I think she mentioned that because of the obvious progress I'm making on my own at home and going there for PT isn't really that productive anymore. I think she feels that there really isn't a whole lot more that they can do there.

As far as headaches go...been okay so far. I'm taking my Depakote and sticking to my diet. We'll see how things go here for a few more weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Otherwise, I don't think I'll be updating this quite as often as I had been. First off, the weather is starting to get nice so my butt is going to be outside and secondly, all of my TM stuff has pretty much leveled off. The biggest issue right now is the headaches and sick episodes. I'll update with info on what's going on with that.

I may update just for GP's off and on, just to throw some bits of wit and wisdom out there.

On to the music.....
Gonna pull an oldie out of my butt..(most of what I do pull out are oldies anyway, I'm just funny like that)

Quick side note why I chose the song that I did.....
This has been a very arduous past 10 months..and since I got hit with TM I've done a whole lot of thinking, soul searching and reaching down inside.

I've met an incredible bunch of people online through some different TM message boards and also had a hand in creating a TM support website. I've also met some folks with young children that got hit with TM also. I look at what TM did to me and also what it has done to the others out there especially the youngsters. How could this happen to a little child..?

Well, through this all...and through what little I was able to do in helping create the TM support site, I've thought to myself that I wish there was more I could do to change the world or at least help things along in not only spreading the word about TM but to also support those with it. I wish...I wish. We do have a glimmer of hope with the recent approval of stem cell testing. Who knows who's going to be the ones chosen for that though..?

Anyway.....1971 was the year. The group was Ten Years After and the song is "I'd Love To Change The World"

I hope everyone is well and in the wit and wisdom of one of my heroes, Red Green, keep your stick on the ice.

Till Next Time......

Saturday the 21st

2009-03-21T09:13:00.002-04:00

update.
Well, it's been a few days since the last update..and as you probably had read previously..last weekend was a bitch as I had another "episode". Things have been better since Tuesday other than the fact that I am having an incredibly hard time sleeping, even taking an Ambien. I just cannot get comfortable, it seems that my left leg just "bothers" me, it's not pain, it's not spasms, it's not anything else...I just have this feeling in my leg that makes it very uncomfortable. Geez, if it's not one thing, it's another.
Otherwise, still sticking to my diet to see if that helps with these headache episodes.
Not really much more to update at this time...

Music for today...
Feeling like a little Dave Mason and We Just Disagree

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-03-16T09:30:00.002-04:00

update.
Well, it has not been the best of weekends. I had the cold last week and on Friday I started in with one of my "migraine" episodes(and I'm starting to think that these things really aren't migraines after all...don't ask me why I say that..I just have this feeling)
First off...on Friday I didn't have a headache...but the diarrhea started in...I didn't feel too bad but I knew something was coming on. Friday night i did not sleep well at all...
Saturday I was still in bad shape...and didn't sleep well. Yesterday same..and last night about 5:00pm I did start getting a headache.
I've been taking my Depakote all along and still had the headache last night but I feel that a good part of it was because I was so blasted tired from not sleeping.
Now, I slept fair last night..I've taken an Ambien each of he last three nights to try and get some sleep...This morning I was awake at 5:00am but the headache had subsided some. I don't feel too awful bad except for being all weak again.
I think also one of the reasons that I don't sleep so well, is that when these episodes flare up so do my TM symptoms...my left leg really bothers me with pain and is just plain uncomfortable. I've taken to sleeping with one of those leg pillows between my legs to try and keep my left leg comfortable.
Geez, I am soooo tired of all of this.
BTW...I didn't make PT today either...I just don't have the strength and I'm still fighting the remnants of diarrhea....
That's all for now...
Quick music post...
a little Brian Auger's Oblivion Express with Truth. Some of the best fusion jazz you'll ever hear..

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-03-12T10:50:00.002-04:00

update.
Well, I've been fighting this cold now since Monday and can't seem to shake it. I got up this morning more plugged up than I was yesterday. I even took a dose of Alka Seltzer Plus Cold medicine last night. That stuff usually shakes it out of me. Not so lucky this time...I'm guessing the possibility exists that my immune system may be compromised and that's why this thing is hanging on like it is.
I didn't go to PT today either.

Two days will be my 10 month anniversary of TM...and I suppose the biggest thing now is figuring out what is triggering the migraines I've been getting. I've tried to eliminate as much stress as possible and the doc also has me on that non-tyramine diet. I've been real good as far as the diet is concerned even though it has been tempting to grab the jar of peanut butter a few times. I've only been on this now for a week so it's way too early to see if the diet is going to do anything. I can only hope.

Oh well...that's about all for now folks...

Here is a little musical delight today from the great Peter Gabriel with In Your Eyes.

Till Next Time......

Tuesday

2009-03-10T14:15:00.002-04:00

update.
Well, I woke up yesterday morning...and I had the beginnings of a cold coming on...head is stuffed up, I can't breathe..felt kinda crappy. This morning...it has set in real good...not the fever, sneezing kind of cold, just the kind that makes you feel yucky and can't breathe. I feel like my head is packed with a sponge...

I didn't go to PT yesterday because there was no way that I could have made it through that. I hope that I'm over this by Thursday so I don't miss that PT day also.

One other thing too, when I woke up this morning my left leg was very sore and stiff..almost as bad as it was here awhile back when the temperatures were sub zero. It has loosened up a bit now but it's still sore. I don't know what's up with that.

Oh, and one other last little tidbit...not even TM related...my left elbow is really sore today..arthritis is flaring up. It hurts to even bend my arm a little bit...arrgghhh. This thing hasn't bothered me in quite some time..I don't know why the hell it chose now to flare up and bother me..

That's about all for today...it's crappy outside..we're under a flood watch because of the amount of rain that we got yesterday and what we're supposed to get today..so, I get to watch the rain today.

Music time....something a bit "different" today...This is a cover of a song by Black Sabbath..I know, I know..your thinking..Black Sabbath..? Geez, whatsa matter with Kevin...
Well, truth be told..I am a Sabbath fan and have liked them since the early 70's when they came out. But, with all that aside...this song was originally off of 1971's Master of Reality album. I said this was going to be something different...This is a cover of a song that Black Sabbath did, the song is called Solitude. It is covered by "The String Quartet Tribute" which is a group of musicians that cover many modern artists and songs but they do it with a classical flair and all string instruments.
Enjoy...

Till Next Time......

Saturday

2009-03-07T11:01:00.002-05:00

update...
Just kind of a quick one today...
First thing...Yesterday I woke up with another one of my headaches...and I got to thinking....two things...first, I had PT Thursday...did the exertion of that bring on the headache...or perhaps this..the diet the doctor gave me says one of the things to avoid is cured and aged meat..which, on Thursday we had corned beef for dinner. So, there are possibly two things to really watch for now. I am going to start following the diet to the letter and see what happens.
Now, fortunately I woke up this morning and the headache is gone...I am glad for that.

The weather is supposed to be nice and warm today..(mid 60's) so I think I will be outside for awhile. I have the bedroom window open and man does the breeze feel good.

Otherwise, not too much else...pain level isn't bad today and overall I feel pretty good. I hope it's a good day.

That's about all for today...
For the music today...I'm gonna post something a little over the edge...
A guitarist by the name of Michael Angelo Batio...one of the most revered rock guitarists ever..this video is not for the faint of heart...in other words, if you don't like all out shredding, don't watch. This guy just plain owns this guitar. His handwork is jaw dropping to say the least.
The video starts out slow and he builds as he goes...when it gets to 1:55 you better be sitting down.
You'll also notice that in the video, he switches back and forth from a brown to a blue guitar. The music was actually all recorded with the brown guitar but for the video they also used some segments with the blue guitar.
So, with all the being said...Michael Angelo Batio with Speed Lives.

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-03-05T16:30:00.002-05:00

update.
Well hello everyone...
A little bit to update today....I have been sleeping like crap lately..the last few nights I've been lucky to get about 4 hours a night. I was awake at 3:00am today to go to the bathroom and I was lucky enough to be able to crawl back in bed and get another hour and a half of sleep. Still, I'm just not sure what's up with my sleep..

Today was PT day...that went pretty well although it wore me out. My strength was back so I did well with my ankle exercises. Cindie also had me do some balancing exercises...those were tough...and also some stair step exercises...those beat me. I worked up a good sweat and my legs were all rubbery afterward.

I also had my appointment today with the headache specialist. He still seems to think that they are migraines. He is taking a different approach to treating these. The first thing he is having me do is go on a preventative medication. I will be taking 2 Depakote ER every night before bed. Hopefully that in itself will help stop them. He also advised me to alter my diet a bit and gave me a sheet that outlines what is called a "Low Tyramine Headache Diet" which basically means that he wants me to eliminate any foods that are "aged" in any way. Things like aged, dried, salted or smoked meats (pepperoni, salami), cheese (bleu cheese, swiss), no nuts or peanut butter..<--bummer.. :-(
Cut down on my caffeine and also no alcohol, which is no biggie anyway.
So, we'll see how that goes...I am going to have a hard time without peanut butter though...I loves my peanut butter..

Lastly, if the meds and diet don't work and I do get a headache, I will be giving myself an injection. I have injection pens of Imitrex. If I get one of my headaches I am to give myself a shot of one of these and it should knock out the headache.
I am soooo hoping that one of, or a combination of all of these things, works for me. I am so sick and tired of getting sick like I have..I am about willing to do anything to get rid of them.

Otherwise...things are pretty much the same...Oh...wait...one more thing. I had a package waiting for me upon my return from the headache doctor appointment. It was my shoe inserts that the Ortho doctor at the VA had ordered. I put them in my new shoes and put them on with my AFO and I have to tell you...they feel gooooood.
So, I took the other inserts that were already in my new shoes and put them in another pair of sneakers to use just to wear around the house. I think I am set now as far as my feet go.
I have noticed lately that I am getting some of the feeling back in my heels. To the point that I am getting more shooting pain running through the bottoms of my feet. Even though I don't like the pain, I am glad that I now have it. I can tell now that the numb area on my heels has gotten smaller.

Now....I think that's about it for now....
Wish me luck with the headaches...

Music for the day.....hmmm, let's see....
okay..I got it...How about a little.."blues"
Gary Moore with Still Got The Blues For You....

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-03-02T12:38:00.003-05:00

update.
Well Hello everyone.....
Update for today.....I had PT today...it actually went well today...seems that my strength is now back after my last headache episode took so much out of me. I think I forgot to mention in my last post..., this last episode I had, which I know I said was the worst one I've had so far..over the course of those four days..I lost 17 lbs. Definitely not the recommended way to lose weight.
So, since that last episode...I've been able to eat normally again and I know I've gained some of the weight back and as I said..PT was good today..my strength is back.

I will say though..that this past Thursday I did develop another small headache...sometimes it was barely noticeable..but it was there..and it stayed until yesterday. It didn't go any further than that..I didn't get sick or anything..just this small headache. I tried some Tylenol but that did nothing. I really didn't feel too bad either, other than just the headache. When I woke up this morning it was gone finally. I feel fine other than being tired. I have not been able to get back into a somewhat normal sleep pattern since this last episode. I'm getting on average, about 4 to 5 hours a night.

My appointment with the specialist is on this Thursday so we'll see what happens.

Otherwise, TM related stuff....well, the occasional leg spasms...I also get an occasional spasm in my butt that feels like my muscle is vibrating. It feels pretty weird. The pain in my legs hasn't been too bad since the weather hasn't been in the single digits. The pain is still there just not like it was. The pain around my tailbone area varies...some days I would rate it around a 7 or 8 and other days I would say about a 3 or 4.

I also found out the other night that my fatigue is still pretty bad. I went for a ride to Wal Mart with my wife to get some dog food and a couple of other things. Well, I also made the mistake of not wearing my AFO and after a few minutes of walking around..I was getting exhausted. I was also getting the left foot slap when I walked because my leg was so tired.

In just under two weeks I'll be having my 10 month TM anniversary...I look back and see how far I've come since this started..and I have to say that I have come pretty far...but also, looking forward..I know I'll have some small improvements here and there but I believe that I am pretty close to making as much recovery as I'm going to. Now, don't take that as I'm giving up because that is far from the truth...I'll never give up in trying to do more and make more recovery...It's just that I am also a realist...and that I'm also going to be 51 years old this year...the old body just doesn't snap back as well as it used to.
I'm still doing my stretches and exercises at home...and with nicer weather coming...I will be outside much, much more so I will be getting some outside exercise which will help me out...but I just know that there aren't any miracles out there that will allow me to magically wake up one morning and be able to walk normally, or have no more bowel or bladder problems...or get rid of the fatigue issues...
I'll keep working on all that stuff though....I don't give up...I'm a bullheaded old cuss.

So folks....music for today....
A song I have enjoyed for may years....a wonderful Jazz artist..Pat Metheny
and his song.."Last Train Home"
Go ahead and listen to this song with your eyes closed...and tell me that you don't get the feeling that you are on a train and you can see the beautiful scenery passing by as the train chugs on down the track....
What a beautiful musical picture this song paints for me....
Enjoy...

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-02-26T14:43:00.002-05:00

...hey again everyone....
Yeah, it's been a few days since that last update....and I'm still feeling the affects of that last episode. I don't have all my strength back yet and I am still not getting very good sleep. Four hours last night.

So, I did go to PT today...and it was reeval day. When Cindie told me I had to have my reeval I knew that it would show that I have lost ground because I am so weak. I'm actually surprised how much ground I lost especially in my left leg. My strength is going to take awhile to get back where it was.

