I'm a Stripper!

Two weeks and I final got the nasty staples out. Yep, Jim, my nurse came over yesterday pulled the suckers and gave me this cool strip job. It feels so good to sleep face down again. Mark my PT was here today, he stretched me out and got me to 115 degrees of flex. Man, that's the bitch part, stretching the patella tendon, OUCH! Not much else to report except going out with my wife for dinner to Smith and Wolenski's Saturday night. First date since the operation. Can't wait.
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Back from the Darkside into the Light

Well here it is MIN-TKR by Dr. Jess Lonner, 6 days out. The good news is it's not as painful as I expected. The real pain comes at night when I have to get up for my 3:30 deposit. It's like fire and brimstone! Awwwww! During the day it only bothers me if I sit in one place too long and have to stand up. Blood flow issues. I have been doing the rehab exercises and taking all my meds and feel am on the right track.

My trip all started last Wednesday, around 11:30 when they tuned me up with some good old versed and fentanyl then they hooked up my epidural and wheeled me into the operating theater. The operation lasted 1hr 15min. I woke up feeling like shit, no kidding, couldn't feel anything from the waist down, thirsty as a muther and just feeling like crap! When I could finally move my feet they wheeled me into my room. My wife was there waiting for me with a beautiful bottle of spring water, perfect. I found out I would not be alone. My roommate Carl (great guy) had a THR the same day, so we had plenty in common (I have one too). The first night was the worst night I could remember in a long time. No sleep, perpetual motion machine, nurse coming in ever two hours and the famous morphine funk fed my misery. Thursday morning they pulled the morph and cath then PT came and got me out of bed for the first time (baby steps) that was fun! Awwww...I had a little lunch watched the "Dirty Dozen" on TV fell asleep for what seemed like two years. Friday PT woke me up gave me a work out and sent me home. Time in the hospital 49 hours. The thing I noticed right away is the arthritic pain is gone. I just have pain from the truma. I went back to work today on light duty and feel great. Thanks to everyone has supported me with this life changing event especially my wife Beth.

Good Bye Old Knee, Good Bye

There really isn't much to say except I am one bow-legged muther! The one on the right is the bad boy that's gettin' cut. Next time I write it will be from the other side. Awwwwww!

Off to the Races

Well two days to go! I must say, I am psyched because I did get to go surfing one last time before my surgery. It looks like it will be about 8 months until I get back in the water. I would probably hit it sooner but I think winter surfing is not going to happen this year. Next time my feet hit the board will be the 21st "Big Fish Surf Tour 2010" Anyway, my good friends Big Wave Dave, Marco, and I hit Longport N.J. Friday morning before work. It was fun, waist to chest high surf. Come Wednesday I be hitting the hospital before work, around 6:30 AM. The surgery takes about 1 hour and then the long road to rehab begins. My Doc thinks I will be inpataint two to three days. From what I understand they get you up and walking on the day of surgery. I really can't wait to get this done and as my bionic friends Surfsister and Tom say "Get to the Otherside." I do want to thank all of you who have supported me and for all your kind words. I will continue writting beginning next Monday.
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Two Weeks to Go

Boy reality is really starting to set in. I have two weeks and counting before the big day. I went for my pre-op testing last Wednesday, passed with flying colors. My lovely wife Beth and I hit the beach for the Labor Day weekend and had a great time, we even got to take "Otis" our yellow lab with us. (That's one of his surf brothers above) Damn, I am going to miss the summer! I love the warm air and warm water and just sitting on the beach with my gang. Going for dinner at Tomatos and watching Beth wrangle seats at the bar (she is the best) It's all over until next May. Unfortunately, NO WAVES last weekend, we had the stinkin' North-East wind at about 10 to 20kts. This makes swell but chops it out like Victory at Sea. I am hoping to get one more good session in before the 23rd cause it's going to be a long, cold winter. I have been training to get myself physically and mentally ready for my adventure. I guess what scares me more than anything is infection. Speaking with my fellow bionic surfers Surfsister and Tango, those guys had no problem. I think once I get to the other side I would like to get out to Cali and get together with them for a bionic surf session. Man, that kinda sounds like an idea for a reality TV show. If not that at least a cool surf movie "The Bionic Summer" A camera crew goes around the world in search of the perfect bionic surfer. Looks like I'm going to have to get my agent to get a meeting with Dana Brown, Stacy Perallta or any other film maker who wants to shoot a beat up old surfer trying to squat down far enough to get in the barrel. Unless anything crazy happens I will up date next week.

Ciao for now!

