We'll Get This Sorted

Okay I know I shouldn't be typing with every keystroke.  For updates and new exciting pics go to our "child" site:
http://thefamilyknot.blogspot.com


Sooner or later we'll know which one we are posting on. Suffice it to say I am doing alight, mainly because of all the help I get and the well wishers.

This does hurt and I am getting the look from the missus.

love,
g

Ugh... I Really Meant To Get That Up Earlier...

As I sit here now drinking my 2nd or 3rd to last beer before 10 o'clock the night before the actual surgery.  A lot of things don't work out the way you plan, but as long as some of them do...you know what I mean.  There may be mistakes galore as long as the important things go off without a hitch. I was going to space the paragraphs of my rambling with pictures of our last trip but...

I'll be talking to you all soon, or dictating to you soon.  Wow I finally get to feel important. "Miss Bryant get in here and take a letter!"

Cheers,
g

"Not To Fix, But To Stop It From Getting Worse'

The above is a quote from the neurosurgeon, and it really sums things up.  If I actually have less pain then that is really a bonus.  Now if I can get everyone to understand that at one time...

So the pre-op appointment went fine, its amazing that for a cripple I am still in surprising good shape (for the shape I'm in) and should have no problems with what they want to do. The surgery itself is 2-3 hours and I should be in the hospital itself that day and most likely the next day. After that I should be back sleeping on my couch.

From there is where it gets a little more blurry. There is no real set timelin or chart that tells me, "by here I should be there" I am supposed to get up and walk around as I can, same goes with sitting and laying down. It is alot like right now, I do what my body lets me. I'll be wearing a brace 'round me neck pretty much full time for the fist 4 weeks, from there it just depends on my strength.

There is a good chance that I may have spasms to my arms and legs from the spinal cord being compressed as long as it has. These should go away fairly soon, if they come at all. I should have control over my bladder and all th,t so  no diaper changes...until Febuary at least.

For the first few weeks I am not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, so it seems like 12-20 ounce curls can still be done (and the beer industry take a sigh of relief) . I am also not supposed to lift my hands above my head, and since I can't remember when the last time I could really do that was...

The most I may need during this time is some company, and while I can ride in a car (insert inside jokes here) and all that I don't think I will be doing a lot of housecalls for awhile. I am still looking towards brewing and the offer is still open to anyone that wants to learn something about the brewery arts. I have a guest room (until Febuary) and a couch if anyone wants (needs) to sleep here.


Thanks in advance for everything.


Cheers,
g

Things That Scare Me

Just a few things off the top of my head. Maybe by saying them out loud (so to speak {write}) will help take the weight off of it.

People will watch the "Lord of the Rings" movies and never read the books.  

What a waste and how wrong. Being fair the movies are art and have some manner of worth in their own right, but they aren't the books. Looking back on them it is hard to take all the dark and horrible things that were added, expanded upon, or focused on at the expense of the real things.  The movies are about War and the books are more about people in a time of war and how they get by.  Much of what I know of friendship I learned from "The Lord of the Rings" and "Magnum P.I." and a few other things but at their heart both of these things are about Friends and Friendship. 

I might walk past my daughter and not recognize her.

Need we say more here? Not really no, this also pains me more that I can put into words. I've never been very good with faces, and the other day I was thinking I wouldn't know most of my friends from high school. Would the recognize me? When I look in the mirror I think I look much as I always have. (Now when I look at the me with no beard...I don't know if I recognize that guy. Not sure I'd Trust him either, seems like he could be a real ass.)

I know two phone numbers (that matter) by heart.

I think this may be true for more of us out there than we'd like to admit.  Since the cell phone...who needs to memorize anything. I am just now getting where I can remember the Misuss' (most of the time) without having to look it up.  You know what I do remember though? Nearly all of the numbers "I" had before the cell phone. Pretty much all the way back to high school (those that were "mine" for longer than a year anyway) and now I can't remember my last cell phone number.

Surgery and being helpless.

And with the above looming in the near Future (next week actually can be classified "Danger Close" in this instance) Being afraid probably isn't the greatest thing.  One thing I can take comfort in is the great support that I have from Friends and Family.  There was a Time when I thought I had no need of either...and now I know all too well that I cannot and will not survive without them.  I have said before that if a man can be judged by his Friends then I am one of the riches men in the world. Thanks to you all in advance, I Hope that I am not as big a burden as I fear I will be.  Maybe it will all be easy...greatest part is that either way I am lucky enough to be Loved.

More later I will try and keep everyone as well informed as I can.  I'll even try to get some pictures in here as well.  Who can't wait to seem my new scar?

