Wanna go see a folk music legend tonight?

I had my usual busy Sunday with Confirmation Class and worship in the morning and then home for some down time and preparation before heading back to church for Youth Fellowship. The last of the youth had left and I was just turning off lights and locking up the building and heading to my car when my phone rang.

It was my friend Patrice who joined our church this year. We quickly found out that we had similar musical tastes. She and Jim (with whom she lives, also a friend from church) and I are going to see the Dead in DC in April. So Patrice calls to say that she has an extra ticket to see Richie Havens tonight and would I like to go? I couldn't believe it. This man opened the Woodstock festival in 1969. I've been a fan ever since I first saw the documentary on PBS when I was a kid. His voice is unmistakable and he strums his accoustic guitar like his life depends on it. He does versions of Joe Cocker's You Are So Beautiful, The Beatles' Here Comes the Sun, and several Bob Dylan Songs that make you forget that anyone else ever recorded them. They simply become Richie Havens' songs.

So not only do I get a surprise invitation to see someone who I've always wanted to see, but this show was at the Ram's Head On Stage, which is a small (less than 500 seat) venue and our table was against the stage. Our seats were as good, if not better than whoever shot this video below.

The opening act, Harry Manx was also really good and my buddy Doug would have died over the selection of guitars that he had - including a home made one out of a cigar box and two old oak broom handles.

After a second encore, they anounced that Mr. Havens would be coming out after the show to sign CDs, posters, etc., so Patrice and I both got our ticket stubs signed, got to shake his hand and chat for a minute or two. What a night!

This was filmed in late 2008...

And from Woodstock....

An Anniversary

Yes, it was one year ago today that I fell at work and began the epic journey of recovery that still continues. Several people have asked how I plan to mark (celebrate just isn't the right word) the occasion.

So far I've mainly just been enjoying the day with lots of loud music and a little dancing around the house. Because I can! HALLELUJAH!!

I'm heading out for Slurpees with one of the boys in my youth group in a little while when he gets out of school. Other than that I am just glad that it is behind me, thankful for how far I've come and to all of the folks that have helped me get here.

Another Milestone

So this isn't quite the milestone that driving again was or not using the wheelchair anymore, but it was a big one socially and emotionally - I went to a concert at Ram's Head Live on Monday night. Now, you might think that's not such a big deal. I went to an Orioles game last fall and a Maryland Terps basketball game this winter, so what's the big deal about going to a concert, right? There were several factors that explain why I'm feeling especially good about this:

• The concert was Monday night right after my two hour plus physical therapy session
• The people that I went with were already in Baltimore, so I had to drive myself to and from the show.
• The venue is basically a dance club, so there is very little seating available

Doing anything after therapy has been a near impossibility until quite recently. Just a couple of weeks ago I would come home from therapy, set aside my cane and grab both crutches not wanting to put any weight on my leg. All I wanted to do was sit on the couch elevate my leg and ice it. So when Dan asked me last Thursday if I wanted to go I was intrigued, but told him not to get his hopes up. Add to that the fact that I would have to drive myself which would be more work for my leg. I would easily be able to wimp out, drive myself home after therapy and just not show up. The fear of not having seating and being in too much pain or not having the leg strength to drive myself home was also a concern. I've got to continue to be careful not to overdo it, but I've also got to make sure that I don't start using my disability as an excuse not to do things. So I went for it. I feel like a runner who has "hit the wall" and pushed through it. Obviously there is a very real physical component to how I'm doing and what I can do, but there is a huge mental component to contend with too.

I can't say it enough - Thank you so much for -

• Dr. Brumback's surgical skills
• The expertise of Amanda, Jessica, Sarah, Patty, Don and the whole gang at OSMC and for continuing to pushing me
• My parents' continued support (and help with the dogs) despite both of them joining me as knee patients
• Becky for all her emotional support and help with the youth group
• Family and friends who continue to cheer me on and never seem to tire of my constant updates on my progress (even especially if you are tired of it and are faking it for my sake. I love you for it.)
• First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis as an employer and as a faith community has given me more than I can ever put into words.

Without all of you I would not be as far along in my recovery as I am today.

