Thoughts of a Common Man

Woke up this morning to the news that Judge Judy was rushed to the hospital. Sounds like she's going to be okay. That right there was scary. So, why didn't I listen to my wife and stay off my feet yesterday? I really made a huge mistake, but I believe I am back on the mend. I had to go to the meeting, but let me tell you, I really wasn't sure I was going to make it back home. I've been in bed since. Which begs a bigger question. My wife is usually right when it comes to not doing dumb things, but there is a certain amount of, 'I'll show her.' Why is that? Melky won't let me out of her sight right now. I was doing a fair amount of groaning and there was a moment when Nurse Kathy lifted my leg to slide a pillow under. I cried out like a 9-year old girl and Melky growled at Kathy. Now my poor nurse can't walk in the room without being viewed as a threat. Its funny that a dog can sense pain and goes out of their way to protect. Ah well, tragedy averted. ...

I really thought I would be just fine today. Let me fill you in on my dementia. Had the surgery yesterday and felt okay. The leg was stiff to be sure, but nothing I couldn't handle. I thought of my brother, John, and how he got right up and headed to work. I was going to match the toughness. Uh, no. Pretty sore. And that's okay, but its the sense, or lack of sense that bothers me the most and I'm sure that a psychiatrist can have a field day with why I feel I have to whip the world every single day. I mean there has to be something wrong there, right? Somewhere along the way someone messed me up. I know a lot of others that would love the fact that they can sit under a blanket and watch crap assembled on the dvr. Not me! So, there has to be a name for this particular disorder, right? There's a name for everything else, right? But let me try to figure it out for myself. You see, my biggest problem with today was that my kids saw me unable to do what I am supposed to do f...

So the hospital experience went pretty well. A little concerned that those gowns have to be worn, always feel like I'm about to show my big ass to some poor, unsuspecting nurse. I don't think they were traumatized in any way. The entire process is a little weird though and again, nothing but admiration for those who are able to help others like that. That's not an easy job. The ones who can do it with a sense of humor and a pleasant attitude are truly appreciated as well. I listened to the anesthesiologist as he explained how he was going to put me under. He told me about perhaps having to control things with a tube down my throat, if things went haywire and then told me it wouldn't be a whole lot of concern because I'd be out anyway. "Yeah, you can do whatever you want to me when I'm under," I said. And that statement struck me as odd. They truly could do some goofy things. I wonder if they have a sense of humor. One of my buddies passed out in colleg...

Man, they scare the hell out of you before an operation, huh? I suppose its the anesthesia that poses the problem, but I'm heading in to get my knee scoped tomorrow and the papers that I had to sign are all about what the hell happens if something goes wrong. The one form was what should happen in the event of a huge problem. The health proxy even recommended that I check the box that says they will do all they can to save me. I actually could have checked the other box!!! Given the choice, bring me back. Yet my wife also had to sign the form and I figured that she would be a little crazy with such a thought. I asked her to sign in the witness box and she did it quickly. "You sure I chose the right option there?" I asked. "Don't be stupid," she said. Of course, I fully expect to be watching Judge Judy with an ice pack on my leg tomorrow night, but Michael Jackson just thought he was going to catch a little nap too. The difference being, of course, I am not a...

Heard the news today that seven state workers will share the $320 million Mega Ball Jackpot. I wonder how they came up with the term 'state workers'...not sure those two words fit together, but I digress. Most of us won't get the winning ticket in our lifetime. We won't see the life-changing money that we dream about. We won't hit the home run to win the World Series. We will never score the game-winning goal in the Olympics. The ship won't come to shore. The train won't roar around the bend to solve our problems. We won't find a bag of cash in small, unmarked bills. Our lives will go on...one unexciting moment after the next until the moment when we suffer through our own death. Are you fired up yet? But as I read the story about the lucky seven, I also considered what that money can buy...and what it can't. Certainly my bathrooms would get bigger. I might even buy my own hot tub so I didn't have to share the water with other old, bald men. We w...

The above photo is a shot of my Uncle Lenny and Aunt Carolyn. They were in the hospital this week at the same time. While battling their own separate health issues they were able to share a moment and mug for the camera. One of my cousins posted the photo on Facebook this morning and I gasped when I looked at it. That's what its all about , I thought. And I could almost hear my Aunt's voice in my head as she spoke to my Uncle years and years ago. It wasn't anything specific that I remembered, just her calling out to him. "Leonard." And then I thought of the life that they built. The kids, the grand kids, the great-grand kids. The laughs, the tears, the arguments, the nights together, more laughs. (That's a funny ass family)...and battling through it all together. Married. Joined. Partners in this part of the ride. Holding hands. The past few years have been rough for them as they grow old together. There really should be more of a payoff for a life well-lived....

It's so easy to dwell on the moments in your life that simply devastate you. What's harder is to grasp the importance of the routine excitement that makes you the person that you are. The NCAA Tourney has been a lot of fun for our family. We all filled out our brackets and even drew team names out of a hat. A daily discussion of games starts with the schedule and Sam is the clone of the geek that I've always been. His sheets are scattered all over with a lot of red marks on them. "We should hang this one on the 'fridge," Sam said, pointing to a horrific bracket that I filled out. Last night was to be a special night. Now, of course, I can remember Friday nights where I felt guilty for all sorts of things, but last night the only thing that made me feel remorse was the bowl of peanut butter cup chocolate ice cream that I crumpled a brownie into. After another rough work week and a bout with the stomach flu, I settled in to watch the early games, as Sam chirped ...