I have managed to get an appointment with a specialist for the headaches. That is good news. I only hope something comes of it and I'm able to at least get some kind of treatment initially, if not a way to eliminate them altogether. That would make me happy.

In a nutshell...that's what the last few days have been like.

I'm gonna finish off with that....but I will post some music today...I've been told by a couple of my regulars that the music is a nice touch...so...to them..Thank You..!

Todays selection....The Doors...

Till Next Time......

An Update...???? Who missed me....??

2009-02-22T14:01:00.003-05:00

Really, an update..? Yep...finally, after a week I do an update.
For those of you that come here everyday to check in to see what's new..I'm sorry..
It started early last week when we lost our internet for a couple of days....and then Wednesday I started with one of my migraine episodes. It started Wednesday morning waking with the headache...and then went downhill from there.
To be honest, right now I don't even remember what happened on what day..all I know is that this is the worst episode I've had so far.
Between the headache, diarrhea, vomiting, not being able to eat or barely drink anything....plus the lack of sleep..If I figured things correctly...I've gotten roughly a total of 8 hours of sleep since last Wednesday night..I was in hell. Honestly, someone could have shot me and I wouldn't have cared. Other than the trips to the bathroom, I have been damn near bedridden since.

I did manage to get up today...made it downstairs and had some toast and scrambled eggs. Showered, shaved and changed clothes...and now I am so wore out it's not funny.
I'm still having some of the stomach issues but hopefully that will pass today.

So, that's where I've been the last few days....

This update is short....I'll get back to things when I feel a bit better...

Till Next Time......

Saturday

2009-02-14T10:38:00.002-05:00

update...
Well, hello everyone.....todays update I'll say....nothing too dramatic to report...
I didn't update yesterday for a couple of reasons...first...not really that much to update..second,I figured I'd wait until today because today (Saturday) is Valentines Day....not that there is a specific reason to wait for Valentines Day to update...
but thirdly, today is my 9 month anniversary of TM. Three quarters of a year...
Wow....I know it sounds cliche but it seems like forever. So much has occurred in the last 9 months...when I think about it I'm amazed at how things have gone. The ups, the downs..(mostly downs) that I and the rest of my family have gone through..
There have been days that I've put my wife through hell...there have also been days that I've put myself through hell...the mental torture sometimes was worse than the TM itself.

In the beginning I had a very positive attitude and I was gonna whip this thing..and I was gonna work my butt off and get all better..and so on and so on....and then the first couple months went by...and my spirit was being beaten down...not only by my physical limitations but also my mental state. I had in the back of my mind that PT wasn't gonna do me any good...the meds weren't gonna help me....I was relegating myself to be a sorry old, self pitying SOB.

Well, I'll tell you now....I'm glad I'm over all that..!! Yeah, these past 9 months have been the roller coaster ride from hell....I like roller coasters...but this is one ride I never want to take again.
I don't know for sure what has gotten me through all of this...was it my own willingness and stubborness..? Was it the meds I'm on...? Was it the counseling..? Was it me not wanting to torture my family anymore..? Was it my wife's love and caring..? I'm really not sure..but I'm guessing it must be a combination of all of those..and either way....whatever it was...I'm glad.
Now, don't get me wrong..there are still days that are tough to get through.. but now..instead of dwelling on the past...I'm thinking about how I can make my future better. If for some reason, I can't return to a normal job...and there are still plenty of physical things going on that there is a good chance that may not happen...but, I know that I am still useful here around the house..there are still plenty of things that I can do..it may take me longer to do them, but I can still do them. I have some little hobbies that I enjoy...and I'm thinking and hoping that at some point I can turn that into something that may help contribute to the household...
So anyway, yeah....this past 9 months has seemed like a long time ago...yet it really hasn't. I look at the big picture now as far as my recovery...I was shuffling around with a walker for the first 2 or 3 months...but through my PT sessions...I've gained enough strength to start walking with a cane...and there are times I'm pretty unsteady...but instead of letting that bother me, now I laugh it off. It's funny sometimes when I'm at PT. Sometimes after a particularly rigorous session, when I go to stand up, I wobble a good bit. Cindie, my therapist jumps to grab me..she says I scare her sometimes. I laugh it off and tell her...nope, I'm fine...I just need to take a couple of steps and I get my momentum going. Cindie always worries about me when I do that though.

Well, that was a pretty reflective bit of running on I just did...wasn't it..?
If I have all this running through my head now at 9 months...geez...what's it going to be like at my one year anniversary..?

In a nutshell....I sure like the way I feel now, a lot better than I did a few months ago.
and as I write all this...there is a gentle snowfall going on outside... It's pretty.

Music time.....
No video today....I had to scrounge around to find this song....and use my minimal computer skills to get the HTML code for this so I could embed the song here...
I hope I'm not breaking any laws....too bad if I am ...I want to post this..
Van Morrison...and Bright Side of the Road...

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-02-12T18:24:00.003-05:00

evening post...
Had my PT this morning...nothing new with that...legs were working pretty good as far as the stiffness and soreness..Did my stretches, ankle exercises and some balance beam.

Also, I had my VA appt. today to get my NEW SHOES......Yippee...

So, I sit down with the guy and he pulls them out of the box...cool, they are all white tennies...they look like a really nice athletic walking shoe. So, he pulls out all of the inserts in these things...(there are three separate inserts)

Tried the right one on with just one thin insert and the thicker heel and arch support insert. Talk about feeling like I'm walking on a cloud....oh man...
Now, for the left one since that's the leg I wear my AFO on. I tried it on with the same inserts...and I was getting some serious rubbing on the outside of my foot..So, he took everything out...and made some small trims on them ta-da...now they feel great.
He tells me...if you think this feels good...wait until you get your custom inserts...(I'm curious about them too...I mean after all...he made precise footprints of both feet in this type of collapsing foam. He set one foot on top of the foam...and then with a gentle push evenly on my foot, it slowly sank down into the foam...and recreated ever bend, wrinkle..etc...on my feet)
But, until those inserts come in...I think I'll be quite happy with these...
Oh..by the way...here's a picture of them...

Well, tomorrow is Friday the 13th......who's superstitious....????
Not me...
How about we end todays post with something from one of the great writers of Dark Gothic Stories.....
Edgar Allan Poe......and a recital of The Tell Tale Heart.

Are you still not superstitious....???

Till Next Time......

Tuesday

2009-02-10T09:12:00.002-05:00

update.
I was going to update yesterday because it was PT day but I also had a VA appointment yesterday afternoon, so, I figured I'd wait until today to update.
As I said...I had PT yesterday...things went a bit better than they did last Thursday...I had some of my strength back so that was good. Cindie had me on the treadmill...It had been awhile...Aaaggghhh...still having lots of trouble with the stamina and fatigue..I did 1 m.p.h for two minutes and thirty seconds...and I was wiped out. So, I know I have lots to work on there still.
Ankle exercises went okay though...
My VA appointment was with the Ortho doctor about my numb heels....basically..he took molds of my feet and they are having special inserts made for the new shoes I am getting on Thursday. The inserts won't be in for about a month though. Hopefully, the new shoes will help some and then when the inserts come in..I will be set. I'm hoping for the best but we'll see.
My new meds that my Neuro prescribed aren't really doing anything so far...He prescribed the Neurontin for my nerve pain...and so far I'm not really getting any relief there...but again..as I've said before..the pain now is something I've grown used to, it is bothersome but not unbearable. So, I'll keep taking it and see what happens. The ortho doctor also said to keep taking it...it may help with the pain in my feet too.. We'll see.
Also, the Flexeril for my leg muscles...hard to say on that right now...the cold weather has let up a bit so my legs aren't as stiff and sore as they were...I'll keep taking that too...and see what happens with the next cold snap.

That's about it for that stuff....
On with the show....
Today...I've picked something by Marillion...the song Kayleigh....one of the great pop ballads from the mid 80's...
you might remember this one....

Till Next Time......

Saturday

2009-02-07T11:44:00.002-05:00

update.
Just a quick one today...
About the only thing....the temperature has warmed up a bit today...Right now it's 44 degrees. I know it's going to make for a mess outside...with the slush and mud...but, today I can tell a difference in my legs...They are still stiff and sore...but not as bad as they were Thursday at PT.
Just a few more weeks....until spring begins...and the weather starts getting warmer...Ohhh man..I can't wait...!!

So, that's about all for today......

Music time....
Let's throw out some fusion jazz from the 70's...One of the most legendary bands there ever was....Mahavishnu Orchestra...

and now...the man behind the guitar in Mahvishnu Orchestra...
The legendary John Mclaughlin....Title track of his 1999 album Belo Horizante...

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-02-05T12:36:00.003-05:00

update....
Whew....what a day at PT.
Just to explain....today it is cold outside...it's still only 10 degrees...when we left this morning for PT it was 2. The short time I was outside...long enough to get from the house to the van and then from the van into the hospital...my legs were almost totally useless..So stiff...
I did my e-stim first and then Cindie stretched my legs...and she could tell...My range of movement was very minimal before the pain started setting in.
So, Cindie had me start out on the 3" high beam and try to do some leg lifts to the side and to the rear...My left leg was pathetic...No strength at all...and then when I did my ankle exercises it was the same...It was a struggle to do the exercise where I have to lift my toes...even without any weight resistance.
This is the machine I use for my ankle exercises...

My foot gets strapped in and then you can add weights on the posts if you want more resistance.

So, we're home now and my legs feel like rubber bands....they are so weak, stiff and sore......Oh boy, I can't wait for winter to be over....

Now...to the music for the day....One song came to mind today...because..with today being so cold and such a bad day for me (my legs)...and we're supposed to start a bit of a warming trend tomorrow..which is Friday....
I said to myself..."Self, Friday is on my mind..because hopefully with the weather being a little warmer, maybe I'll get some relief..."
With that being said...here's a 1966 hit song from the Australian band, The Easybeats...
So, here they are...The Easybeats with Friday On My Mind

Till Next Time......

Well

2009-02-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

let's do a Wednesday morning update...
This morning was a strange morning for me...I was up at 3:30am. That hasn't happened in awhile.
My dog was to blame for it though....She woke me up because she had to go outside and potty. I did try to go back to sleep...but I was already pretty awake...and she was having problems with one of her ears...It must be bothering her because she kept shaking her head. I couldn't have gone back to sleep with all of that, even if I wanted to. So, I got up and took her into the bathroom and cleaned her ears...
That seemed to help her some.
We went downstairs and I turned on the TV and watched a rerun of Larry King Live with ex-Governor Blagojevich. What a tard that guy is...Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions but he just seems like the quintessential politician. Can't give a straight answer to just about any question.
So, I watched that, swept the floors and ran a damp mop over them...went down in the basement to my little workshop and puttered there for a short bit...and then came back up and watched the morning news...Oh, and also drank 5 cups of coffee during all of that. No, I'm not wired.. I could drink coffee right before bed and still go to sleep.
Otherwise....things are still the same old song and dance...legs are sore and stiff as all get out...The new meds my Neuro prescribed for me aren't doing anything yet...I'll give them another week and see how I feel then.

Maybe I'll try to nap today...we'll see how I hold up...with me getting up at 3:30am I ended up only getting about 4 hours of sleep. I don't feel too bad right now...but we'll see how long that lasts...especially with a couple of these new meds...they make me a bit drowsy about a half hour after I take them...which I take my first one in about a half an hour.

Ehhh...that's all for that...
On with things...music post for today...
and I'm still kind of grumpy about the whole Youtube vs music company thing...I discovered yesterday...that the music company had YouTube just pull the audio on some of the videos that were posted...the video is still there...but no sound..
so, you can still watch the videos but there is no music....it's kind of funny actually...
Well, here we go...I found something pretty interesting...
I would imagine most people will possibly recognize this song....It was the theme song from a movie that came out in 1973.
This is a bit of a different version of the song but it is still the same artist.
See if you can guess the song and the movie....

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-02-02T12:19:00.002-05:00

update...
It's the 2nd of February...getting closer to springtime...although that blasted Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter....blaaahhhhh
The Steelers won their 6th Superbowl yesterday...in a very tight and exciting game...especially the fourth quarter...They are the only team to win the Superbowl six times....
So, all is right in the world now....
Well, almost anyway...
I woke up this morning and again...my legs feel like hell....soooo stiff..
I didn't go to PT Thursday because of this...but I couldn't miss today also...so I went...Cindie did my e-stim and then she stretched me...which felt good but..aarrrgggghhh did it ever hurt...
I kind of figured that my legs had been bothering me because of all that cold weather we've been having but yesterday it was 40 degrees...I thought I'd get some relief...but Nnnnnooooooo.
Speaking of the weather...the prediction now is that the temps going to be in the mid to upper 40's at the end of the week...and then dip back down again...This is really gonna suck. Melting snow and ice, mud, wet feet...and the type of wet cold that sinks into your bones....Yyyuuucccckkkk. This weather around here is so....is so....is so....??....??....CRAPPY.....yeah, that's it...crappy..!!!
Oh well.
So, on to other things now..
Time for a music post....and I have a gripe on this...I've done a lot of searching on YouTube for a couple of years now...for old songs I had forgotten about or ones that I liked...and you can save those songs to a "favorites" list...that way you can just come back to them at a later time if you want to listen to (watch)them.
Well, it seems that with all these music companies getting their panties in a bunch...because people have posted stuff that was copyrighted..that the music companies have made YouTube pull the songs.
So, out of almost 200 songs I had saved to my favorites..I think almost half of them are no longer available because of copyright infringement.
Now, I understand this to a certain point...some artists are complaining about their royalties...and what not...but come on now...
I can see it if a person posted entire albums (Cd's) but one or two songs...nah..especially...most of the stuff I had saved was "old"...I'm talking, music from the early '60's.
These videos aren't downloadable...so I can't burn them to my computer or anything...
I find songs I liked...save them to my favorites and watch them on occasion...
So...my gripe for today....there. Now, I have to find something that's still available so that I can post it... Be back in a few while I dig around and see what I can find...
Okay...I'm back..
I found a couple to post.
The first....pretty much a one hit wonder band...Sniff N' The Tears....with their song.."Drivers Seat"
This was a great song and I believe did make it to the #1 spot on the music charts...

