[Rhodes22-list] Surgery

Wed May 26 19:36:39 EDT 2004

Michael,

Only if you promise not to run with the knife. :-) :-)

Mom

On Wed, May 26 2004 05:42 pm, Michael Meltzer wrote:
> You mean you can cut your own food, my mother always told me that was to
> dangerous for me to do myself. :-)
>
> MJM
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Alm" <salm at mn.rr.com>
> To: "Rhodes" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2004 5:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Surgery
>
> > Hey Todd,
> > I finally got to mow my lawn today--one handed.  It felt good to get out
> > and do something to make myself feel useful.  But my wife still has to
> > cut up the food on my plate like a little kid who can't use a knife yet. 
> > 8-)  At least I can go to the pottie all by myself now like a big
> > boy--oops--too much information.  8-)
> >
> > Hope you're feeling better.
> >
> > Slim
> >
> > On 5/21/04 10:22 PM, "Todd Tavares" <sprocket80 at mail.com> wrote:
> > >  Slim,
> > >  Actually, I think I am now just a hair taller. When they removed the
> > >  disks, they put in pieces of bone that were about twice the height of
> > >  the disks so that the muscles and tendons will also help to keep those
> > >  bone graft sections under compression until they calcify and fill with
> > >  marrow tissue.
> > >  My older brother is 6'5" and my younger brother is 6'4". All of my
> > >  adult life I have been only 5' 11 + 3/4" tall. I am going to hold a
> > >  level on top of my head and mark my height on the door jamb as soon as
> > >  I get offline here. Maybe I can finally say that I am six feet tall!!
> > >
> > >  :-)
> > >
> > >  I was just joking about my wife making me get my own coffee. She too
> > >  is a great care-giver and a true gem. I did make the mistake of
> > >  jokingly answering her question of, "Where would you men be without us
> > >  women?" by saying, "Probably still in The Garden of Eden." (I have an
> > >  odd sense of humor you must remember) I think if I wasn't in that neck
> > >  brace, I would have gotten a fat lip. : -q)
> > >  Todd
> > >  ----- Original Message -----
> > >  From: Steve Alm
> > >  Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 19:46:17 -0500
> > >  To: Rhodes
> > >  Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Surgery
> > >
> > >> Wow, Todd! Mine is nothin' compared to spinal surgery. Especially
> > >
> > >  one that
> > >
> > >> major. So...are you shorter now without the two disks? 8-)
> > >>
> > >> My wife has been a great care-giver/cheerleader too. Don't know what
> > >
> > >  I'd do
> > >
> > >> without her.
> > >>
> > >> Best of luck to you too!
> > >>
> > >> Slim
> > >>
> > >> On 5/21/04 4:39 PM, "Todd Tavares" wrote:
> > >>> Slim,
> > >>>
> > >>> Glad to hear that your recovery is progressing well. Let me know
> > >
> > >  if you
> > >
> > >>> have any further problems.....I can give you the name of one of
> > >
> > >  the best
> > >
> > >>> neurosurgeons in the country.
> > >>>
> > >>> This fine surgeon, by the name of Dr. Arthur Kobri ne, removed two
> > >
> > >  disks from
> > >
> > >>> my cervical spine and fused three vertibrae. He braced my spine
> > >
> > >  with a
> > >
> > >>> titanium plate (sorry Roger, but I dont know the # :-D).
> > >>>
> > >>> The surgery was on the fifth of this month, and I was able to ride
> > >
> > >  the
> > >
> > >>> tractor yesterday to mow the lawn!! *\o/* I cannot go back to 100%
> > >
> > >  full
> > >
> > >>> work status for 12 more weeks either. I will be back on light duty
> > >
> > >  in 4wks.
> > >
> > >>> During my after surgery 2 week check-up, the doctor asked if I had
> > >
> > >  any
> > >
> > >>> post-surgery side effects. I told him yes......I have gained ten
> > >
> > >  pounds from
> > >
> > >>> sitting around all day eating Chips Ahoy cookies and watching TV.
> > >
> > >  LOL
> > >
> > >>> Hope you feel better, and are back to tickling those ivories soon!
> > >>>
> > >>> Todd
> > >>>
> > >>> P.S. ( *\o/* )That was my wife doing her cheerleader imitation for
> > >
> > >  me being
> > >
> > >>> able to get off of the co uch... which meant I could now go and
> > >
> > >  get my own damn
> > >
> > >>> coffee :-D. If you need any perocet, let me know. I have plenty
> > >
> > >  left over
> > >
> > >>> ;-)
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>> From: Steve Alm
> > >>> Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 11:27:08 -0500
> > >>> To: Rhodes
> > >>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Surgery
> > >>>
> > >>>> Hi all,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Due to an old athletic injury to my right elbow, I've suffered
> > >
> > >  some nerve
> > >
> > >>>> damage to my ulnar nerve. That's what we call the "funny bone."
> > >
> > >  This
> > >
> > >>>> chronic and progressive problem has recently taken its toll and I
> > >
> > >  have lost
> > >
> > >>>> most of the strength in my little finger. This really wouldn't be
> > >
> > >  much of a
> > >
> > >>>> problem unless of course, one happens to play the piano for a
> > >
> > >  living.
> > >
> > >>>> So on Tuesd ay, I underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery.
> > >
> > >  That's where
> > >
> > >>>> they reroute the nerve to the inside of the elbow and tuck it
> > >
> > >  under the
> > >
> > >>>> muscle, where it will hopefully lead a more comfortable life.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> The surgery went well and I thought I received very good
> > >
> > >  care/treatment at
> > >
> > >>>> the hospital. The procedure requires a general anesthesia but is
> > >>>> out-patient, so after they woke me up, they sent me home. My
> > >
> > >  fingers are
> > >
> > >>>> warm, have no numbness and I can wiggle all 5. That's a good
> > >
> > >  start. My arm
> > >
> > >>>> is in a cast and sling.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I spent most of the first two days sleeping. Yesterday I went for
> > >
> > >  a walk--2
> > >
> > >>>> whole blocks. Today I'm feeling quite a bit better and the pain
> > >
> > >  has
> > >
> > >>>> subsided considerably. One-handed typing isn't so bad, but you
> > >
> > >  should see
> > >
> > >>>> my left-handed handwriting.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> The recovery will be pretty lengthy and I won't be able to go
> > >
> > >  back to work
> > >
> > >>>> for approx 3 months. And naturally, this gives new meaning to the
> > >
> > >  term,
> > >
> > >>>> single-handed sailing! I could probably sit at the helm and
> > >
> > >  steer, but
> > >
> > >>>> that's about all. We were planning a 3 week trip to Brazil in
> > >
> > >  June-July.
> > >
> > >>>> The trip is now extended to 5 weeks since I can't go right back
> > >
> > >  to work.
> > >
> > >>>> That's the good news. I can just as easily recover on a warm,
> > >
> > >  tropical
> > >
> > >>>> beach as anywhere else. 8-)
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I'll keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck!
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Slim
> > >>>>
> > >>>> __________________________________________________
> > >>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >>
> > >> __________________________________________________
> > >> Use Rhodes 22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > >  --
> > >
> > >  ___________________________________________________________
> > >  Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
> > >  [1]http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup
> > >
> > > References
> > >
> > >  1.
> > > http://mail01.mail.com/scripts/payment/adtracking.cgi?bannercode=adsfre
> > >ejump01 __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list