Finally able to drive my M37 again.

[jim lee]

Once I fixed the M37 (rebuilt motor, brakes etc.) I broke. Not being one to go near Doctors if at all possible, the medical profession caught up with me in a big way. Got sick thanksgiving went through nightmares of horribleness ending up with surgery. Scared the B-Jesus outta' me! Never been under the knife and only had horror stories to go on. Man! That's weird! One minute I'm sweating nails the next I'm waking up to the Dr telling me everything went fine, they pulled all the junk out, were able to keep most bits intact and I DON'T have Cancer after all.

"Want something for the pain?'

"Well sure, when I get some pain.."

"You don't feel any pain?"

"No, long as I don't move my neck much." (Thyroid glands removed, One was growing so big it was filling under my ribcage. Yikes!)

"How do you feel?"

"Kinda' like Nearly Headless Nick.. On vacation in Tahiti!! This is GREAT! Can I have some more Ice chips please?"

But this is only 1/2 the story. I'd also asked the Dr, seeing I was there already, why my leg always seemed to hurt? They decided to X-Ray the leg maybe they could see something? When the X-Ray came back the Dr asked, "This has been going on for some time hasn't it?"

"Well, yeah.. Been getting worse the last few years.."

"You have totally wiped out your hip joint!"

"Err, meaning?"

"You are going to need a hip replacement ASAP!"

Oh lord!

So the first surgery was to remove the tumors in my neck. As soon as I recovered, I was back to get my right hip replaced. When the bone Dr Saw the X-Rays she put me at the head of the line. Seems I was near total hip failure.

This time I was only 1/10 as stressed. Went fine, back in the cruise ship that goes nowhere for awhile. 24 hr snack service, lovely nubile nurses. Julie came to pick me up. "You want to stay longer don't you?"

"Kinda, yeah!"

After all these years I found what I'm good at. Surgery!

A week later I knocked the new hip out of joint. Discovered what real pain feels like. Dr knocked me out and fixed me up again. Last Friday I was finally released from all restrictions. ( Meaning I can finally drive the M37 again!)

But wow! Makes my leg sore!

-jim lee

[Monkey Man]

Well Jim, I am on the "going to have to get it done" list for the thyroid, not looking forward to surgery and/or radiation to get it sorted, I am lucky though, my hips feel just fine
Good to hear you're back behind the wheel, the sore leg might be normal depending on how far you drive, the clutches in these things do tend to be on the heavy side and I find after 8 or more hours driving over the mountains with plenty of shifting I get a bit stiff and sore as a result.

MM

[Cal_Gary]

Gosh Jim,
So glad to hear you're getting back on your feet!
Gary

[T. Highway]

JimLee,

WOW

Glad to hear that you are on the mend and are able to drive the M again.

Bert

[Brigand]

Sounds like you've been down a patch of rough road there Jim. I'm with you and MM on the thyroid issue. In my case it was chemo that threw mine out of trim. They are starting to get a handle on it but I haven't enjoyed the process.
We're all glad you can drive your truck again.

[jim lee]

Yeah, its been fun. But, I don't think I'm up to it on a daily bases. Pressing the brakes isn't that bad, its getting my foot up to the brake petal that's the hard part. After awhile I start cheating and lifting my leg with my hand. Time to head home for a rest. Today I'm back to driving the "pushbutton" truck.

-jim lee