This song is/was done originally by a group called "The Buoys" and here, it looks like they've renamed themselves or something and from the looks of these guys...it looks like the original members...and they're still kicking around...
Anyway...this one hit wonder song is called "Timothy" and it was written by Rupert Holmes of the "Pina Colada song" fame.

Till Next Time......

Friday

2009-01-30T15:56:00.002-05:00

update.....
Had my appointment today with my Neuro...went over all the "new" things that have occurred since my last appointment just over three months ago..The things like...the numbness in the heels of my feet..and the soreness and stiffness in my legs because of the cold weather..and also talked about my migraines.
So, I now have more prescriptions for everything...flexoral for my legs...something I don't remember the name of for my migraines...talked about the foot numbness and how I have an appointment with the Ortho doctor at the VA..
I think there are other meds too..that I don't remember right now...I don't have the 'scripts right on front of me..
He's also going to write a letter for me to use with the eval I got from PT..to submit to the VA and try to get a home e-stim unit...
Also, when I first started seeing my Neuro...one thing he did at the time was to write me a 'script to take the the DMV for a disabled tag...at the time he wrote the 'script, he put on it for temporary disability. Well, I asked him today about the disabled tag and he said he needed to write a new 'script..because he needed to write "permanent". So, with that being said....now being almost 9 months into my TM...that he apparently feels that even if I continue to improve...the improvement will not be significant. So, I guess I get to use that fancy rear view mirror tag forever..No biggie...I was kind of figuring this all along anyway...and I've come to terms with things...

Also, today at the appointment...he gave me a copy of a DVD when the hospital did my last MRI. I was just going through it and looking at the "pictures"..
They don't mean anything to me but it sure is cool looking "inside" your body...Those MRI's are so cool because everything is so clear...
So, that was about it today...My Neuro wants to see me back in another three months for another follow up.

My legs today...are still really sore and stiff...hopefully the new med he prescribed will help a little bit with that. He mentioned about moving to Arizona...jokingly...
Too bad he can't write me a 'script for that... LOL...

On to the music....
Feelin' a little Jazzy today....and there aren't many modern male jazz singers that I like more than the amazing Gino Vanelli...
Here is Storm At Sun Up..from the album of the same name...

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-01-29T08:58:00.005-05:00

morning update...
I'm playing hooky from PT today...why..? Well, for one...our van is pretty much frozen over...the bad storm we had started with freezing rain and it encased our entire van in a sheet of ice. Now, my stepdaughter did get some of the ice cleared off last night but it is still bad.
The other reason I'm skipping out is because my friggen legs are terrible today. When I woke up this morning my legs were stretched out straight....and as soon as I bent them to swing over to get up...the pain was terrible....they are so sore and stiff I am having a hard time even walking...
Damn...I can't wait until the weather warms up.......
Now, one other thing...I was supposed to have an appointment at the VA today to get my new orthopedic shoes...and I would have crawled there for that appointment to get my shoes, regardless of how bad my legs are...BUT, the VA called yesterday...they had to reschedule because the guy that does the prosthetics comes down from the Cleveland area and he can't make it today.
Now, since he only comes down on Thursdays, the soonest he can make it is the 19th of February. Dammit.......

With that aside......we did get quite a bit of snow yesterday....right now we probably have well over a foot of snow on the ground...Once the freezing rain cleared out yesterday morning...and it started snowing...it really came down...

No snow predicted for today...but tomorrow there is...we are apparently on track to have the snowiest January ever.... wonderful...

Well,...on to the music post today...
A little something from a guy named Jake Banta....He's from my little old hometown of Erie, PA.
Jake's been kickin around there for quite a number of years...and he puts out some amazing music...
Enjoy...........

Till Next Time......

Tuesday

2009-01-27T15:17:00.003-05:00

update....
for no specific reason.....
I'm just sitting around browsing through the vastness of the internet...
and I figured I'd throw up a quick post....the big thing to write about today...is the weather..We apparently have a pretty good storm heading our way...
Here's the Winter Weather Warning on my Weather Channel desktop...

I guess by tomorrow evening we're going to have about 8+ inches of new snow...not alot...but it is expected to come within about a 24 hour period...so, it should get pretty heavy at times...
I'm almost excited...as much as I'm ready for winter to be over...snowfalls like this are kind of cool...and very pretty to watch.
Lizzie made a trip to the grocery store...she was going to go tomorrow but now with this forecast, I think we're all just gonna stay inside tomorrow.

So, that's really about it for today.....
How about some music...?
...hmmmm...I'm having trouble finding something to play today..........
after digging around in the all the videos I have saved from YouTube...I couldn't really decide on anything...so I just closed my eyes and with my finger...pointed at a song...and it was this one...which is kind of cool anyway..because I know a little bit of goofy trivia to go along with it...and if you haven't figured out by now...I like throwing little bits and pieces of trivia out with some of the vids I post...
Here's the video....and the trivia below the vid.

The trivia is this...Of course the artist is Leon Russel...and the album is his 1975 release, Will O' The Wisp....the drummer on many of the tracks of this album was none other than........Gary Busey.. yep, the actor Gary Busey. On the album he used the name Teddy Jack Eddy.
Now, to top this all off....there is a tie in with the other videos I had posted about Peggy Lee and Buddy Holly...because....if you remember...Gary Busey played Buddy Holly in the 1978 movie..The Buddy Holly Story.
Geez....what a weird web this weaves....talk about six degrees of separation..

Anyway....that's it.....for today

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-01-26T16:24:00.002-05:00

afternoon update..
I was going to update earlier today but I forgot....not only was today PT day but I also had an appointment at the VA today. A mental health appointment.
So, we got home from that and I figured I better update since I said I was going to when I posted yesterday.

PT went well...the ankle exercises didn't feel too bad at all..although the left foot/ankle is going to take a lot of work/exercise to get it up to the level of my right ankle.
I was thinking today..(I know, my wife says that's dangerous...me thinking..)
I'm going to try and remember and take my camera to PT on Thursday and get some pics of Cindie my therapist and me doing some of my stuff, so that everyone can see firsthand who I've been talking about all this time.

So, that's about that for now....
Music post today.....
Yesterday I tied in Don McLean's American Pie with Buddy Holly...now I'm going to tie someone else in with Don Mclean.
If you read through the analysis of American Pie....the person that did the analysis even mentions...he makes reference on this line of the song..

And I asked her for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away

Janis died of an accidental (accidental my ass!)heroin overdose on October 4, 1970.

Or…

The girl might be Roberta Flack. Its rumored that she wrote, “Killing Me Softly (with his song),” in response to this lyric in his song.

I'm making reference to his second interpretation referencing Roberta Flack...

It has been thought by many people that Roberta Flack "wrote" the song Killing Me Softly, either for or about Don McLean.
We all remember the song Killing Me Softly.., don't we..? It was a beautiful song...and Roberta always sang it so well...but why did she write the song..?

Well, it turns out that Roberta Flack didn't write the song...although we remember only ever hearing Roberta Flack singing it..

A woman named Lori Leiberman saw Don McLean in concert and felt that the words to his songs reflected so closely to her life experiences..that she wrote a poem that she named Killing Me Softly With His Blues and that lead to the song Killing Me Softly.
I've always loved Roberta Flack's version...but I think you'll agree with me...that Lori's is as beautiful or even better..
Give it a listen.....

Till Next Time......

Sunday

2009-01-25T10:29:00.002-05:00

update..
TM wise...not too much..other than the legs just being stiff as a board and so sore...but that's getting to be real old news now...so, I move on. The migraine after affects are still mulling about. I have a very low level headache...but still very tired, even though I had a real good sleep last night. I read up on some natural treatments so I think maybe I'll try those.

Otherwise...I go to the music for today...
Now...this is a bit of a long post...and this gets kind of deep...
but what I'm posting today...has to do with Buddy Holly and his unfortunate death in the plane crash on February 3rd, 1959 along with The Big Bopper and Richie Valens.

In 1972, an artist by the name of Don McLean wrote a song...called "American Pie"
and the words to it make reference to many, many things but he makes subtle reference to February 3rd 1959 as "The Day The Music Died"
I found a wonderful breakdown and analysis to American Pie
and I'd like to post it along with the video of the song...so, while you watch the video...read down through the analysis...and you'll see the correlations.

A long, long time ago…

“American Pie” reached #1 in 1972, shortly after it was released. Buddy Holly, unfortunately, died in 1959 while other aspects of the song hint even further back.

I can still remember how That music used to make me smile. And I knew if I had my chance, That I could make those people dance, And maybe they’d be happy for a while.

Sociologists credit teenagers with the popularity of Rock and Roll, as a part of the Baby boomer generation, they found themselves in a very influential position. Their shear number were the force behind most of our country’s recent major transitions. McLean was a teenager in 1959 and he begins by simply commenting that the music had an appealing quality to him as well as the millions of other teens. McLean also had an intense desire to entertain as a musician. His dream, to play in a band at high school dances, was the dream of many young boys who wanted to make people dance to Rock and Roll.

But February made me shiver,

Buddy Holly died on February 3, 1959, in a plane crash in Iowa during a snowstorm. Its rumored that the name of the plane was: American Pie.

With every paper I’d deliver,

Don McLean’s only job besides being a full-time singer/song writer was being a paperboy.

Bad news on the doorstep… I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride

Holly’s recent bride was pregnant when the crash took place; she had a miscarriage shortly afterward.

But something touched me deep inside, The day the music died.

The same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly also tragically took the lives of Richie Valens (”La Bamba”) and The Big Bopper (”Chantilly Lace.”) Since all three were so prominent at the time, February 3, 1959, became known as “The Day The Music Died.”

So…

(Refrain) Bye bye Miss American Pie,

**Don McLean dated a Miss America candidate during a pageant and broke up with her on February 3, 1959. (Unconfirmed interpretation)

So its probably…

Just a reference to the plane, “American Pie” that crashed.

I drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry, Them good ol’ boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Singing “This’ll be the day that I die, This’ll be the day that I die.”

Driving the Chevy to the levee almost certainly refers to the three college students whose murder was the subject of the film ‘Mississippi Burning.’ The students were attempting to register as black voters, and after being killed by bigoted thugs their bodies were buried in a levee. Them good ol’ boys being: Holly, Valens, and the Big Bopper, They were singing about their death on February 3. One of Holly’s hits was “That’ll be the Day”; the chorus contains the line “That’ll be the day that I die.”

(Verse 2) Did you write the book of love,

“The Book of Love” by the Monotones; hit in 1958.”Oh I wonder, wonder who… who, who wrote the book of love?”

And do you have faith in God above, If the Bible tells you so?

**In 1955, Don Cornell did a song entitled “The Bible Tells Me So.” It was difficult to tell if it was what McLean was referencing. Anyone know for sure?There is also an old Sunday School song that goes:”Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so” McLean was somewhat religious.

Now do you believe in rock ‘n roll?

The Lovin’ Spoonful had a hit in 1965 with John Sebastian’s “Do you Believe in Magic?”. The song has the lines: “Do you believe in magic” and “It’s like trying to tell a stranger ’bout rock and roll.”

Can music save your mortal soul? And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Music was believed to “save the soul” and slow dancing was an important part of early rock and roll dance events. Dancing declined in importance through the 60’s as things like psychedelia and the 10-minute guitar solo gained prominence.McLean was asking many questions about the early rock ‘n roll in an attempt to keep it alive or find out if it was already dead.

Well I know that you’re in love with him ‘Cause I saw you dancing in the gym

Back then, dancing was an expression of love,and carried a connotation of commitment. Dance partners were not so readily exchanged as they would be later.

You both kicked off your shoes

A reference to the beloved “sock hop.” (Street shoes tear up wooden basketball floors, so dancers had to take off their shoes.)

Man, I dig those rhythm ‘n’ blues

Before the popularity of rock and roll, music, like much elsewhere in the U. S., was highly segregated. The popular music of black performers for largely black audiences was called, first “race music,” later softened to rhythm and blues. In the early 50s, as they were exposed to it through radio personalities such as Allan Freed, white teenagers began listening, too. Starting around 1954, a number of songs from the rhythm and blues charts began appearing on the overall popular charts as well, but usually in cover versions by established white artists, (e.g.”Shake Rattle and Roll,” Joe Turner, covered by Bill Haley; “Sh-Boom, “the Chords, covered by the Crew-Cuts; “Sincerely,” the Moonglows, covered by the McGuire Sisters; Tweedle Dee, LaVerne Baker, covered by Georgia Gibbs). By 1955, some of the rhythm and blues artists, like Fats Domino and Little Richard were able to get records on the overall pop charts.In 1956 Sun records added elements of country and western to produce the kind of rock and roll tradition that produced Buddy Holly.

