POST SURGERY UPDATE

Hi folks,

I appreciate all the emails, cards and calls people have so graciously sent me over my recent spinal surgery. I can’t begin to tell each and every one of you how much your thoughts and well-wishes mean to me.

It looks as the surgery was a success. I should know if so in detail by this coming Thursday when I have my first post-op interview with my wonderful orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Roger Shugart, who is simply brilliant, besides being the kind of guy you’d love to go have beers with!

Up until today, I wasn’t sure if it had been successful as I’ve been in a lot of unrelenting pain, and then I woke up this ayem and it had eased considerably—not 100%--but at least by 40%, and that’s huge.

Having a few post-op issues, namely my bowels have forgotten how to work… but I’ll get that sorted out I’m sure.

Above it all my wife Mary has been an absolute angel! She’s done virtually everything for me and never complained for a second. On top of her working killer hours on her own bad knees and never complaining one time, time after time she was there to prop up my spirits. I know I wouldn’t have made it without her by my side. And our son, Mike, who took off work to take care of me when his mom had to work. I’m so blessed to have them in my life. My other two kids would have been there to help as well, but that wasn’t possible as they both live out of state--Britney in Louisville (where she was in the hospital herself)—and Sienna in Michigan.

We took off my dressing for the final time today and I had Mary take pictures and here they are!

 This shot was taken four days after the surgery.

 This shot was taken a couple of hours ago. 

Again, thank all of you so much—your thoughts helped through all of this—I love you each and every one.

Blue skies,

Les

SURGERY

Hi folks,

I’ve been getting some emails asking about my spinal problems so thought I’d give people an update.

I go in for a spinal operation on Monday, July 17. The doctor told me it's a nine-week recovery period provided no complications. He said the first two weeks were the worst and the next two may or may not be bad but probably not. It's a two-surgeon deal where five vertebrae have closed over the spinal cord so they have to chip bone away from that and then put in steel stents to hold 'em together, I guess. They’ve already sent me a card to use at airports alerting them that the stints will set off alarms. Great… I think it's called a laminectomy (cervical) with fusion. Something about a stenosis. I saw the MRI and it shows the spinal cord disappearing into five vertebrae and then reappearing. I'm more worried about the anesthesia--looks like I'll be under awhile and with severe COPD I just hope I come out of it okay! Wish me luck! Life...

If successful, I should be rid of the intense pain I’ve had.

I’ve got a lot of books to write so I’m knocking on wood…

Please don’t send me any horror stories of similar operations going bad!

I’m hoping this will trigger sales on my books and folks posting reviews on Amazon—that will definitely cheer me up! (Just sayin…)

Blue skies,

Les

 When I was 18 and had virtually no spinal problems... Just bad haircut problems...

And, when I was 23 and still 6' 1/2" tall and not my current 5'8". Sucks to get old...