I’m back at work for the first time in 6 weeks.

Things I’ve accomplished today:
Clean up silly-string, confetti, balloons, and streamers from cubicle
Email inbox – cleaned out (no easy task… over 3,000 new messages)
Read 6 weeks worth of Dilbert cartoons from desktop calendar

Things to do tomorrow:
Um…. stuff

It’s nice to be back though. I’ve missed the whole “social interaction” thing. Sitting at home watching the dog lick its butt isn’t a good substitute for conversation.

I’m still wearing the brace (aka: the Storm Trooper armor). Only 5 weeks of that crap left (thank GOD!!). It collects heat like crazy… making me sweat profusely. I had to pick up a fan for my cubicle at lunch today so that I can stay cool at my desk.

Other than the fact that I’m totally soaked with sweat and in desperate need of a nap, my first day back at work has gone pretty good. Hopefully I get back into the productive swing of things soon (I have no idea what’s going on in the office).

I had my 6 week post-op with my neurosurgeon today.

He took some x-rays and had a look at my progress. He said that I was doing exceptionally well, and had grown far more bone than he had expected (probably because I’m about half the age of people who normally have this done).

I’ve been given a pass to return to work next Monday and am now allowed to leave my house.

Of course, the motorcycle is out of the question until next year… but at least it’s still an option for the future! (I can live with that). We will still be buying a bike for my wife soon as she sold hers. That way at least one of us can enjoy the riding season!

I do still have to wear the brace, but only during the day. I can take it off to shower and to sleep. This creates a few problems though.

I have nothing to wear to work now (nothing that will fit over my brace). So… I have to go shopping for some new duds. Nothing fancy, as I’ll lose the brace in 6 more weeks, but I doubt they want me showing up to work in my pajamas (which I’ve been wearing since the surgery).

Life is good!

Fathers day at Casa de WWBD was great!

My family got me a cordless rechargeable weed whacker, a giant chocolate chip cookie, and a balloon. Then my wife made me beer butt chicken (which is to die for!!).

We also sold my wife’s motorcycle.

I called the bank today to see what I had to do to make the sale go through and to get pre-approved to purchase a new one. I ended up refinancing my wife’s Durango at 3.99% and getting the same rate on whatever motorcycle I get.

Life is good!

Tomorrow I have my 6 week post surgery visit with my neurosurgeon. Things have been going really well since they put me back on the meds. Hopefully, I’ll be returning to work next Monday.

One last thing: I hate hotlinkers.

Someone linked directly to an image on my website. While this is all kinds of rude, it can also be entertaining, because I can change the image at any time. I replaced thus said image with this:

(*edit – the image was removed because they didn’t get the hint and I got tired of hosting the image… bastards!*)

Yeah… I could have made it much, MUCH worse, but I think this should get the point across 🙂

I’m back on the meds and feeling somewhat normal again.

They put me on half of what I was taking for two weeks, then they cut that in half for a while… then I go clean.

Addiction is a real bitch.

The past several days have been pure hell. I’ll do a write up on it some day, but sufice it to say I’m glad I don’t feel like that any more. I actually slept last night for the first time since monday. Sleep is good!!

In a totally unrelated note… President Chuckle Butt came to town yesterday to help pimp George Nethercutt’s re-election bid. I stood on my back deck and happened to catch a glimpse of Air Force 1 as it flew directly over my house.

Yeah… it’s not the best pic, but it’s all I could get.

My youngest son has a birthday tomorrow… the big 12. My wife is taking him out tonight to select a new bicycle and I purchased and built a new computer for him (same specs as I have). Hopefully he enjoys it!

I can be stoic all I like, but the simple fact remains:

Drugs > Me.

I thought I could pull this off, but that seems pretty stupid now. I called my neurosurgeon. Apparently, my wife had called just a few minutes earlier. The withdrawl is beyond nasty… I haven’t slept in days, can’t eat, bad shakes, feel like poop.

So… I’m back on the drugs and doing the whole “gradual reduction” gig. It’s not what I want, but it beats the hell out of where I am.