I was a lonely teenage broncin’ buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck

“A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation), “was a hit for Marty Robbins in 1957. The pickup truck has endured as a symbol of sexual independence and potency, especially in a Texas context.(Also, Jimmy Buffet does a song about “a white sport coat and a pink crustacean.”:-) )

But I knew that I was out of luck The day the music died I started singing…

Refrain

(Verse 3) Now for ten years we’ve been on our own

McLean was writing this song in the late 60’s,about ten years after the crash.

And moss grows fat on a rolling stone

It’s unclear who the “rolling stone” is supposed to be. It could be Dylan, since “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) was his first major hit; and since he was busy writing songs ex-tolling the virtues of simple love, family and contentment while staying at home (he didn’t tour from ‘66 to ‘74) and raking in the royalties. This was quite a change from the earlier, angrier Dylan.The “rolling stone” could also be Elvis Presley, although I don’t think he started to pork out by the late sixties. he-he!

It could refer to rock and rollers, and the changes that had taken place in the business in the 60’s, especially the huge amounts of cash some of them were beginning to make, and the relative stagnation that entered the music at the same time.

Or, it could refer to the Rolling Stones themselves, many musicians were angry at the Stones for “selling out.” I discovered that John Foxx of Ultravox was sufficiently miffed to write a song titled “Life At Rainbow’s End (For All The Tax Exiles On Main Street).” The Stone sat one point became citizens of some other country merely to save taxes.

But that’s not how it used to be When the jester sang for the King and Queen

The jester is Bob Dylan, as will become clear later. There are several interpretations of king and queen: some think that Elvis Presley is the king, which seems rather obvious. The queen is said to be either Connie Francis or Little Richard. See the next note.An alternate interpretation is that this refers to the Kennedys — the King and Queen of “Camelot” — who were present at a Washington DC civil rights rally featuring Martin Luther King. (There’s a recording of Dylan performing at this rally. The Jester.)

The third interpretation is that the jester could be Lee Harvey Oswald who sang (shouted) before he was shot for the murder of the King (JFK).

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean

In the movie “Rebel Without a Cause,” James Dean has a red windbreaker that holds symbolic meaning throughout the film (see note at end). In one particularly intense scene, Dean lends his coat to a guy who is shot and killed; Dean’s father arrives, sees the coat on the dead man, thinks it’s Dean, and loses it. On the cover of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” Dylan is wearing just such a red windbreaker, posed in a street scene similar to movie starring James Dean.Bob Dylan played a command performance for the Queen of England. He was *not* properly attired, so perhaps this is a reference to his apparel.

And a voice that came from you and me

Bob Dylan’s roots are in American folk music,with people like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. Folk music is by definition the music of the masses, hence the “…came from you and me.”

Oh, and while the King was looking down The jester stole his thorny crown

Likely a reference to Elvis’ decline and Dylan’s ascendancy (i.e. Presley is looking down from a height as Dylan takes his place). Consider that Elvis was is the army at the time of Dylan’s ascendancy and a common Army marching song sings, “Ain’t no use in looking down, ain’t no discharge on the ground”. The thorny crown might be a reference to the price of fame. Dylan has said that he wanted to be as famous as Elvis, one of his early idols.

or…

Lee Harvey Oswald being the jester who ended the reign of JFK and “stole his crown.”

or…

A third interpretation is the quote made by John Lennon and taken out of context indicating that John felt The Beatles were more popular then Jesus. John and The Beatles took the crown from Christ.

The courtroom was adjourned, No verdict was returned.

This could be the trial of the Chicago Seven.

but its more likely to be…

The fact that no verdict was returned for the assassination of JFK because the assassin was killed so the court was adjourned.

And while Lennon read a book on Marx,
Or it could be be…
And while Lenin read a book on Marx,

Someone has to introduce Vladamir Lenin, the father of Marxist communism, to the idealogy of Karl Marx.

I love the play on words here…

Literally, John Lennon reading about Karl Marx; figuratively, the introduction of radical politics into the music of The Beatles. (Of course, he could be referring to Groucho Marx, but that doesn’t seem quite consistent with McLean’s overall tone. On the other hand, some of the wordplay in Lennon’s lyrics and books is reminiscent of Groucho.)The “Marx-Lennon” word play has also been used by others, most notably the Firesign Theatre on the cover of their album “How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You’re Not Anywhere At All?” The Beatles “Here, There and Everywhere,” for example. Also, a famous French witticism was “Je suis Marxiste, tendance Groucho. ” (I’m a Marxist of the Groucho variety).

The quartet practiced in the park

There are two schools of thought about this; the obvious one is The Beatles playing in Shea Stadium, but note that the previous line has John Lennon *doing something else at the same time*. This tends to support the theory that this is a reference to the Weavers, who were blacklisted during the McCarthy era. McLean had become friends with Lee Hays of the Weavers in the early 60’s while performing in coffeehouses and clubs in upstate New York and New York City. He was also well acquainted with Pete Seeger; McLean, Seeger, and others took a trip on the Hudson river singing anti-pollution songs at one point. Seeger’s LP “God Bless the Grass” contains many of these songs.

And we sang dirges in the dark

A “dirge” is a funeral or mourning song, so perhaps this is meant literally…or, perhaps, this is a reference to some of the new “art rock” groups that played long pieces not meant for dancing. In the dark of the death of Holly.

The day the music died. We were singing…

Refrain

(Verse 4) Helter Skelter in a summer swelter

“Helter Skelter” is a Beatles song that appears on the “White” album. Charles Manson, claiming to have been “inspired”by the song (through which he thought God and/or the devil were taking to him) led his followers in the Tate-LaBianca murders.Is “summer swelter” a reference to the “Summer of Love” or perhaps to the “long hot summer” of Watts?

The birds flew off with the fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast

Without a doubt this refers to the Byrds who helped launch David Crosby to super stardom. The Byrd’s song “Eight Miles High” was found on their late 1966 release “Fifth Dimension.” They recorded this song when some of the groups members were considering leaving (some of the groups members actually left the group because they refused to flyin an airplane). A fallout shelter was sometimes referred to as the fifth dimension because of the 1950’s fascination with sci-fi and the futuristic appearance of a fallout shelter. This was one of the first records widely banned because of supposedly drug-oriented lyrics.

But…

Another idea considers The Beatles‘ “Helter Skelter.” A line from the song reads, ‘I’m coming down fast but I’m miles above you.’ The similarity is pretty obvious.

It landed foul on the grass

One of the Byrds was busted for possession of marijuana.

The players tried for a forward pass

Obviously a football metaphor, but about what? It could be the Rolling Stones, i.e., they were waiting for an opening that really didn’t happen until The Beatles broke up.With regard to the next idea, the players maybe other musicians who received the opportunity to shine when Dylan was injured.

With the jester on the sidelines in a cast

On July 29, 1966, Dylan crashed his Triumph 55 motorcycle while riding near his home in Woodstock, New York. He spent nine months in seclusion while recuperating from the accident. This gave a chance for many other artists to become noticed (see the next interpretation).

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume

Drugs, man.Well, now, wait a minute; that’s probably too obvious (wouldn’t want to make it easy). It’s possible that this line and the next few refer to the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The “sweet perfume” is probably tear gas.

It could be the fact the since Dylan was temporarily out of the picture, the future looked bright for many artists. The Stones, for example, may have been given a brief chance.

While sergeants played a marching tune

Following from the second thought above, the sergeants would be the Chicago Police and the Illinois National Guard, who marched protesters out of the park where the Convention was being held and into jail.Alternatively, this could refer to The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Or, perhaps McLean refers to The Beatles’ music as “marching” because it’s not music for dancing.

Or, finally, the “marching tune” could be the draft.

**(What did the Stones release in ‘66??)

We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance

The Beatles’ 1966 Candlestick Park concert only lasted 35 minutes. But at this point The Beatles were not “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)Or, following on from the previous comment, perhaps she was considering the hippies who were protesting the Convention. They were known for playing their own folk music.

‘Cause the players tried to take the field, The marching band refused to yield.

Some folks think this refers to either the 1968 Democratic Convention or Kent State. If the players are the protesters at Kent State, and the marching band the Ohio National Guard…This could be a reference to the dominance of The Beatles on the rock and roll scene. For instance, the Beach Boys released “Pet Sounds” in 1966 — an album that featured some of the same sort of studio and electronic experimentation as “Sgt. Pepper” (1967). The album sold poorly because of The Beatles.

The other Beatles reference here refers to the Monkees. The Monkees were merely actors (or players), they were not a true band but a fabrication attempting to replicate The Beatles. The players tried to take the place of the Fab Four but the band wouldn’t step down.

Or finally, this might be a comment that follows up on the earlier reference to the draft: the government/military industrial-complex establishment refused to accede to the demands of the peace movement.

Do you recall what was revealed, The day the music died?

**Check for any controversies released on Feb3, 1959.

We started singing Refrain

(Verse 5) And there we were all in one place

Woodstock.

A generation lost in space

Some people think this is a reference to the US space program, which it might be (the first moon landing took place in ‘69); but that seems a bit too literal. Perhaps this is a reference to hippies, who were sometimes known as the “lost generation,” partially because of their particularly acute alienation from their parents, and partially because of their presumed preoccupation with drugs (which was referred to as being “spaced-out.”)Being on drugs was sometimes termed — being lost in space because of the TV show, “Lost in Space,” whose title was used as a synonym for someone who was rather high… I keep hoping that McLean had better taste. :-)

With no time left to start again

The “lost generation” spent too much time being stoned, and had wasted their lives. Or, perhaps, their preferences for psychedelia had pushed rock and roll so far from Holly’s music that it couldn’t be retrieved.

So come on Jack be nimble Jack be quick

Probably a reference to Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones; “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was released in May 1968.

Jack Flash sat on a candlestick

**The Stones’ Candlestick park concert? (unconfirmed)Jack Flash is also a cockney slang term for pharmaceutical heroin. If you know how to use heroin, you understand the reference.

‘Cause fire is the devil’s only friend

It’s possible that this is a reference to the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil.”An alternate interpretation of the last four lines is that they may refer to Jack Kennedy and his quick decisions during the Cuban Missile Crisis; the candlesticks/fire refer to ICBMs and nuclear war.

And as I watched him on the stage, my hands were clenched in fists of rage; No angel born in hell, could break that Satan’s spell

While playing a concert at the Altamont Speedway in 1968, the Stones appointed members of the Hell’s Angels to work security (on the advice of the Grateful Dead). In the darkness near the front of the stage, a young man named Meredith Hunter was beaten and stabbed to death — by the Angels. Public outcry that the song “Sympathy for the Devil” (because of “satan’s spell”) had somehow incited the violence and caused the Stones to drop the song from their show for the next six years. This incident is chronicled in the documentary film “Gimme Shelter.”It’s also possible that McLean views the Stones as being negatively inspired (he had an extensive religious background)because of “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Their Satanic Majesties’ Request”and so on. This is a bit puzzling, since the early Stones recorded a lot of “roots” rock and roll, including Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.”

And as the flames climbed high into the night, To light the sacrificial rite

The most likely interpretation is that McLean is still talking about Altamont, and in particular Mick Jagger’s prancing and posing and “climbing high” while it was happening. Or the bonfires around the area could provide the flames. The sacrifice is Meredith Hunter.(It could be a reference to Jimi Hendrix burning his Stratocaster at the Monterey Pop Festival, but that was in 1967 and this verse is no doubt set in 1968.)

I saw Satan laughing with delight

If the above is correct, then Satan would be Jagger.

The day the music died He was singing…

Refrain

(Verse 6) I met a girl who sang the blues

Ms. Janis Joplin, the lady of the blues.

And I asked her for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away

Janis died of an accidental (accidental my ass!)heroin overdose on October 4, 1970.

Or…

The girl might be Roberta Flack. Its rumored that she wrote, “Killing Me Softly (with his song),” in response to this lyric in his song.

I went down to the sacred store Where I’d heard the music years before

There are two interpretations of this: The “sacred store” was Bill Graham’s Fillmore West, one of the great rock and roll venues of all time. Alternatively, this refers to record stores, and their long time (then discontinued) practice of allowing customers to preview records in the store. (What year did the Fillmore West close?)It could also refer to record stores as “sacred” because this is where one goes to get “saved.” (See above lyric “Can music save your mortal soul?”)

But the man there said the music wouldn’t play

Perhaps he means that nobody is interested in hearing Buddy Holly et. al.’s music? Or, as above, the discontinuation of the in-store listening booths.

And in the streets the children screamed

“Flower children” being beaten by police and National Guard troops; in particular, perhaps, the People’s Park riots in Berkeley in 1969 and 1970.It is possible that this refers to the Vietnamese children. Life magazine was famous for publishing horrifying photos of children in Vietnam during the Vietnamese War.

The lovers cried and the poets dreamed

The trend toward psychedelic music in the 60’s?Or again the hippies who were both great lovers and poets who would then be crying because of the difficulties of their struggle and dreaming of peace.

But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken

It could be that the broken bells are the dead musicians: neither can produce any more music.

And the three men I admire most The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Holly, The Big Bopper, and Valens — or — **Hank Williams, Presley, and Holly (check this) –or — JFK, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy — or — or simply the Catholic aspects of the deity. McLean had attended several Catholic schools.

They caught the last train for the coast

Could be a reference to wacky California religions, or it could just be a way of saying that they’ve left (or died — western culture has used “went west” as a synonym for dying). Or, perhaps this is a reference to the famous “God is Dead” headline in the New York Times. Some have suggested that this is an oblique reference to a line in Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale,” but I’m not sure I’d buy that; firstly, all of McLean’s musical references are to much older roots: rock and roll songs; and secondly, I think it’s more likely that this line shows up in both songs simply because it’s a common cultural metaphor.