Cheers,

g

So A Man Walks Into a Bar...

22 November 2011
0047 (12:27 AM) British Standard Time (BST)

...Sorry no poodles or salami (if anyone gets that vague reference...there has got to be some sort of prize) just a man (Yours Truly) and his 6 month pregnant Missus. We've been having a grand ol' time on our Tour of the UK.  presently we are up in Scotland, my first visit (cos monkey'n around on Hadrian's Wall hasn't mattered in that way in centuries) to the other Northern Country that makes up the mix that is me.

In Edinburgh at the moment (and just as a travel tip, right now there is a mess of street closures and divergences all over this bloody place) and so far its been nice.  Like any capitol ('cept places like Sacramento) it is very touristy. So there is all the hustle and bustle and the foreign speak in the Winter air. Don't let anyone tell you folks up here aint nice and friendly though, cos that'd be shite.

Hence the title of this post...

After what I will only call too long driving 'round in circles and squares (not to mention the other geometric shapes that I can't spell and wouldn't know how many angles half {optimist} of them really were) {oh shit I've Lost the Plot...I've now read and re-read the above passage too many times for it still not to make sense. But in my own defense I did really just get up to have a piss...})...we finally got lost enough to end up just where we needed to be. In this city of churches and church-like buildings I'll have to thank St. Christopher (and St. Andrew) for that bit o luck.

Next thing I know I'm packing the bags up the spiral stairs, pictures to come later. Cos regardless of all the other shite, this place is still dead cool and I really am glad were staying a couple nights here. Just like I told the Missus though, "You really want to be done for the night when you come up here."

Then we find parking under the shadow (if'd it'd been daylight) of the castle we find a car park, and start off fer the nearest pub.  While the Missus was indisposed, a man in a Scots hat and wool sweater (think Scotland and you see this guy...I didn't say Scotty (he was from Canada anyway) strikes up a conversation with me, I know me the "People Person" Some of it was just the normal stuff, but somewhere along the line I think we sorted it out that we were a little bit the same. Next thing I know he say, "So yer a bit o' a Rock'n'Roller, and a writer too I bet." All I can say is that I'd like to think so.

So on we were to talk about Life and rebellion and all the big questions.  We didn't solve any of the world's problems, but it is nice to know that there are other like minded folks out in the world.

So cheers Gordon and thanks, I actually do feel welcome in Scotland now.

And cheers to the rest, I've sleep to get.
g

Requiem

 William "Bill" Knott Lavagnino

1994-2011

I'm Not Here To Ramble...

...but be prepared, I just might.  Not much to say here, seems like everyday is the same. Well some are crazier than others, but some times I can't tell where I am on "The Wheel" (see past post [and don't ask me which, my memory is shot. I lost my keys and my mind about a million times today]{see I said I might get to rambling}) surely not at the top and if I am getting rolled over...then I guess that is a good thing. If this is as bad as it gets...

Shortly we'll be setting up a sister or brother (we don't know yet, and yes we debate it nearly everyday) page to this one where we'll share what is going on in the world of the little Life.  It'll be restricted, cos we really don't want our stuff out there. And I'll be damned if I let Facebook own our pictures.

Plus it'll be a good way to chronicle what is going on, not just in pictures but with everything.  I know I don't know what everything means, maybe someday we'll pass the site on to the next generation.  Maybe I can even get the Missus to write from time to time. (Don't laugh that's not nice. {Okay, I guess you can laugh if you find humour in my getting the Boss to do anything])

Anyway I'll do my best to keep everyone posted on Life here.  I can get this out of the way though. Yes, I am still in pain, every minute of everyday. Don't worry though everything will come out in the wash...someday.  David Ngog if finally no longer a Red, the soft French (read Frog) Shite is gone, gone, gone. Actually a lot of dead weight was trimmed from Liverpool, and looking at the coming in versus the going out...things look good again. (Some [Arne and a few others I work with] would call this ranting, but then again they would do so at the drop of the proverbial hat as soon as I mention what they call "soccer" of well. There really is so little that I do give a shit about these days.  I feel a little bit more Free, like I really have nothing to loose. And my bullshite filter is at an even lower level that usual.

I tell my guys that they really don't need me around anymore. They really are ready to handle anything that comes their way (and I guess at the end of the day if that is my Testament...I'm good with that) and not even break a sweat.  I figure they just keep me around for comic relief, but they say they need someone who'll say, "Not only NO, but Hell NO!" I'm good at and with that too.  It is nice to know that I'd do anything for them, and they'd do the same for me. Like I said not a bad legacy to leave.

And here I thought I had nothing to say...

Cheers,
g