Out with 2019 – in with a New Decade!

by Tom Shafer

December 28, 2019

So, as time is ticking down on the decade of twenty tens, I realize that I have not provided any sort of yearly update about my world here.  In so many ways, this past year has been one of stasis for me, you know, like the cartoon character spinning his legs as fast as he can but getting nowhere. 

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As many of you are aware, I had a significant back surgery in February (spinal decompression and fusion L4-S1-L5) which was followed by several months of intensive rehabilitation and reconditioning.  Unbeknownst to my team (neurosurgeon, physical therapists, and me), one of the cuticle screws had penetrated too far through my L5 and was planted thirteen millimeters into my psoas muscle.  My surgeon had suspected a problem two weeks post surgery (because of continued groin pain) and ordered an x-ray of the surgical area, but unfortunately, my insurance company rejected his request, so I continued rehab in hopes of regaining my life again.  I got back to playing golf a little, but could not return to other loved activities like biking, hiking, and kayaking.  I kept thinking that I just needed more time, that I needed to keep working hard at strengthening my core and following PT protocol, that eventually I would get there.

By the beginning of September, I knew something was wrong.  Pain in my back and lower legs had increased to pre-surgery levels, and general comfort was eroding.  Sleep was becoming increasingly more difficult, as were walking (especially uphill) and sitting.  I made an appointment with my surgeon, and after x-rays and a CT scan confirmed the problem, surgery was quickly scheduled and on November 12^th, two (of four total) cuticle screws were removed and as I scribe this today, I am approximately seven sessions into rehabilitation program number three for the year.  Everything is going so much better this go around, though it will take some time for my shredded psoas muscle to heal. 

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That’s why I mentioned that whole idea of stasis.  I have spent one-third the year in rehabilitation and about six weeks healing from the two surgeries – so in essence, I lost almost half of 2019 to them.  I’m not complaining, but I so want to get back to some sense of normalcy in life.

Memorial Day weekend unfortunately brought fourteen tornadoes to the Miami Valley, one of which ripped through the woods behind our house, leveling ten trees and littering the ground with an extraordinary number of large and small limbs.  Debris from the tornado also found its way to our yard and woods, most of it insulation and unknown flotsam and jetsam.  Our home came away unscathed, but houses on the court behind us sustained considerable roof damage, and all of us spent many days and weeks in clean-up mode.  Of course, considering the significant damage sustained throughout the Valley on that night, we colored ourselves quite fortunate.

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In spite of my back issues, I did work a vacation to Tennessee into my schedule, renting a large cabin on Douglass Lake near Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  A number of relatives from my wife’s side of the family were able to join us, and I think everyone truly enjoyed spending time together on the lake, in the park, and in the towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. 

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The wife and I also spent a long weekend with good friends down at Lake Cumberland.  It is always fun to spend time with them there because it is so laid back and relaxing.  We enjoyed a couple of nice dinners, spent time on the lake (on their boat), and imbibed a few cocktails while sitting on their deck that overlooks Lee’s Ford Marina.  We are planning to spend a few days with them next year (probably January) in Key Largo – which will likely include the same fun activities! 

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Changes with family here locally have brought some new duties my way, so I am spending more time with my grandniece and grandnephew.  Sometimes I am an educational chauffeur and breakfast confidant – or doctor and dental attendee; other times I am just an activities director.  It’s been fun hanging out with them, no matter what role I am playing on a given day. 

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I mentioned earlier that I did get to play a little golf this year, but I was so very limited with my actual golf swing.  With my long-time golf buddies, I attended our two annual outings this year, Lexington, Kentucky, in the spring and Columbus, Ohio, in the fall, but was only able to play in the latter – though not very well.  Through the summer, I watched my typical four handicap double to eight plus, but considering what I was going through with my back, I guess it could have been much worse.  At one point, I came to recognize that in many ways I was lucky to be playing at all.  I hope that as my second recovery continues, I will be able to reduce my handicap and return it to 2016 levels – prior to the waterfall fall that brought all of this on in the first place.

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Well, I won’t bore you with any more detail because frankly, I can’t think of anything else.  2019 will not register anywhere in my top forty list of best years, but I hope that it might be remembered for a second successful back surgery that returned me to near normalcy – whatever that might be.  I hope that your 2019 was much more memorable – that you are healthier, wealthier (in whatever way you want it to be), and wiser.  I know that I hit two of the three, so it wasn’t all gloom-and-doom.  Merry Christmas to you and yours, and here’s to a successful start to the decade of the twenty twenties.  Happy happy!!