The day the music died

This tends to support the conjecture that the”three men” were Holly/Bopper/Valens, since this says that they left us on the day the music died.

And they were singing…

Refrain (2x)

----Okay, now since this post ended up so long...I'll make another post tomorrow that ties in to American Pie.
So......

Till Next Time......

Quick

2009-01-24T11:08:00.002-05:00

Saturday update..
Not much yet today....I think I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that my "sick" episodes are migraine headaches.
My Neuro said that is what he thought awhile back...I've read up on migraines and yesterday I also "chatted" with a woman I know from one of the TM boards...she's a nurse and has TM. I went over all my symptoms with her and she said.."Yep, sounds like a classic case of migraines" She also gets them.
So, I've relegated myself to this...I don't like it but ehhh...
I'm going to read up on natural ways to help them and see what I can find.

Now, on that note of my "migraines", this last one that started Thursday and then receded Friday is kind of sort of back today...just a very mild headache. It's weird this time because normally the headache starts and then the diarrhea starts and I start feeling really bad. Well, the headache came and went and is now kind of back but I've not really had the diarrhea to the extent that I did before. I also don't feel too bad...I'm pretty tired but I don't feel too bad.

Anyway...that's enough of that..
Music post for my sister...she's going to a concert tonight that's a tribute to Peggy Lee and Buddy Holly. I've been posting some videos to sort of prime things for her...
I'll post two more vids today and then tomorrow I'm posting a surprise video or two with a little background as to why I posted them.
Now, Buddy Holly and It's Raining in My Heart...

and this vid from the incomparable Peggy Lee and Is That All There Is..

Sis, I hope the show is amazing....

Till Next Time......

Friday

2009-01-23T09:20:00.002-05:00

update..
Hey Everyone...well, I meant to update yesterday as it was PT day. The update obviously didn't happen.
I woke up yesterday and felt a little "off". It wasn't anything specific but something wasn't quite right. Anyway, I went to PT...and that went as normal..but by the time we got home I was developing quite a bad headache.
Of course, the first thing that came to mind...it was Thursday and the headache felt like the ones I get when I get"sick". I was kind of bummed because I have been feeling pretty good lately and I was hoping that I was over my weekend episodes.
Well, I slept off and on all day yesterday and also took an ambien later in the afternoon just to see if it would do anything.
I seem to have slept fairly well last night..although there were some bizarre dreams.

This morning the headache is gone for the most part...I just feel really weak and wore out. The only other thing is that my legs are extremely stiff. Even at night when I can kind of wake up to change positions, when I move my legs they are so sore.

I hope I start feeling better today...after all, I don't want to have another of my weekend episodes...those suck big time.
I'm going to rest, eat some good healthy things today and try to shake whatever this is this time.

So, with all that aside now...
a couple more videos for my sister...
This first one is by "The Crickets" which was Buddy Holly's band. This song though was before Buddy Holly became the name that he was. This was just "The Crickets"

and then a great duet with Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee..

Till Next Time......

Wednesday

2009-01-21T09:51:00.002-05:00

update...
Yeah, I figured I'd post an update today since I've not posted anything since Sunday.
Actually, there really isn't much to update....just hashing over some old news...

The biggest thing is that yesterday I went out with my wife to a craft store. Actually, a little background here...A friend of my wife and I, are thinking of trying to start making some artsy craftsy type things to make a little extra cash through selling them on Ebay or something. So, yesterday we made our first trip to the craft store to get a few things and get some ideas for what we want to do.
I love going to this store because it's huge and has everything you can think of...but therein lies the problem...the store is huge. When I go to the store I'm the designated cart pusher since it supports me to be able to walk. The big issue though, is that the floor of this place is hard concrete...and even without foot problems, it can kill your feet. We were in the store probably about an hour or so and my feet (more specifically, my heels) were killing me after about 15 minutes of being there.
I got to where I was laying the top half of my body over the handle of the cart and just using my toes to push me along. Today, my heels hurt so bad....
Man, I can't wait to get my shoes from the VA....my appointment is on the 29th. I hope to hell that those shoes help my heels.

That trip to the store wore me out...I was literally exhausted...and fortunately I slept in until just after 7:00am.
So, over the next few days my wife and I are going to work on making a few things and see how they turn out. This should be good because it's something I can do while I'm sitting down.

Tomorrow is PT day...Hopefully that goes well. I missed Monday PT because my wife was feeling kind of crappy with a little stomach bug. She's all better now though.
Well, I'll probably update tomorrow after PT...

Sis, here's another couple selections for you... when is the show you're going to, anyway..? I'd like to know, because I have a surprise song for you that I'd like to post.

Till Next Time......

Sunday

2009-01-18T10:04:00.013-05:00

update....
I wanted to do a quick update this morning...
The reason is because my wife and I took our 9 year old nephew and 5 year old grandson to the Monster Truck Nationals last night in Cleveland.
Now, yesterday was a long day for me since it started out about 10:30am at the grocery store with my wife. This was my first real "shopping trip" with her and it wasn't too bad.
Well, then we picked up our grandson about 3:00pm and the four of us went to eat and the the drive to Cleveland. It's not too bad...about an hour. We got there about 6:15pm.
We get to the indoor arena and now have to find parking that is going to work for me. Lizzie decided just to drop the boys and I at the main entrance and she would find a place to park and then come in.
The three of us get out of the van and it's pretty snowy on the street but not too bad. We get to the arena and are actually very close to where our seats were.
So, the boys and I get seated and watching everything and about 15 minutes later, here comes Lizzie. She says she got a spot right across the street in a parking lot....Cool..!!

The monster truck stuff was awesome and we all had a great time..even my wife..she was very happily surprised as this was her first time to this type of thing. Of course the boys had a ball..I mean after all...young kids and monster trucks...they just go together. Of course, this "old" kid had a ball also.

After it was over...getting out of there was a bit of a challenge because of the number of people going in every which direction to find "their" door. Walking with the cane was "tough" because it kept getting kicked and I would almost lose my balance but I made it okay.

We get outside and I ask my wife where the van is. She says it's right across the street in that parking lot...and she asks me what I want to do..meaning, do I want her to get the van and come pick me up or what. I just tell her.."Let's Go"
I don't want to go through the whole hassle of her getting the van and having to drive around the block to get back to where I would be. So, between the blowing, cold wind, snow, traffic, people and probably a 400 hundred yard walk...we made it to the van. I'll admit, by the time we got there I was puffing pretty good but after a couple of minutes of sitting in the van I was fine. Tired out but fine.

The drive back was really fairly uneventful and the boys pretty much passed out because it was late and they were tired.

Jump ahead to this morning....I woke up at 3:00am and again at 5:00am and then again at 8:00am. Tired, sore and stiff.........My neck is stiff, my legs are sore and stiff and I'm pretty wiped out overall. But, it was fun and worth it.

Here are a few pics from last night...

My nephew and grandson on the trip up...happy smiling and talking a mile a minute..

One of the trucks doing "donuts"

A jet powered "Golf Cart"

A jet powered "Reclining Chair"

MONSTER TRUCK.....

ANOTHER MONSTER TRUCK

Then the lights in the stadium went out and a "TRANSFORMER TRUCK" came out and proceeded to "eat" a car.

What was left of the car.....

The boys on the trip home....They were a little tired...

Now, for my sis...another video...Peggy Lee...

Well folks...that's about it for today...I'm wiped...gonna relax.

Till Next Time......

Saturday

2009-01-17T13:40:00.002-05:00

update.
This update is coming later than I usually do but I couldn't write anything earlier as I was busy.
I made the decision to go to the grocery store with my wife. I made do fairly well with just using the cart to push while I walked. I did get pretty tired but I was able to make frequent breather stops so it wasn't too bad.
Now, my wife and I are also taking our 9 year old nephew and our 5 year old grandson to the Monster Truck Nationals today in Cleveland. I'm as excited to go to that as much as the kids are..after all, I'm just a gearhead anyway.
We're leaving in about an hour and 45 minutes so I figured I'd get this quick update in.

I will say that the trek to the grocery store wasn't bad but I did notice that during the short time I was outside my feet got incredibly cold and my legs started stiffening up quite a bit. Now, fortunately the Monster Truck show is in an indoor arena so it should be warm enough. It is going to be a late night though as the truck show doesn't start until 7 and I'm figuring probably a good two hours there and then the trip back home afterwards. This should prove to be an interesting experiment to see how I can handle this. Wish me luck everyone... :-)

Now, music update...my sister suggested a request since she is going to be going to a concert with Big Band music and it is a tribute to Buddy Holly and Peggy Lee...
She is asking for something as a bit of a warmup to that concert...so....let's see what I can find...
First of all...one of my favorite big band compositions done by Peggy Lee...
"Big Spender"

and a Buddy Holly song..."True Love Ways"

Enjoy sis...
I'll post some more throughout this week...

Till Next Time......

Thursday

2009-01-15T12:32:00.003-05:00

update.
Man, I'll tell you...with it being as cold as it is outside...my legs are as stiff as boards...and I'm not even outside in the cold.
Today was PT day...and of course, went outside to get in the van to go and then back outside to get in the van to come home...that's it.. This cold is tough to deal with.
This made PT a bit more challenging today also, but fortunately all I did today was a re-eval. Re-eval aren't as strenuous as a regular PT session.
I have made a bit more progress since last re-eval which is good, but I still need lots of work for my balance and also work on the strength needed to be able to stand on my tip toes.
I have lots and lots of work to do...

Weatherwise, it's going to continue to be cold through the weekend so I'm not going to be spending any time outside.

So......music for today...
Kinda feel like something 80's...
How about "The Church" and "Under The Milky Way"...

Till Next Time......

Wednesday....(brrrrrrrrr)

2009-01-14T09:40:00.003-05:00

update.
It's freakin freezin outside...... Weather Channel desktop is showing 7 degrees right now. I guess we're supposed to have a high today of 15 but tomorrow and Friday are not going to be so "warm". Highs of like 8 degrees and overnites in the negatives... This cold plays hell with the TM...the legs are stiff as boards..

Not too much to update with the TM situation....things are on a pretty even keel lately..I'm even getting some decent sleep...not great, but decent..which is much better than it was a couple of months ago.
Oops....This is an edit...I forgot to mention....Today is my 8 month TM anniversary... Eight months ago today I was "lucky" enough to be one in a million to get TM. On one hand...it feels like forever...but on the other...it has gone by quickly too..I know that doesn't make any sense but too bad.. :-)

Yesterday an old friend of ours dropped over...we haven't seen him in a year or so..
We've talked on the phone a few times but haven't seen each other...and it was really great to see him. Had some good conservation.
Funny thing is...(and I know Mike will read this too..so Mike, this isn't a dig or anything...) but the people that I knew prior to getting TM that I haven't seen since...have all said the same thing..."You look better than I expected"...
which is a very common comment with us TMr's..because we look "normal" on the outside. It's all the inside stuff that people can't see or realize is going on.
It's no biggie Mikey...I just thought it was funny to hear that again..

Well, not much else today to comment on or mention....I'm just going to try and stay warm...

Let see.....for the music today....since it's sooooo friggen cold...how about something that suggests "warm"
Let's do a little song from 1970....Mungo Jerry...In The Summertime

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-01-12T12:40:00.003-05:00

update....
Today was PT day. Things went well there...I'm continuing with the ankle exercises. I sure have a huge difference in the strength and movement from right to my left ankle. My left ankle and the supporting muscles fatigue so quickly during the exercises. I know I have made some improvement over time but the progression is sooooo slow.
I have come to find out yesterday...that there is a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic that specializes in MS and TM. He is also in our network of doctors for my insurance. Now, I'm not doubting my current neuro at all...but I'm thinking that if this doctor specializes in TM then it would be worth a shot to at least go and see him. Who knows, there may be something out there different than what I am currently doing that may help.

I also found out yesterday...one of the people that I've e-mailed back and forth on one of the e-mail groups lives only 50 miles from me. We had no idea that we were both so close to each other...and the thing is, that he travels over here to my area about once a month or so...so he is going to let me know and the next time he is here, we're going to get together... that should be fun....

Otherwise, not much else to tell today...weather wise it has been snowy and cold...supposed to get more snow today too...
I'm finding that the snow and cold is no longer any fun at all with the TM. I'm really getting kind of frustrated with this weather... I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE SOOOO BAD....even if it's to do nothing....I just want to go sit outside.
Arrrggghhh.

So, that's about it for now.....I'll update again in a day or two....
Music today....I'm feeling a little like posting something from the group I named my blog after....Emerson, Lake and Palmer... and Fanfare For The Common Man...

Till Next Time......

Thursday update

2009-01-08T11:20:00.003-05:00

....Happy Thursday everyone.....
I was debating doing an update today...why..? Well, there really isn't anything to update today, but I figured since today is my normal PT day and I usually update on my PT days I might as well throw something out here.
I didn't get to go to PT today because I didn't have a driver to get me there. Lizzie had to have some minor surgery this morning. She had a small cyst on her back that's been bothering her so she had it taken out today. She is fine and all is well and I'm glad she had it done because this thing has been bothering her off and on for a few years.
Not much else to report....i will say one thing here...I found some info on my local public libraries website...that they have some free downloadable videos on all kinds of subjects...one of them is Health and Fitness. I found a couple of Yoga stretching videos on there and I am going to watch them and hopefully try some of the stretches. I know I will have some limitations because of my balance and lack of strength in my legs but it is worth trying anyway. I need to stretch my legs anyway...they are so tight and sore that I know a good stretch will help.

