My buddy Don, who is WAY OLDER THAN ME, just told me that he has had some injections/work done on his knee.

Last week, I had surgery on my index finger on my left hand...looks like "ARTHER" (arthritis) is the thing folks like us are increasingly facing.

Don deserves to suffer...his injury was probably caused from jumping out of all those 2nd story bedroom windows as a MUCH YOUNGER MAN.

Mine is a result of incorrect fingering on instruments, bar fights (yes, and I'm a little ashamed of that), the injury I received in a robbery 5 years ago, and simply wearing out the joint from almost 60 years of playing.

It's kind of poetic justice. I've been one of the critics of arranger playing. There is a good possibility I'll never be able to play guitar, bass or even left-handed bass on my beloved B-3. That SD-5 might soon be paying the bills.

We'll have to see. In the meantime, enjoy good health and the joy of playing music while you can.

And Mason, BET I CAN OUTRUN YA!


Russ

P.S. What makes things a little easier for me is, I've sold enough of my guitar collection (about 60 pieces) to raise enough to do my youth center project. Now, poor me, I'm down to about 251 stringed instruments. Whatever will I do???(LOL)!

Hi Russ,
Never good news when we wake up one morning and begin to realize one of the most beloved things in our life might be a thing of the past. Last I heard you were having surgery on your hand - sounds like that didn't help a lot. I've got the same thing with my neck now. Even though my Cervical Spine Surgery was a success it turns out my neck doesn't like it very much if I spend much over an hour sitting at a keyboard.

It is good you have another activity to spend your time with. I am still trying to figure that part out. I wish you well Russ and hope for the very best for you.

Deane

Russ, if you need take a little R&R, do it down here. We'll (my wife and I) take care of you. I'm guessing your wife won't object one little bit . Hey, we got indoor plumbing and everything, and even though you're a Republican from Kentucky, I'm sure a smart guy like you can learn how to use it .

Hey, I was serious about the first part, although you don't seem to know how to take an occasional break from work. Give those old worn-out parts time to heal and have a little fun. Talk to you soon.

chas

Best of luck, Deane. and Chas (the smartass)...you'll NEVER let the Republican from Kentucky thing go will you?

YA GOT ME (LOL)!

Thanks, all,


Russ

(Hey, Chas, you never got back to me about those cute little nieces...)!

Bad news is that the injection hasn't helped a bit. I think there is more damage than just the Arthritis. I'll give it a few more days, then go to an orthopedic specialist.
More bad news. My doctor weighed me and said to lost at least 30 pounds. I weighed 285. No more dinners at Ernest's every night.
Low carbs and more exercise is the answer!
Crippled and all, I shot 74 today and won enough to pay my deductible at the Dr.'s office!!
DonM

You know what they say 'getting old ain't for sissies". Maybe we should all join Eddie at the home down in God's waiting room.

I'll say it one more time. At 55 I was unable to climb the ladder with my left knee. I got a shot that helped a lot. The doctor told me that we'll have to replace that knee in a couple of years.

An old farmer boy at a restaurant told me to take Glucosamine MSM and Chondroitin and let him know what happens in 8 weeks.

In 8 weeks I was climbing the ladder again with the left knee and have been doing so ever since. A year and a half prior to that time I was not able to push myself up the ladder with the left knee.

Is anyone 50 years old listening. Don't wait until you're 70. Then it's too late, too far gone, you're over the hill, it won't work then.

It will work now. Don't take 3 a day like the bottle says. Take 6 a day like I've been doing for over 15 years. No new knee for me. The old is still working fine.

It doesn't pay to be pig headed. It causes a lot of pain. No more on arthur from me. I promise. I'm beating my head against a brick wall. I have people tell me, that crap doesn't work. I say oh you've taken it. They say yes for a year I took two pills every day.

Don't take two pills every day. don't take three pills every day. don't take 4, don't take 5, take six every day asshole. Ha ha!

Boo, 5 years ago, after getting cut and, prior to that, having major pain in my thumbs to the point of not being able to play guitar at all, a friend and my gun dealer brought me the first bottle of the combo you are taking. Within 6 weeks, the pain in my thumbs had subsided and I started playing stringed instruments again.

I have been taking two pills a day for 5 years and will increase the dosage today to whatever the Dr. says is the maximum. If I skip a night, I can tell the difference the next day.

Boo is right. For arthritis, this stuff WORKS! My situation is arthritis, the damage from a cutting, damage from bar fights over the years and simply wearing out the joint; partially because I used weird, incorrect fingering for many years.

Except for the fights, I wouldn't have had it any other way!

Russ

BTW: before my good friend Chas climbs my butt, I collect fine target firearms to use on my property and to do competitive shooting with. Even after getting hurt in a robbery, I do NOT carry a gun, do NOT hunt, do NOT have a conceal/carry permit and would only use a firearm to defend my family.

BUT: since I'm a Kentucky Republican, I can "hit the target" with a variety of calibers at 600 yards or so.

BURP!

Well, I do carry a gun at all times, have a concealed carry permit AND a badge. The bad guys all carry guns except they aren't legal and probably stolen.
Haven't had a fight since I learned to apologize though, and have only pulled gun once, some years ago. Didn't have to use it so the other guys are still alive bothering people.
DonM

Gettin' old ain't fer whimps and sissies! I should know.

Good Luck,

Gary

Well, "Arther" won out over both knees and is making quite a racket in the fingers ...
I'll endure the pain as long as I can keep playing ...

Gary ... you ok after the storm ... how did Carol make out?

SOOOooooo, if you make Russ mad, stay at least 700 yards away .

chas

Carol is doing fine, has a bad case of bronchitus, though. Didn't loose power at our home, but most of the nearby neighborhoods are without electricity, which also means no water or heat because we're all on wells and have oil heat, both of which requires electricity.

The weather here is Beaufort, SC, which is where I stopped today, is very windy, cold (down in the mid 30s tonight) and it's doubtful if I'll be able to get out of here and head farhter south until Friday at best.

So far, in more than 850 miles and 30 days on the water, I've lost 11 days to the weather, which has really been nasty this October. Under normal conditions I would have been in the Florida Keys by now. Nothing is normal about Hurricane Sandy or this year's weather. The past five days of winds have been a nightmare, lots of 6 to 8 foot waves with tight intervals, which translates into a real physical beating for the captain (me). Sorry Russ, different kind of captain.

Cheers,

Gary

Damn, Chas, that's a good example of Democratic humor.

Funny as hell!

Be well, friend!

R.

Russ, I’m so sorry to hear about your condition. I do know that however you choose to participate in music be it on an arranger keyboard, singing, composing, producing, teaching, or through you youth organization you will continue to touch people lives.

Best wishes to you my friend.

Thanks so much. It's true. Film scores are a continuous, profitable part of our day business, and I'm looking forward to active participation in the center here.

BTW, were you the one who expressed interest in the book about Jazz history? I have located it and would be glad to UPS it to you, "on loan" to enjoy. Chas read it and agrees it is probably the most definitive history of this great American art form.


Let me know if you're interested.

Russ

Some of the bars I played at when I was younger, were pretty rough...

We were loading in our gear one night, and the bouncer took us aside, and asked if we had any weapons.

We said we didn't.

He reached in his coat, and gave us a couple of pocket knives, and said, "Well, these should do you till you can get something better."

I don't miss the bar scene, although they say it has become a lot tamer.

Ian