I've been called spineless...

[Christopher Price 59]

That trip was just part of the Price of Knowledge, my friend. Gotta pay to play. Helps if you can find knowledge on discount, but occasionally, you need to pony up to get the goods.

 

So, a scalpel, forged from smelted Cranberry ore, with a long tapered square section handle, progressive twist, with a ball on the end of it? Sounds like an appropriate "thank you" gift to me. The good doctor don't know what he just got in a patient.

 

Assuming, of course, he doesn't sneeze mid-cut.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Christopher Price

[Doug Lester 404]

Dang, Chris, when I read the heading of your thread I thought that the wife was ragging on you again and I'd just have to tell you to suck it up. Do what you have to do, better than that, do what the doctor tells you to do and take care of yourself. Don't get discouraged if the road to recovery get a little long and bumpy, it will work out. Just maybe not exactly they way we want it to. I'm wishing you the best of fortune. You are in my prayers, buddy.

 

Doug Lester

[DavidM 50]

You gotta get better, I still owe you a branding to match the one you gave me at Bowie's. Either that, or I gotta drink the rest of your rum.

 

The wife and I are sending you all the good vibes we can manage.

[Dee 2]

umm ... owies.

 

 

gets better soon.

*wealllllly gentle hugs*

[Krystina M. 0]

Take care of yourself, and best just send that rum this way, seeing as how you should not be mixing pain killers and alcohol

 

But seriously I am sending you all my get better vibes!!!

[Alan Longmire 3,788]

He left the rum with me.

[Bill Hoffman 6]

Chris,

 

Good luck with the surgery. I know a damaged back can hurt like hell.

Do what the Doc says, keep up with the PT, and you should be back

as good as new.

 

God bless.

 

Bill

 

P.S. I'll bring the scotch to next year's Fire and Brimstone.

[Dan O'Connor 30]

So now the day is 5?

Waver thee not

Edited November 3, 2010 by Danocon

[Christopher Price 59]

So now the day is 5?

Waver thee not

 

 

Eh?

 

This all started back on the first week of October - saw my family MD on the 12th, got an MRI on the 19th, saw the ortho on the 27th.

 

I see the surgeon again tomorrow for the final gut-check and to schedule the surgery - but with any luck, I'll be on the table on the 10th. Will update with news after the meeting.

[DFogg 13]

Good luck Chris, I hope all works out for the best. Please keep us updated.

 

Don

[Dan O'Connor 30]

Eh?

 

This all started back on the first week of October - saw my family MD on the 12th, got an MRI on the 19th, saw the ortho on the 27th.

 

I see the surgeon again tomorrow for the final gut-check and to schedule the surgery - but with any luck, I'll be on the table on the 10th. Will update with news after the meeting.

 

Sorry Chris,

 

Got a little too esoteric.

 

I meant 5 days to Go? Hang in there

[Gary Mulkey 1,445]

From the look of those discs, I can only imagine what you're going through. All my best & a speedy recovery!

 

You may need to get some shoes without laces to wear for a while.

 

Gary

[Christopher Price 59]

Been wearing velcro shoes for years, got tired of breaking laces. Yes, lazy man's fashion, but heh, it works.

 

 

I was feeling pretty good this evening, so once I'd taken half a pain pill and wasn't feeling dopey, I headed out to the shop to work on a scrap of wootz I've had laying around for a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what I came up with:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's not been heat treated or sharpened yet. Steel is ground to 400 grit. The business end got a 5-second dip in FC, just to preview the pattern. Overall length is 5 ³/₈ inches, edge is a hair under 2. I have some nitric out there, which shows a better pattern, but it wasn't where I thought I'd left it and I didn't feel like digging right then.

 

For those who've used or worked with scalpels before, is there a certain geometry I should have? Right now, it's just a long lazy convex profile.

 

 

EDIT: Finished it.

Finished it tonight. I thought about ribbing it, but I have neither the time nor the patience to do it right, and just wanted to get it done before I set it down and forgot about it, as I've done with too many other projects.

 

 

 

 

I ended up doing the etch 3 times to get the right balance of nitric and hot water (yes, always adding acid), the first attempts were far too strong and nearly blackened the thing. Good to know when I want that effect. The martensite definately takes a darker cast than pearlite, though, and you can see the quench line in the second pic.

 

And if anyone was wondering about its sharpness, this is some 3mm brain-tan cowhide, one very clean cut, cutting in from the slant...

 

 

Edited November 5, 2010 by Christopher Price

[J.Arthur Loose 180]

Good luck! I feel your pain. I broke my back in four places in the lumbars when I was 15 and was in a body cast for three months. It still hurts and I bet they're gonna hafta stick a rubber washer in there some day. Wouldn't be surprised if my x-ray looks a bit like yours...

 

Heal up well!

[Lee Bray 1]

Know how you feel, Chris.

I've been off work for three years now with the same problem.

My surgery was back in April, 2008 on the same area. I was bent double and couldn't stand straight prior to it.

The surgery cured the crippling pain and got me mobile again but unfortunately left the area very unstable. Since then, my back will occasionally pop out and leave me knackered again.

So much so there's not a chance I could continue rigging/working at present.

I've always been very fit so they thought my muscles would stabilise the area. Not so, so now I'm to be fitted up for a SS cage over the 2 discs and have some plastic inserts put in place of the disc.

Can't wait.

But I'm on public health so I have to.

 

If I may offer advice, do not overstress yourself for a long time after the surgery. No bending or lifting.

To this day I wonder if I shot myself in the foot by pushing too hard early on.

I was feeling very strong after 3 months of physio and exercise at home. Almost perfect, or so I thought.

Took my kayak out on the sea one day with no problems. Pushed a little harder the next day and crawled home in tears. 4 days of not being able to walk again...

Go very, very easy on yourself.

Your strongest muscle is suffering and surgery will cause it even more damage in the short term. Give it lots of time to heal up afterward.

 

Best of luck, Chris.

[Christopher Price 59]

Sounds good... thanks.

 

I have a 6 week downtime post-op, nothing over 10 pounds, wear a brace, don't swim, etc. After that, it's up to the PT's, and they're in daily contact w/the surgeons, so I'm pretty sure I'll get good aftercare guidance... but every story and word of encouragement helps.

 

Looks like I'm scheduled for noon Tuesday. Time to spend the weekend getting everything here in order for it.

[Kristopher Skelton 1]

I'm a bit behind the curve here, I haven't been on in a while. I hope your surgery was a fantastic success. It's ok to hate the PTs, and screaming is mother's milk to them

[Doug Lester 404]

I was in the reserves with a man who claimed that there was a special place in hell for physical therapists-and he was one.

 

Doug Lester

[Christopher Price 59]

Great. Something to look forward to.

 

I suspect it will fall more in the line of councilling, since there was never anything wrong with my leg... just the nerve damage. I have been told weight loss, core strength, and body mechanics are the bulk of what I need to work with right now, and that seems "not too bad" compared to something like learning to walk again, or the like. Maybe they'll just send me to the pool.

[Bob Geldart 0]

I looked at your photo/X-ray without first reading the accompanying text; I thought it was a photo of a new 'mascus pattern that you had developed!! Anyway, good luck with the surgery.

[Christopher Price 59]

Had my 6-week post-op checkup today, and was declared in excellent condition. I'm getting some additional numbness in my left foot that comes in waves, but the doc said that's right on time, as the scar tissue on the nerve begins to contract as it continues to heal. Should clear up in a couple weeks.

 

Next step, physical therapy, and a boat load of knives.

[Doug Lester 404]

Don't overextend yourself. I'm happy that you're doing well.

 

Doug Lester