The last few days I have felt pretty darn good...more mentally than anything else...but physically not so bad either. Other than my situation the other day outside taking the Christmas stuff down and my legs giving me trouble, I've felt okay. I really think my legs are going to be the biggest problem to overcome this winter, the cold weather really is having more effect on me than I thought it would.
I guess I won't be taking any long hikes in the snow... darn.

One other thing to mention...The TM Network website that I've helped put together with Greg in Georgia, seems to be doing what our intention was. That intention was to try and help people with info and support...primarily for people that are brand new to TM. In the last week I have gotten messages from two new members...but the new members weren't the people afflicted with TM. Both of the people were women with elderly fathers that had jut gotten TM. One dad is 64 and the other was 83. These poor women are beside themselves not knowing what to do or where to go for info. I was able to help direct both of them to contact certain people in their local areas to help them with questions and information. I got notes back from both of the women thanking me for my help. They both said that they feel better now, knowing that there is somewhere they can go to talk to someone (we have a live chat section on our website) if they need and also to get some direction for information.
I thought that was really cool and it made me feel good knowing that I was able to help them.
If anyone wants to just check out our website...here is a link..http://transversemyelitis.ning.com

Well, that's about it for now....

How about a little bluegrass music...Let's hear from the great Jorma Kaukonen.
The founding member of Jefferson Airplane...
A little "Prohibition Blues"

Till Next Time......

Tuesday evening

2009-01-06T17:39:00.004-05:00

update. A little late on the update today..I had three appointments at the VA today and just got home a bit ago.
Figured I'd do a quick update.
First thing...I learned a very important lesson yesterday that has to do with TM and cold weather.
I went outside to take down some outside Christmas decorations. It wasn't terribly cold out...about the mid 30's. I was out for about 45 minutes. It was tough enough walking in soggy grass trying to balance with my cane and using the other hand to take some of the stuff down and apart. I had to be very slow and methodical in doing everything so that I didn't fall. As I was outside for a bit I could feel my legs starting to get very sluggish. So, I started moving slower...
Well, after I had everything done I came back in the house and I'll tell you...My legs were almost useless. I literally could barely walk and I was also so fatigued that I was puffing like an old steam locomotive. Jeebus.....
If you can relate to ever being outside in really cold weather and your hands get real stiff and hard to move....that's what my legs were like after only about 45 minutes.
It took me a good half an hour to warm up and walk around again. So, important lesson learned there.
Today was my mental health session at the VA. That went well and according to my therapist, I am making progress. I concur with that...I do feel much better than I did even just a month ago. I really feel that I've come to terms with TM. I know what my limitations are and I deal with those. The pain and bowel and bladder are an inconvenience and annoying now. The one thing that does make me nuts is that my short term memory is bad. It bugs me to no end when I can't think of a simple word that I want or I can't remember something. Example...One of my appointments today at the VA. The psychologist asked me the name of my family doc. I could not, for the life of me remember. I've only been going to her now for over 8 years. I did remember right before my appointment was over but geez...

Anyway, it's time to move on and make 2009 a better year. For me, for my wife and for everyone.
So, I'll close for now...

Music....I'm going to throw this one out there...tribute to Delaney Bramlett. He passed last month at the age of 69. He was such a huge influence on greats as Eric Clapton. This is an especially soulful selection from Delaney and Bonnie with Eric and also another fave of mine...Dave Mason.
Take a listen and enjoy...
Delaney will be missed by many....

Till Next Time......

Monday

2009-01-05T12:47:00.004-05:00

update.
It seems that I've gotten over my latest 'sick" episode. Other than waking this morning at 4:00am (for no apparent reason) I feel pretty well. Last night before bed my left leg was starting to ache pretty good again so I took another Zanaflex and I also took another Ambien. I really don't want to get into a habit of having to take the Ambien to get to sleep but last night I was feeling very restless and knew it would be hard to get to sleep.
So, 4:00am I'm up and other than feeling a bit tired I feel fairly good.
Had PT today...that went well....I seem to be getting a bit more strength back in my ankles as I was able to do the ankle workouts more easily without my ankles fatiguing as easily as they did before.

Otherwise...that's about all for now...no other ups or downs to speak of. I do have a VA appointment tomorrow. A mental health session and also an appointment with my VA doc to discuss what is needed to get a home E-stim unit. So, we'll see how things go with that.

Music selection for today....
gonna do a couple from the Moody Blues...
First...a hit from the Moodies from 1964. Yep...they were around then. Look at how young the boys were...they were all in their early 20's at the time.
Go Now.

and then about 8 years later comes something like....I'm Just A Singer

Till Next Time......

Sunday

2009-01-04T10:13:00.002-05:00

morning update...
Well, last night was an extremely unpleasant night. First, I could not go to sleep. I turned the lights off at 11:00pm to try to go to sleep. I could not get comfortable at all..My left leg from my knee down was giving me some real issues. It was spasming bad and very achy. I was also having the hot and cold symptoms.
At midnight I took an Ambien thinking that maybe that might help me get to sleep. After an hour I was still awake and my leg would not quit the spasms. At 1:00am I took another zanaflex from what I normally take. I guess that helped some because I did go to sleep for awhile but at 4:30am I was back up because now I had diarrhea. I also woke with a headache, so I took an Imatrex to see if it worked to help me get rid of the headache. I went back to bed to try and get some more sleep and I did but it was very restless. At 7:30 I went ahead and got up and the headache has subsided for the most part.
Right now I don't feel too bad except for being very tired. Hopefully I can get rid of the diarrhea and get some rest today and MAYBE get some sleep tonight. Wouldn't that be nice....

Music for today....something off the beaten path...
A little twist that I like to take on occasion.
Video from an artist named Buckethead..with an instrumental called Padmasana

Till Next Time..............

Friday

2009-01-02T08:56:00.002-05:00

morning update.
Well, I had planned on updating yesterday since it was the 1st day of the New Year. That didn't happen. Why? I'm not quite sure what happened New Years eve...all was going as planned...I did get a bit tired about 9:00 I think and I came up to the bedroom and lied down for a bit...until about 10:30 I think. I went back downstairs where everyone was playing games and having a good time waiting for the ball to drop. I sat down on the couch and just watched TV as I was kind of not feeling to well. A headache was starting to come on. Managed to make it until midnight and see the New Year come in and then made it to bed about 12:30.
Yesterday morning I woke up with a bastard of a headache...I got up briefly and went downstairs thinking that maybe being up for a bit will help the headache go away...but it didn't..after a half an hour I went back to bed and slept off an on all day..
The headache was so bad for awhile that it made me physically ill. I had to get sick and then back to sleep.
As the day wore on I felt a bit better, the headache started to subside a bit. All day long I hadn't eaten at all as I had no energy or appetite.
My wife had made sauerkraut and pork for New Years so when that was done I went downstairs and ate a little of that. A little food did help me feel a bit better but I still felt really tired.
Now, during all this stuff going on, I'm still dealing with that pain in my back. It has not let up at all yet. I'm not sure what's up but it hurts.
About 10:00pm I took an Ambien and worked on going back to sleep, which I did and woke this morning at 6:30am.

So, now it's Friday morning and the headache is gone. I don't feel bad except for being pretty weak, I guess because I didn't eat very much at all yesterday. I had a fairly light breakfast this morning..a bowl of cereal and a banana. It tasted good.
I'm thinking that today I will try to eat a bit and get some more rest and hopefully be totally out of this funk by later today or tomorrow morning.
I just so totally don't understand what's going on when I get like this. The headaches, the bad stomach, very tired etc...
As I've said before...Dealing with just the TM is getting easier...I can put up with the pain and the bowel and bladder issues. They are annoying and an inconvenience but I am getting used to them. What I'm not getting used to are the other things...that don't seem to have anything to do with TM.
I don't get it.

My music selection for today, and only one selection today...is Brian Eno's Deep Blue Day.
Why this one...? Not real sure but lets suffice to say...that first, I've been an Eno fan for as long as I can remember, he is considered the father of what is called Ambient music, second is that this is an especially soothing song and the title is kind of reflective of how I feel today.
Enjoy, and I'll update again soon.
Happy New Year everyone and be well..!!

Till Next Time.......

New Years Eve

2008-12-31T10:49:00.002-05:00

It's the day before New Years...2009 is literally right around the corner.
Here's to a great New Year...this coming year has to bring good things since I don't see things being able to get much worse than 2008.
Here's to good thoughts, good friendships, good family and good living.
So....the traditional song to bring in the New Year is Auld Lang Syne...
How about a version done on the bagpipes...

I was reading a little bit on the origin of Auld Lang Syne and it is a Scottish poem that was put to music. The translation of Auld Lang Syne means "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago" or "days gone by"
That brings to mind a song I know of by one of the great hair bands from the 80's.
A band named Slaughter..they did a song called "Days Gone By" and it's really reflective of how I've felt these past few months. It's about all the memories of the past and how you hold on to those memories.
All those memories have been there and I treasure many of them, but I now have to look at the future and work to make more and better memories to have instead of what these past few months have held for me.

Cheers all...

Till Next Time...........

Monday

2008-12-29T11:10:00.002-05:00

update.
Mondays are normally one of my PT days. I called off today. I woke up this morning and literally felt like someone has been beating me with a stick. My legs are so sore and stiff and I have a spot in my back that feels like I pulled a muscle or something. One of those kinds of sore that is like a sharp pain when you turn or move the wrong way. It took me about 5 minutes to get up out of bed and I was barely able to get my socks and shoes on. The pain is brutal.
How this happened I don't know. The only thing I can think of that I did was clean out the cats litter boxes on Saturday. It's not strenuous to do but I was bending over and stretching to clean the boxes. I haven't done anything else at all that would have caused this.
I'm going to take a nice hot shower and then use some Bio-Freeze on it and see if that helps relieve it.

I went to the library yesterday with my wife and I found a book on how to get started with Yoga. I am going to start reading through that and see if I can get some basic Yoga stuff down, maybe that will help me with my strength and muscle tightness. It can't hurt anyway. I've talked with others that say that Yoga helped them more than anything else.

Well, I think that's about it for now...we're in a count down for New Years...only three days away... 2009 here we come.

Music post today....this song kind of reflects how I'm feeling today...
this is a blast from the past...
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

Till Next Time...............

Good Morning everyone

2008-12-27T08:46:00.002-05:00

Just a quick Saturday morning update...
Seems that lately things have been on a bit of a steady track...nothing terribly worse but on the other hand...nothing any better either. The pain in my backside and legs is a constant that is tolerable but very annoying. My heels are giving me some issues but again...the pain is tolerable as long as I have my sneakers on. Standing barefoot on hard surfaces like the bathtub is pretty tough to do.
The fatigue has not been any worse and on some days I actually don't feel too bad although Christmas day whooped my butt. I pushed it too far that day and my body let me know it.
Sleep is an on and off thing that seems to have no rhyme nor reason to it..even taking an Ambien. Oh well..I suppose that even if things stay the way they are now, I can continue to deal with this.
I do know this though...come January 1st...I am going to make my best effort to start taking all my rehab into my own hands. I need to do something more than what I am getting, going to my PT twice a week. I've told myself over and over that I will at some point be back on my bicycle again. I also don't like the fact that I've probably gained 15 pounds or more since TM hit me. I gotta get that worked back off of me. So, between now and the 1st I am going to plan out what I want to do and get it on paper.

Just 5 days now until the New Year rings in...a new year and time for a change..Things have to get better....

For my music entry today...I'm posting this from one of the most amazing guitarists I have ever heard...playing probably one of the most recognized songs from 1968.
The song was originally done by Mason Williams, who was a great guitarist in his own right. The song "Classical Gas"
but this version done by the amazing Tommy Emmanuel, an Australian guitarist that takes the song to a completely new level....
Enjoy...and I challenge you to try to keep your feet still while listening to this...

Till Next Time.................

Friday

2008-12-26T08:41:00.011-05:00

and happy day after Christmas everyone. I hope all of you had a wonderful day.
My Christmas was very nice....My wife and I were the first ones up. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is being the first one up and turning all the Christmas lights on and then watching everyone else get up and seeing their faces first thing Christmas morning. It is just a warm, cheerful feeling. The next thing is watching the kids open their presents (and helping play with some of them too..) My nephew was so excited opening his things and then when our grandson came over it was so fun watching him also. It was a nice day yesterday and I enjoyed myself immensely. My wife made a wonderful Christmas dinner and I tried helping with a few things, as much as I could anyway.
The only downfall about yesterday, after dinner was over I realized that I was completely exhausted and stiff and very sore. I had been up on my feet almost the entire day and with all the activity I think I overdid it a bit. This morning I literally feel like someone has been beating me with a stick. I am sooo stiff and my legs are in bad shape... but oh well...it was worth it.

So, I hope everyone made it through the day okay and that the rest of the holiday is nice also. I'm going to try and rest and recover today and have a good weekend. Weather wise tomorrow sounds like it's going to be a decent day...they are predicting mid 60's. That's Ohio for you...single digit temps one week and the next week it's springtime.... I'll take it though....might be a decent day to spend a bit of time outside...probably the last chance before our real winter sets in.

My sister reminded me of one Christmas song that was forgotten...So, I will play it now for three reasons...My sister requested it, it's a classic off the wall song and after all...it's only the day after Christmas... :-)
John Prine...Christmas in Prison..
enjoy..