Who, you ask was playing in Baltimore on Monday night that also helped inspire me to push through that mental wall? THE WAILERS as in Bob Marley and the.... Bob unfortunately passed away in 1981, but the band has found a very good lead singer in Elan Atias and they sounded fantastic. For this tour they are performing the entire 1977 album Exodus (plus some choice encore numbers). If you are a reggae fan this is a show to see. I made sure to snag a bar stool so that I could sit, but once the Wailers took the stage I couldn't resist the urge to stand, and although I don't think it was technically dancing, I was grooving along with the crowd.

ONE LOVE! "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel alright!"

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

The Corrigan Brothers song about their favorite president (who happens to have Irish roots)

Sláinte Mhaith!

An Update on My Future Plans Post

It turns out that this was not announced at the session meeting as expected, so I jumped the gun a little in posting this item. Not a huge foul, but not the order in which I intended this information to be disseminated. So if you are a Session member who is looking back at the minutes of the meeting wondering "how did I miss that?", the answer is - you didn't. Also, the next step in the process will be for someone from the Presbytery's Committe on Preparation for Ministry (CPM) to meet with our Session to brief them on the process and their responsibilities.

As far as the timing of my plans, I should have mentioned that I am thinking about starting school in the fall of 2010 in order to give me time to visit and research the various schools that I will be considering. I have no intention of leaving my position as Director of Youth Ministries at this time. If and when I make that decision will be dependant upon when and where I decide to go to school (and if the Session and Presbytery's committee's support my application). There are seminaries in Baltimore and Washington that I could attend without relocating or leaving my youth position. They are not within my denomination though so that would add extra steps after obtaining my degree in order to meet the Presbyterian Church's requirements for ordination. The Presbyterian seminaries are all out of state, so if I do decide to go to one of them that would require some changes. But those decisions are down the road a ways and there are many many variables to consider.

Appointment with Brumback

Today I saw Dr. Brumback, the orthopaedic surgeon, for the first time in over two months. My x-rays looked good. No signs of infection still and no movement of any of the bones or hardware. I'm bearing quite a bit of weight now, so my fear has been to have a repeat of last summer - things shifting and collapsing as I put more weight on my right leg. That isn't happening this time and he used the words "the bone is healed" so that obviously is a good thing.

He was also pretty impressed with the progress that I've made at therapy and gave me a new slip to take to them so that we can continue to work towards getting me off of the cane and get me walking without any assistance.

What I've found out at therapy, and it was reinforced by what we saw in the x-rays today, is that my use of the cane has far less to do with the bone and knee joint now and much more to do with the atrophy that occurred to my muscles over the last year. Amanda (my physical therapist) has really zeroed in on specific muscle groups that I need to rebuild and strengthen in order to walk with out my cane. Basically the muscles on the right side from my lower back down to and including my thigh are not strong enough to keep me lined up when my left leg is off the ground. So my hips get torqued and twisted which will cause problems down the road if I don't fix that. I'm already noticing muscle pain and strain on my left side, especially in my lower back.

I'm still in a bit of limbo as it pertains to the workman's compensation flow chart. Sandy, my nurse case worker, talked to the church about my duties as facilities manager and will present those details along with Dr. Brumback's report from today's visit to the insurance company's adjuster to find out whether I move to the vocational phase or not. Apparently some companies will not move you to the vocational step if you are still in the medical rehabilitation phase. In cases like mine, where it is pretty apparent that returning to the same work is not realistic, but where there is still a need for physical therapy and rehabilitation for life in general, some companies will allow some overlap of the two phases. We don't yet know whether that is what they will decide or not. Dr. Brumback has given me three more months to work on things and I will see him again in June.

As I mentioned above, Amanda is really focusing on specific areas where I need improvement and she has been increasing weights and adding new exercises almost every time I go to therapy. My appointments now take over 2 hours. She's got me sidestepping over cones with 6 pound ankle weights on, using nautilus equipment, scooting myself up and down the hallway on a stool with wheels using only my injured leg, and even using the StairMaster.

Occasionally I get frustrated with my new limitations and I loose site of just how far I've come. It really is all about perspective. This clip of one of my favorite comedians, Louis C. K., on Conan illustrates just how quickly we forget the way things used to be and how silly we can be about things that aren't going how we want them to.



So with regards to my leg - Everything is amazing, and I'm extremely happy!