Big Bad Hurricane Bill

Well Hurricane Bill came and went and gave the Jersey shore the expected juice we love. Friday night was pretty good. A storm front rolled through, the wind turned off shore and cleaned up the chest high surf. Saturday morning was crappy, on shore wind, rain and a building swell. I started out Sunday morning 6 AM, I picked up my buddy "Doggie" in Ocean City and headed south to Strathmare. When we got there the swell was running about 6 to 8 feet with no wind and glassy conditions. We hit it for about 2 hours until the winds picked up and blew it out. The seas continued building to about 10 to 12ft (that's faces) at around 14 sec. I had a tough time getting out, but when a finally did make it on my third try the prize was well worth it! I had me a couple bombs, one right and one big, big left. You know there's nothing like gliding down the face of a big old peak with my 10' Yater Spoon http://www.yater.com/history.html My knee felt pretty good while I was out surfing but when I got out of the water was another story. There was a bit of a current running. I wound up about 6 blocks from my beach. Walking back was a bitch! When I finally got back to my spot the stinkin thing felt like it was on fire...no kidding. That night my wife headed home to hang out with our 13 year old Yellow Lab Otis and I headed up to Captain Ron's house in Long Beach Island, he's the un-offical mayor of LBI and at 55 he tears the place up. The wind was on it pretty bad so we decided to drink whisky, toast good old King Neptune and wait until Monday morning. I was glad we did. 4 to 6 LBI 21st Street perfection! (see pictures above)

A bunch of the guys in my crew showed up as well as some new friends (Patrick, Kyle, Z-man, Cake Boy, Little Mark, Wooter, Wardo, and the Captain) Everyone killed it. (even me) We surfed for about 4 hours and would have stayed out long but the wind switched and tide got to high. I was one of those days I will always remember. After that session I didn't care what the F&^$ing knee felt like. I even drove over my cousin Sue's and gave her 12 year old son Alex his first surf lesson. Considering the semi-heavy conditions he did pretty damn good for his first time out. Caught his first wave on an 8ft soft top board. Man, he was super stoked! I love sharing the sport that gives me so much pleasure. Teaching my little cousin is somthing he will remember for life like all of us who remember our first wave. On the way home I had to stop at Taco Bell like I always do for a little post session feast. When I got home my wife said I was acting like a little kid. I say wouldn't you after a day like that! Today reality hits, going for the pre-admission testing on Thursday. The good news is there maybe a little swell running Friday I'm going the see if I can drag Big Wave Dave's (aka the Sloth) old ass out there. I don't think he's been out since 67' Time's getting tight I got to get as many waves as I can before Senior Cut Day. Can't wait UGH!

Peace

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My Doc, My Cut Man

I just thought I'd post a little note about my Doc. Even though he's not a surfer, he's the man when it comes to MIS-TKR. Make sure you check out his web page. There is a pretty cool video that explains the surgery.

Jess H. Lonner, M.D.
Director of Knee Replacement Surgery Booth Bartolozzi Balderston Orthopaedics, Pennsylvania HospitalMedical Director, Philadelphia Center for Minimally Invasive Knee Surgery
An international leader in the treatment of arthritis of the knee, Dr. Lonner is uniquely qualified in his experience with minimally invasive techniques for total and partial (unicompartmental, patellofemoral, and bicompartmental) knee replacements. He is one of the first surgeons around the world to use robotic-assistance during knee replacement surgery and continues at the forefront of development in these areas. Dr. Lonner is routinely sought out by physicians and patients from around the United States and throughout the world for his cutting-edge and innovative treatments for knee arthritis.Clinical excellence is a mainstay of Dr. Lonner's work. In his career, he has been recognized both by his patients and peers for his commitment to providing outstanding surgical treatments to his patients and for his ability to teach the latest and most cutting edge surgical techniques. Dr. Lonner lectures extensively and has authored several textbooks and over one hundred chapters and scientific publications. In 2003, Dr. Lonner became the youngest member of The Knee Society, considered by many to be an organization of the top 100 knee replacement surgeons. He has been on the design teams for several innovative orthopaedic implants and further contributes to the field through his work on the editorial boards of professional journals such as the American Journal of Orthopedics, Seminars in Arthroplasty, Journal of Arthroplasty and Techniques in Knee Surgery.

Big Swell heading my this weekend called Hurricane Bill it's a Cat 4 right now, looking to be a Cat 5 by tomorrow. The wave report is calling for the swell to start filling in Friday and by Sunday should be double overhead at 14 to 15 seconds. OW! Looks like my whole crew will be getting in the water (even Big Wave Dave) I love surfing with these guys, we have been doing it for years. I'm really stoked cause this maybe my last big swell for about 8 month. Hopefully my next waves will be with the Big Fish Surf Tour. Looks like we will be heading to Nicaragua in April next year. I have been setting up these trips for 21 years and still going strong. Not hip replacement, divorce, marriage or a knee replacement can stop me. I live for that trip. We where thinking about going back to El Salvador (we have been going there since 06 but I got word is thing are not good. My friend Jan Carlo (great surfer) informed us the gangs are out of control since the leftist government got into power. It's so bad he wants to move his family to another country. To bad the place really goes off and my crew and I have made a lot of good friends there. They are great people and my prayers are with them. Anyway I am psyched to surf, I will update after the weekend so till then,

Peace

Fish

P.S. Started on the Max GXL today I will keep you updated with the results.