One last thing before I sign off today... To our Canadian neighbors...today is Boxing Day so let's wish them a wonderful holiday.

Take care everyone...

Till Next Time............

P.S. By the way...I saw in the news already....Santa, the day after Christmas.. LOL
Even Santa needs a vacation..

Well Boys and Girls

2008-12-23T09:12:00.002-05:00

tomorrow is Christmas Eve.
My post today is going to be fairly brief.
My last music post before Christmas is by Greg Lake from Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Greg wrote a song years back called "I Believe In Father Christmas"
There was a lot of controversy when it came out about it being an anti religious song.
Greg states that the song was written to show his disgust with the commercialization of Christmas.
I so totally agree with that. I have never been a religious man although I do try to live my life as a good person. I believe that one of the meanings of Christmas other than it being the birth of Christ, is that it is a day of love of your fellow man and the idea of giving.
Christmas has gotten so out of hand with the retailers and the media that it almost makes me sick at times.
So, with all that being said....
I wish everyone here a very Merry Christmas. Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Man.

They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas Tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a Silent Night
And they told me a fairy story
'Till I believed in the Israelite
And I believed in Father Christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
'Till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him and through his disguise

I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave New Year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
Hallelujah Noel be it Heaven or Hell
The Christmas you get you deserve.

La la la la la la la la la la....

I Love You All...
Till Next Time........

Whew...Monday

2008-12-22T10:32:00.002-05:00

update.
Jumpin Freakin Jeebus was this weekend a bear.
I am alive and kickin this morning but it sure wasn't pleasant getting here.
I did wake up this morning at 3:00am and had to go to the bathroom and I also had a headache again. I took an Imitrex and the headache went away. I couldn't go back to sleep so I went ahead and got up at 4:00am. I do feel much better today though...except that I am absolutely exhausted.
The old legs are pretty bad today also...very sore and achy and I'm not very stable at all. It has to be the cold weather. Right now my little computer Weather Channel thing says it's 6 degrees. BRRrrrrr
So, today I think I'm in for just getting my strength back up and work my legs a little to get them working a bit better.

As far as the Christmas music posts go...I'm posting two today and then one tomorrow...that will be it for Christmas music..I'm not posting on the day before Christmas or Christmas day.

So, what I have found today...is a couple of Christmas polkas....
Jim Reeves and The Merry Christmas Polka..

and this one... "An Old Fashioned Christmas Polka"

Till Next Time..........

Sunday

2008-12-21T10:11:00.002-05:00

morning update.
Well, yesterday pretty much sucked. Between the headache and little sleep I felt really bad. I was desperate to get some sleep last night so I took an Ambien at about 8:30pm and then crawled in for the night. I did go to sleep and slept until 3:00am. When I woke up though I felt really rough. I kept tossing and turning and could not get comfortable at all because my legs were sore and cramping. I didn't want to get up at all because of the headache but at 5:00am I just got up and went downstairs. I did manage to drift off a little bit on the couch.

Now, as I've been up for a bit this morning and have had some fluids to drink and moved around a bit the headache is starting to relieve itself. I'm actually starting to feel better now and hopefully with a little more sleep today I'll be rid of this totally.

These weekend sick episodes have so got me dumbfounded as to what's up. I've pretty much decided that the headaches are migraines but why did I start to get them and why do they make me so blasted sick and why do they start at the end of the week.
I guess more questions to ask my neuro next month.

I'll do a quick music post today....seeing how Christmas is only 4 days away.
Here Comes Santa Claus

and O Christmas Tree

Till Next Time...........

Saturday

2008-12-20T11:46:00.002-05:00

and a very quick update today.
Putting it bluntly...I feel like crap today. Seems my weekend sick episode has come back. I didn't feel great Thursday and yesterday was a bit worse and then last night was terrible.
I couldn't sleep for anything between the headache and the diarrhea so I got up at 4:00am and went downstairs and laid on the couch and tried to sleep there.
This is just so friggen irritating.
That's all for now...
No music today...sorry.

Till Next Time............

Friday

2008-12-19T10:42:00.002-05:00

and it was a miserable night last night. Seems that I got another one of my sick episodes. It started with a headache yesterday and then last night the bowel issues started and the alternating hot and cold. I was up at 2:00am and again at 3:00am and thought at that point that I might just as well get up and try to get some sleep downstairs on the couch.
Well, I was so tired and felt so crappy that I crawled back in bed and actually fell back asleep until about 7:00am.
So, today I'm just staying in bed and trying to shake this...I know I've said this before....but I get sooooo tired of all these non TM specific things happening. It's so frustrating.
So, a quick Christmas music post..

Till Next Time..................

Thursday

2008-12-18T14:33:00.003-05:00

update...
Today was PT day...My normal therapist wasn't in today so I worked with another one...only got a half hour session today..they were very busy I guess.
I also had my appt. at the VA today with the prosthetics guy. He was going to try a different AFO on me and also get me set for a pair of better orthopedic shoes.
The shoes (sneakers) had to be ordered so I should get them sometime by the middle of January.
He brought an AFO with him to try...It's called the Trulife Matrix Max

and I gave it a try...it's actually pretty cool because even though it initially feels kind of stiff it has lots of flex and even helps me push off with my toes which I haven't been doing and that has been one of the reasons my heels are numb.
So, we'll see how this thing works over the long haul.

Otherwise...Today is a weird day...I'm not feeling very well...I don't feel sick or anything, I just feel kind of crappy. What else that's weird is the fact that I have the cold chills. I'm actually cold today...and my feet are freezing. They have been cold since I woke up this morning (at 5:30am because I had to go to the bathroom) and I haven't been able to get them warm since. This is like totally opposite from what I had been experiencing all the time with the overheating. We'll see what happens here.

That's about all for that...Christmas music...
Donna...I've never heard of Il Divo before but I gave this song a listen..and I must say..I'm impressed..these guys are good. Just listening to this gives me goosebumps. Thanks for enlightening me.

and then you mentioned The Chieftains...I'm ashamed to say that I almost forgot about them. Of course The Chieftains have some Christmas music...and in their wonderful Celtic way, they take Christmas music to a higher level...and just make you want to get up and dance your ass off...
Man do I love The Chieftains...

and then this last one....and I have to say...I was totally surprised with this when I found it.
A little background...the group or band or whatever you want to call it..is Blackmore's Night.
I had heard of them many years ago but had never heard anything at all from them.
The artists are Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple fame. Now, when I think of Ritchie Blackmore I think of some heavy guitar work and some rip roaring rock and roll.
Well, years back Ritchie teamed up with a woman by the name of Candice Night (Hence, Blackmore's Night) as they both had a great love for Renaissance music. Literally, Renaissance music is the style of music from the Renaissance period of the 15th - 17th centuries.
Ritchie and Candice (who are now married) have created some amazing music that is so totally different than what you hear or would expect to hear today.
With that being said...Here is Blackmore's Night with We Three Kings

Till Next Time...........

Wednesday

2008-12-17T09:30:00.002-05:00

morning and I'm tired as hell....Again...wakened by those that come in at 2:00am or 3:00am and apparently do not know or understand what being quiet means. A TV that's too loud or a door that's closed without turning the knob to try and keep the door from making a loud closing noise.
I got up just after 3:00am and went to the bathroom thinking..okay, maybe if I go to the bathroom now I'll go back to bed and maybe sleep until a decent hour...Noooooo, I dozed off for a bit but 5:30am I was back awake....so, I got up.
Again today...legs are sore and stiff and I'm tired. This is getting real old, real fast.

So,...I'll lighten the mood here a bit....My wife sent me this video yesterday...it is soo funny that I just had to post it here...It is a video of a dog...and I just love dogs...they are incredible and sometimes they can be such characters, as this video proves...

well, I'm going to try and nap today so I'll close my post for now..
here's a couple of Christmas videos
I'll post this one in memory of our boys across the pond in a far away country trying to preserve peace and freedoms. I wish them all the best during the holidays and all year. This is to wish them Godspeed and that the war will hopefully be over someday soon. Salute.

and something from Nat King Cole....

Till Next Time................

Tuesday

2008-12-16T10:01:00.002-05:00

and it was an early morning again today..4:00am...BUT...it wasn't because I had to go to the bathroom or because my legs were aching as they usually do.
Both my wife and I were awoke because sometimes certain people don't use the best judgment or have due respect for others. That's all I'll say on that.

So, today..I am still stiff, sore and very tired.
The old legs just aren't happenin' right now. I can walk but dammit...it's like I'm a drunken sailor. Trying to get up off the couch takes about 2 minutes of initial thought and then another minute of adjusting myself to get everything in place..my legs, my cane and my butt. Then..another minute of very sloooowww movement to the standing position. That first step is also pretty treacherous.

I'm cutting this post off here....nothing else to really mention right now..if anything spectacular happens maybe I'll do a late day update or just leave it for tomorrow.

So..Christmas music... Ho...Ho...Ho

No intro's on any of them...

Till Next Time......

Monday update

2008-12-15T13:49:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone....it's Monday December 15th....10 days until Christmas. Right after Christmas is the New Year... WOW...2009. As they say...time flies when you're having fun. What...who the hell said that..? What fun..? Time is flying but where's all this fun that they mentioned..? Oh well.

Anyhow..as today is Monday it was PT day. I woke this morning at 5:30am which wasn't too bad in comparison to some other mornings, but when I woke up...ayyyy, I am stiff, sore and my body just feels wiped. It felt sooo tired.
I go to PT and Cindie does my E-stim and then the ankle exercises..I do the exercises on a thing called a Biomechanical Ankle Platform.
Here is a picture of it..

except I use it sitting down. I roll my foot from front to back and then from side to side and Cindie uses here hand on my shoe with just the ever so slightest pressure to add resistance. Oddly enough, it wears me out after 15 reps each way. I do 2 sets of 15 reps and my ankles are tired.
After the ankle exercises we only had enough time left to do some stretching...and as I said...I'm stiff and sore today....stretching was torture.....It's such painful pleasure.

Well, that's about all there is for the TM update...
It's Christmas music time...
Note to my sister, Donna...Not much Christmas music available from the Stones...and nothing that I could find from The Clash.
So...here is what I found from the Stones...the only song I could find that even had a reference to Christmas was the song "Winter" off of "Goats Head Soup"
so...here it is..

and I found this also...of course we could count on Keith Richards to do something like this... just check it out...you'll get a chuckle..

and...back to something a bit more traditional....by the London Symphony Orchestra...
The First Noel.

Till Next Time.......

Well..Happy good Saturday morning

2008-12-13T09:40:00.007-05:00

It's a cold one this A.M. Real temp is 19 right now..with wind chill..it's 3. Brrrrrr

So, it was an early morning for me this morning. I woke about 3:45am with a headache from hell and legs that were throbbing like crazy. I'm not sure what that was all about.
My wife was also awake early...I guess what happened was this...I woke up...and then the cats (2 of them sleep in the room with us) heard me stirring around so they got up and started messing with each other...and then the dog woke up and she has a habit of getting up on the bed and laying on the pillows between my wife's and my head. When she does that she takes up a good bit of room (she's an 85lb Black Lab). This morning when Sophie hopped up on the bed she pretty much plopped her butt right down on my wife's head and needless to say, my wife woke up. So, she got up and I waited for a few minutes until my wife got out of the bathroom and then I got up.

So, we sat downstairs since 4:00am and watched CNN and I drank coffee and she had some tea.

When I first got up I took an Imitrex just in case the headache was one of "those" headaches I get when I get sick. Right now it feels a bit better but it's still there.
About an hour ago I started feeling really crappy...I got all hot and started sweating and felt all weak all over. I came back up to bed and layed down and now the sweating is gone but I still feel all weak.
I get so tired of there always being something going on. I'm getting to where I can deal with the TM...I think I'm starting to accept things a bit better and am learning to adapt to alot of things. I'm even dealing with the pain to a certain degree..I have learned that I can't sit flat on my butt or even sit up in bed...I've learned what positions I have to use to be somewhat comfortable. It's all these other things (the sweating, the headaches, feeling all weak all over, being tired and fatigued all the time..etc..) that are a real pain. Arrrrrgggghhhhh...!!!!

Oh well...enough rant for now...I'm finishing this post and gonna try and take a nap.
So, Christmas music....and Donna..I found something for you but I am waiting to post it for a day or two.

First off....

and secondly...

and thirdly........

Have a good Saturday everyone....

Till Next Time..............

Friday

2008-12-12T11:09:00.002-05:00

update time.
I skipped yesterday...I just didn't have the motivation to do any writing yesterday.
I did have PT yesterday and I am now getting e-stimed on both legs to try and help resolve my toe push off problem. I am also doing alot of ankle exercises to strengthen those muscles. I hope this along with the orthopedic shoes helps because now with my left heel starting to get numb and also hurting...it is really getting bothersome.

So, lets do some Christmas music and work on getting in the holiday spirit. I kind of started off earlier in the month in the Christmas mood but that has dwindled off somewhat..Not quite sure why.

Well....here is kind of a Christmas classic...
"Let It Snow" by Deano..

and then how bout Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

and Bing Crosby singing "Silent Night"

Note to my sister, Donna...
sis, I'm working on the Stones and the Clash...
wow...now that is a request and a half there...I'll see what I can find for you.. :-)

Till Next Time..................

Wednesday

2008-12-10T11:02:00.002-05:00

update....Just Christmas music today.

Todays Christmas selection is a bit of a Rock and Roll theme.

