Synopsis 2012
Celebrate New year in our new cabin in Otto, North Carolina
Work on S-10 pickup and S-10 Blazer
Pick up some new pools and clean up some green pools
Take lifeguard classes and pass tests, completed run and swim, dnp
Run, swim, and lift regularly
Middle of March - tingling, numbness, loss of strength in left leg, MRI reveals disk damage and spur on vertebrae, later severe hip and leg pain, see Dr. Casey Morris, Dr. Shirley Hartman. Begin inversion table therapy, nsaid's, micro current therapy, chiropractic care, ice packs. Gets worse.
Four day trip to Otto to trim and remove trees March 24 to March 27. Drove 93 S-10 pickup (did a lot of maintenance and repair prior). Took up generator and other gear and supplies.
Sat 3 Sundays with recruit surfmen 4/29, 5/6, and 5/13
Pick up a half dozen or so new pools, 3 green clean ups. Stop working for Jerry Pilcher on Thursdays
Bought 2 new Daisy Red Ryder BB rifles for target practice, 1 for PVB, one for the mountains
Appointments with Dr. Arce, neuro surgeon with Shands, to look at MRI and CT scan to advise on treatment. See Jan Davis at Precision Screening while getting cat scan. Top of right thigh starts being numb middle of June. Sleeping in recliner. Taking 1 Lortab a day and ibuprofen every 4 hours or so. Several sessions a day on the inversion table Dr. Casey Morris recommended. See Dr. Pagan for pain management, get some relief.
Joey Civello starts working with me in June, to alleviate pain associated with back, and to break in an apprentice, hopefully.
Rplace right rear axle bearing on Blazer and attempt rear brakes. Fail miserably, DeSalvo finishes for well spent $100. They fight with them to finish.
July 1 - get Medicare card in mail, good 10/1. Talk to Colonial Penn agent about supplemental insurance. Hope back issues hold out.
Karen goes to Otto for 3 weeks 6/23 to 7/15
July/August - Leg pain in left leg due to back pressure on nerves, worsens, Get severely depressed, get on Zoloft, nerve pain meds and muscle relaxers. Stop taking Lortabs. Pain becomes manageable, worse in morning and evening. Surgery scheduled for October 11 at Shands. Hope Medicare and United Health Care supplemental insurance cover bill.
Max Schafer and Ben Hedstrom work with me cleaning pools, unable to work by myself. Pick up some new accounts from website, up to 24. Will lose a few seasonal and moving in October. Tim Hall works with me some too, before going back to welding in September. Jerry Pilcher and I trade out helpers and get Max and Ben pretty well trained. Max and Ben will be running my route while I am out in October and November.
Paint S-10 pickup and Blazer in September. In driveway with air compressor, spray gun, and rustoleum paint. Both turn out pretty good. Pilcher twins help with Blazer (and mow yard).
Working out very moderately, not going to the lifeguard station much. Definitely no running. Probably through with that.
September - Replace broken impeller in Hot Spring hot tub
October 15 - surgery: fuse L5 and S1,remove calcified syanotic cyst pressing on nerves, clean up stenosis, remove arthritis from spinal canal. Dr. Arce, neurosurgeon, does great 11 hour surgery at Shands Jacksonville.
November 15 - after a couple of weeks of post-op misery, I started feeling a little better and stronger every day. Start taking bagels and doughnuts to the volunteers on Sunday. Hang out some. Sitting Thanksgiving day. Sit half day on Christmas.
December 1 - Get Christmas cards out. Post addresses in Address Book for Avery labels.
December 15 - Go to Otto cabin with Karen, fly home from Atlanta on 12/23. See Anna, Dylan, and Daniel twice. See Chad and Lyte on Sunday the 16th for church service. Do a few chores, target practice, read, play guitar. Buy string and arrows for recurve bow. Meet Paul and Mary Lou, next door. Visit Jeff Barrett and tour his back yard. Max is working for me this week, Ben helping on Wednesday. Smoky has good trip up unsedated, having a good time in the cabin. Walk up and down the driveway a few times, work out moderately. Meet Gary the electrician.
