Caution
 

The contents of 
the area below is 
not for children or 
the squeamish.
 

These are actual photos of 
the surgical proceedures 
to save my arm, 
and what was required to do 
in order to keep my arm 
from being amputated.

It is quite graphic, but very interesting 
from a medical point of view. 
This page is in no way meant to offend 
or cause anyone any grief, 
nor is it a solicitation for anyone's pity.
 

It is just an explanation of 
what I went through, 
and am still dealing with, 
and how it has changed my life.
Hell... I get my best jokes out of it,
and "AINT AFRAID To Tell Em"!

It has made me a much stronger person, 
and taught me that as human beings 
we all have an inner strength 
that will help us overcome 
any and all of life's obstacles, 
or at least... To Keep Trying!

If you believe in yourself, the one God, 
the earth spirits,
and the power of prayer,
you have all of the tools needed 
to recover with your own 
healing powers.
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Staples"
 
 

.
"Stitches"

Recently I had two 
surgical proceedures to the elbow.
1. Repair and re-attach muscle 
and tendon to bone.
2. Nerve release and re-routing 
of the ulna nerve.
On the first surgery they closed the wound 
with staples, the second surgery 
was with regular stitches.
 
 
 

Rotator cuff Repair to shoulder,
closed with staples.
 
 
 
 

When My Doctors performed 
the very first surgery,
upon opening my arm it was found 
to be filled with nearly two cups of pus.
This was drained and cleaned out.

The infection had nearly caused 
my arm to burst.
 
 
 

They then examined the Radius bone
and did not like what they found...
 
 

whereas they started removal 
of 80% of the radius bone,
as the radius looked moth eaten 
due to the disease and infection.
 

Ya Need To Take
More What?
 

Wound was left open 
so I could clean it out daily 
and prevent any further infection.

Radius bone soon collapsed 
due to insufficient bone mass, 
so placement of a surgical steel rod 
from wrist to elbow was done to act 
as a radius bone and keep forearm stable.
 

This proceedure had to be done twice 
as the first steel rod was not placed securely 
and it migrated out of place and severed
the tendons and nerves to the right thumb.
(while I was on vacation in Jamaica)
 
 

Second rod placement 
used bone grafted from my hip 
and was a success.
It is still with me to this day, 
and always will be.
 
 
 

Actual photo of hip bone 
being grafted into the arm.
 
 
 
 

Soon after the surgery 
I asked my Doctor
if I was going to be able to play the piano, 
and he said yes.
I told him good, 
because I could never play it before!
 
 
 
 

Yeah Doc... 
The Paxil is working wonders!
 
 
 
 

...... Everything on the earth has a purpose,
every disease an herb to cure it,
and every person a mission.
This is the Indian theory of existence.

 -Mourning Dove (Salish) 1888-1936
 
 

Some people are like Diamonds...
And a Diamond was once 
just a lump of coal,
that did very well under pressure!
 
 
 
 

Why No Doctor... 
What makes you think 
I am in pain?