Thursday, July 24, 2008

My (really) broken elbow





After putting up with my family and friends telling me for years that I never "really" broke my arm in a snowboarding incident in Tahoe back in 2002, I finally have my bittersweet vindication. This x-ray shows my right elbow on the left and my left elbow on the right.


That huge ROCK you see in the image "above" my elbow is actually IN my elbow and is getting in the way of proper operation, causing intermittent pain and hampering my physical activities.


You see, I am in denial with respect to growing old; and part of that denial involves playing softball on Monday nights, sand volleyball on Wednesday nights and lifting weights twice a week. I look forward to these activities since softball is with my son, Mike and two brothers-in-law; volleyball on Wednesday nights is with wife Bev, son Mike, daughter Heather, Heather's boyfriend Kyle, and daughter-in-law's brother Derek; and weight lifting is with one of my business partners Walt.


All of the above have been telling me that I'm just getting old and starting to fall apart and that there is nothing wrong with my elbow. This was echoed by my COO at work, who is a nurse, who said - quite coldly and matter of factly - "quit whining and get back to work!". (Even as the CEO of the company, I still get no respect :) )

This sentiment was echoed by the intern who first saw me at my appointment the other day when I finally had had enough and went to see a doctor. The intern said that I was old, that the activities I do are much better for younger people and that I just have a severe case of "tennis elbow". But, he would still let the Dr. look at me to verify this diagnosis.

Luckily, my friend Dr. Kris Moore had gotten me in to see Dr. Schenck who is, among other things, the Head Team physician for the UNM Lobos. Dr. Schenck, a stranger, BELIEVED me when I said something was wrong even though my family, friends and partners did not, and took the above x-ray to prove it... So it's off to surgery soon. WATCH OUT Albuquerque after that - I will again be UNBEATABLE... in my own mind...

Rainbow Trail Family Camp



this is 'the fam' at Rainbow Trail...

The Old Man, Heba, Da Tyle, Shan-Leanne, Mom and of course, Randall-Man

For those of you not familiar with the nicknames:

Gary, Heather, Kyle (Heather's Boyfriend of five years), Shanan, Beverly and front row - Randall