First one is from a group called Slade. They were a British 70's Glam rock band but they did a Christmas song that has endured many years as it is supposed to be a holiday staple song in the U.K.
Merry Christmas Everybody

Next one is from a group called Wizzard. The founder, Roy Wood was also a co-founder of the well known 70's group, Electric Light Orchestra. Roy didn't see eye to eye with the other founder Jeff Lynne so Roy took off and formed Wizzard.
Here is their take on a Christmas song. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and this is also a fairly famous U.K. Christmas song.

and now for the Ramones...What can you say about the Ramones...they were great...
Here's Merry Christmas Baby.

and then last but not least...The Boss....Bruce Springsteen...
He did a excellent version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

I messed up yesterday when I said there was 15 days left until Christmas...Today there are 15 days left...just to get things straight...sorry 'bout that.
Anyway, just about two weeks now...we have the house decorated and it's starting to get the feel...The feel of believing in Santy Claus.....

Till Next Time.............

Tuesday

2008-12-09T11:05:00.004-05:00

Quick TM update...got a call this A.M. from the VA prosthetic department. They have an opening this coming Thursday the 18th for me to get fitted for the shoes I need.
It's about time....especially now with my left heel bothering me. Let's hope that appointment goes well and they can help me out.

Okay....now, just some more Christmas music. After all, it's only 15 days away.

From the classic Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer...
Burl Ives signing Holly Jolly Christmas

and another Christmas classic, Frosty the Snowman with Jimmie Durante signing Frosty the Snowman.

and then how bout those annoying voices of the Chipmunks signing their Christmas song... lol

More tomorrow...

Till Next Time...............

Monday

2008-12-08T13:59:00.002-05:00

Well, It was PT day...not too bad there. I did some new exercises today. Ankle exercises. It has been determined that when I walk I have hardly any toe push off. This was discovered last Thursday when I had my Re-eval. During the re-eval I mentioned about my right heel bottom being totally dead assuming because I place all my weight on my heel, not spread over the whole bottom of my foot. So, Chris the therapist that re-evals me, watched me walk around and saw the way my weight is distributed on my feet. I'm glad this was discovered because Saturday night I found that I am now getting the numbness on the bottom of my left heel too. I forgot to mention that today at PT though.
Anyway, so now I do ankle exercises to strengthen my ankles and also getting e-stim on both legs for the same reason.

Woke up this morning feeling pretty decent again, but again, the legs...it's gotta be this cold weather. Man, they are so achy and weak feeling. Pain the backside and backs of the tops of my legs is really bothersome also. It just feels like my skin is ripping right apart.

After PT today I did manage a quick trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics. Lizzie and I have been throwing around the idea of trying to make some bead jewelry. She wants to try it and I need something to do...I like craft kind of stuff anyway since I enjoy doing things with my hands so I thought maybe this will be kind of fun. We'll see.

Enough of that for now...time for Christmas music.
A while back my sister asked for some of the old classic Charlie Brown and Grinch Christmas stuff...so, today is devoted to all of that.

and this isn't complete without also playing just the Peanuts Theme song.

and now..............You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

Any requests anyone...??

Till Next Time...................

Sunday morning post

2008-12-07T11:04:00.002-05:00

Didn't post yesterday...I pretty much felt like crap. I woke with one of those damned headaches again. I took an Imatrex and actually ended up taking two naps yesterday. I just felt really run down and tired. Now, this morning feeling much better although the legs are a bit problematic today. Very weak and achy. I'm guessing the cold weather.
I did wake up this morning around 3:00am to go to the bathroom and I thought I was going to end up not being able to go back to sleep. Fortunately I did, after a bit.

That's that for that...on with the Christmas music.

Mannheim Steamroller -- Joy To The World

and Trans Siberian Orchestra...one of my favorites from them...a very cool song.
This Christmas Day

and one last one today...Jose Feliciano...he has been one of my favorite performers over the years.
His beautiful Feliz Navidad.

Okay...enjoy...and I'll be back tomorrow with some more.

Till Next Time................

Just Christmas music today

2008-12-05T09:53:00.003-05:00

and away we go...............
Miss Catwoman herself from 1967-1968...Eartha Kitt....
Santa Baby

Ahhhhh.....gotta love Eartha.

and I remember as a child listening to Andy Williams singing his Christmas songs
So, here's White Christmas

and here's one from Stephen Colbert who is a comedian on the Comedy Central channel...
This link should open into a music player...I couldn't find any way to embed this one here.
Cold, Cold Christmas
http://geolibro.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/24/A_Cold_Cold_Christmas.mp3

and one last one today...this is from Chris Rea...whom you may remember (or not) from his mid to late 70's hit song, Fool, If You Think It's Over
Driving Home for Christmas..

More to come....

Till Next Time.....

Thursday

2008-12-04T13:32:00.002-05:00

I slept like crap last night..I haven't had a night like last night in quite awhile..so I guess I was due.
I was up about 1:00am to go to the bathroom..and fortunately I was still very tired so I was able to go back to bed and I fell right back asleep. But, at 4:00am I was awake again because my legs were starting to ache and I was sweating. I threw the covers off and layed there for a bit and tried not to move because I didn't want to wake my wife up. About 4:30 I just decided to get up anyhow, I had to go to the bathroom again anyway.
After I was up for a bit I realized that I kind of felt that I had a bit of a cold. Just kind of stuffy and tired feeling.

Well, today was PT so I went anyway..even though I knew it was going to be a tough day.
I did have a re-eval at PT today...which showed a little more improvement in a couple of areas but also some digression in a couple of others which is more probably because I was tired and not feeling well.

As I lay here on my bed right now typing this..I'm feeling so sleepy, my hands are cold (which is unusual) and my head is so stuffy. Yep, I think I'm getting a cold....great, just what I need. Damn...it seems like it's always something.

Oh well, on with it...if this turns into a cold, I'll deal with it.

So, my sister has been participating in requesting in some music...which I have enjoyed doing..and I like your requests sis...(great minds think alike.. ;-) )
This whole month I am dedicating to Christmas songs to get the Christmas mood going.
I have some ideas of what I want to post and my sister is giving me some good suggestions...so, I think I can probably find enough to post two or three with each posting.
Here we go...
12 Days of Christmas... but wait..not the traditional one...this is the McKenzie Brothers version..who are the McKenzie Brothers..?
Well...years ago...on the famous Canadian comedy show Second City TV there was a sketch called The Great White North and it was hosted by the fictional brothers who were played by no other than Rick Moranis (Honey I Shrunk the Kids) and Dave Thomas who has been in a multitude of TV shows and movies..

So, Take off, Eh.

and then a request from my sister...which also happens to be one of my favorites..
A wonderful pairing of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth.

and one more....a little more upbeat...Winter Wonderland by The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Till Next Time............

Wednesday

2008-12-03T13:11:00.002-05:00

quick post.
I meant to post yesterday...only because I'm getting things geared up for posting a bunch of Christmas songs...there are a ton that I want to post...and most of them are pretty quirky and fun ones...but, I will also be posting some of the good old favorite traditional ones too.

Quick TM update...actually no real changes or anything specific with the TM. It's just that yesterday I was going out into the garage for something, and mind you, there are only two small steps down from the house to the garage floor. I don't know what I did or how it happened, but I lost my balance. I didn't fall to the floor but it was one of those falls where you manage to maintain some control but not enough to totally stop the fall. When I lost my balance I kind of was falling sort of backwards against the inside door and my feet were dancing around the best they could to find some footing. I went down on my butt and on the way down my left foot just went out from under me and I kind of did a bit of a split. No real injuries to speak of other than I think maybe I kind of pulled a muscle on the inside of my left leg. It's pretty sore today. Oh well..

So, with that aside...music time. A couple more requests from my sis. Christmas music of course. She is looking for Mitch Miller which YouTube is full of videos of him. Now, what to to choose...hmmmm Okay, here we go..
Must Be Santa...

My sister also mentioned Tom Waits. Now, when I read that she was looking for Christmas music from Tom Waits...I thought we might be out of luck on that one because I didn't think Tom ever did any Christmas songs.
Well, after finding the song that I did, I guess it could technically be called a Christmas song but it's not really...
Give it a listen..
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis

Sorry sis, Tom just didn't do much in the way of Christmas songs.

and I'm going to post one more...just listen.. no introduction at all..

Have fun with these....we'll be back tomorrow for some more of my twisted idea of Christmas music.

Till Next Time.......

Late post Monday afternoon

2008-12-01T16:52:00.002-05:00

..Well, I had intentions of updating earlier today when I got home from PT. I got home, got on the computer for a bit to check my e-mail...and I also popped in to the TM Network website to see what was new there.

One of our members from India was online and I chatted with him for awhile.I thought that was pretty cool, just the thought of it, he is completely on the other side of the earth and we're able to chat online, technology can be pretty amazing.

After our chat I was really sleepy so I layed down. I guess I crashed out because the next thing I remember is waking up and looking at the clock and it was 2 hours later.
During the time I was napping my wife had gone to the grocery store and got home shortly after I woke up so I helped bring in a few groceries. That's why I'm not updating until now.

PT went well today..although rather exhausting. Spent alot of time on the treadmill again and also did some leg dips I guess you'd call them. Works the quads quite a bit and also the muscles in my hips and back end. My legs are wore out...

So, today is the 1st of December...hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner and also a brand new year. I am going to hold on that 2009 is going to be a better year than 2008 was..it has to be.

That's about all for now...let's see what kind of music I can scrounge up to post..
okay...I found something...
Let's have a little Stormy Monday....it kinda fits the weather here today..by two blues great..Albert King and Stevie Ray

and my first Christmas song...
Frosty the Snowman.....but...it's sung by a couple of "unique" artists...
Leon Redbone and Dr. John..

Tell Next Time :-)...........

Saturday

2008-11-29T13:31:00.002-05:00

I was going to post yesterday but I was so blasted tired that I blew it off...So, I am getting back on track today.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know I sure did....but. (I'll get to that in a second)

TM update...not sure what's going on...but the pain in my backside and the tops of the back of my legs is intensifying. The area right at my tailbone feels as though it is on fire. The pain meds I've been taking are either not working as they had or the pain is in fact getting worse, I'm not sure. I would say, on the scale that the docs and nurses always ask...on a scale of 1 - 10... Before probably a 5...yesterday and today were looking at a 7 or 8.
Either way, I can still deal with the pain...it is not at a point where it's totally unbearable. As I've said before, I have a very high tolerance for pain so I guess in a way I am lucky. It's just that this pain is so damn annoying...especially where it is. Sitting is a pain..(lol...literally) as I have to switch back and forth from one butt cheek to the other. When I lay down it's not so bad, I guess because all my weight isn't right on those areas. It is more comfortable to sleep on my sides though.

Alright..back to Thanksgiving...It was a very nice day...all the smells and such floating around the house..
Turkey went in the oven about 10:00am and then things really started smelling good. We wanted to eat about 4:00pm...and we were having a few people come over to the house.
About 4ish they started arriving...My wife's son, his girlfriend and little boy, My wife's daughter and her boyfriend and a few of her friends. One of them is a guy that we have known for a number of years and he is currently in the Army and just got back from Iraq. He is home on leave and is getting married next month.
Anyway...total of about 15 people including the younger kids. We did dinner buffett style because our table is nowhere big enough to seat everyone.

I carved up the turkey and we layed everything out on the dining room table and then people started cycling through filling their plates. I also filled myself a heaping plate of all the fixins and ate and then found a few more that I didn't have the first go 'round.

Anyway...about this time with all the people up and about and all the talking and moving around and such...I found myself starting to get really overwhelmed. Literally, I was getting very uncomfortable...and I think with that many people...the temperature in the house was getting warmer...and I started sweating like a fool. I had sweat running down the sides of my face.
My wife I think could tell that something wasn't right so she told me to go up to the bedroom and lay down, which I did. I just felt really strange...but after laying down for awhile I did start to cool down and felt better but I didn't go back downstairs. It was a very strange experience..I've never had anything like that happen before...
I know the getting overheated is because of the TM...but the feeling of being so overwhelmed was a new feeling. I don't know where that came from...

Yesterday I felt totally exhausted...like I hadn't slept in a couple of days...and my legs felt especially achy.

Anyway...with that aside...Thanksgiving was wonderful as are all the leftovers...(yummmm)
Right now I'm in the process of boiling down the rest of the turkey carcass and all the broth. It is going to make some awesome Turkey Noodle soup...(yummmmm again)

Today...I'm feeling pretty good considering the pain. I slept pretty decent last night and it's not so cold outside so my legs don't have that achy feeling so much today.

Okay now....another request from my Sis....
She is looking for One Tin Soldier...
A late 60's anti-war song from the Canadian group, Original Caste.
This song was covered by a group called Coven and also used as part of the soundtrack to the movie "Billy Jack".
I am kind of partial to the original recording though...So sis, I hope you don't mind...but I am posting the original by Original Caste.

Now, what else can I find to post here....
I know....a song that's been covered by so many bands and artists that's it's probably easier to name the ones that haven't covered it than it is to name the ones that have.
A song originally released back in 1939...yep...1939. It's an oldie but a goodie.
On YouTube I can find many versions of the song...and all of them are good in their own right...but there is one version that truly stands out above all the rest.
Why..? Because this version highlights the sweet, smoky, sultry sound of the Tenor Sax...which compliments this song fantastically...The group is The Viscounts and
the song... Harlem Nocturne.
Enjoy..

Till Next Time..........

Turkey Day

2008-11-27T08:05:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...!!

I hope today is a wonderful day for all...

I will return to regular postings tomorrow...

Till Next Time.................