07/04/08 Well as many of you know I have been driving a 2006 New Beetle from VW for a few years and to be honest it has been a good mode of transport, but with the rising cost of Diesel $4.80 a gallon right now 7/03/08, and the fact my commute covers 60 miles a day the Beetle was getting long in the tooth you could say. I have covered 41300 miles in just over two years, well the warranty only went to 50K so last night Sheryl and I opted to trade the it in on a 2008 Jetta. and so far I've only driven it home and I love it... It is a Gasser, but with ratings of 21 City and 29 Hwy, I feel it will be a great trade off besides now Alex can sit in the back seat like a normal passanger... Thats about it Oh yes just finished my summer classes so I'm off for a few weeks and check back often for fishing reports because Alex and I are headed out this week.. John
06/24/08 6 months post op and new meds Well yesterday morning I had a 6 month follow up. And doc asks me how I’m doing? Bottom line I’m in so much pain these days it hurts to stand so he proceeds to poke and prod me for a few mins then sends me to X-Ray. Well they took 9 of them and that concerned me all this time I’m thinking I’ve busted hardware or it is loose but images show all things in place and fusing coming along nicely. So we determine it is sciatic nerve issues and he proceeds to write me a script for 2 at bed time and 1 at breakfast, well it has been 7 hours and I’m still buzzed… Be careful if you have never taken them before!!! So we finish up the exam he wants me back in 2 weeks we discuss fishing and I’m out of there… Fast forward to last night well about 1:30 kids wrapped our house and they rang the door bell that is what gets my goat!! So I stagger out of bed wander around the house calm dog down and look out my office window and all I see is Toilet paper.. No Biggie.. Well we wake up 4am so the wife and I could spend our 19th wedding anniversary on the water. I proceed to go get the paper and the kiddos used Mustard, Shaving Cream, salted my yard, cereal all over my yard, saran wrap around trees, silly string ect. Well I’m pissed so I call the constables office and they send a car I filled a criminal complaint and later found a death threat to one of our children. Need less to say between running late seeing storms building towards the coast we opted to not fish…. The stupid kids left their cell phone number and I called it this morning and left them a very calm message explaining they crossed the line; I have filed a criminal complaint and will be seeking full charges towards them. Well that message prompted a call from the young ladies begging my son to calm me down. They poured mustard right off the step on my porch to where if I stepped in it I would have gone down and no telling what would have happened. John
5/27/2008 Well it has been three months and I'm currently on vacation between semesters... Classes went well and I did better than expected and finished strong even though I had a few rough spots in the middle. Spring Break found Sheryl, Gabby, Alex and myself in LA and what a blast we had visiting family and seeing the sights. Disney a couple times, the coast a couple times, and relaxation in the middle!!! Right in the middle of all this we had our remodel project going on strong and finally wrapped that up just a few days ago.... Looks great if I do say so myself. Alex and I just returned from Utah where he qualified for the Junior National Sectional Water Polo Team out of Texas. Started off windy and cold and ended up rainy but we all had a blast. I visited the Cooper Mine and what a spectualar site!! The open pit mine is currently 3/4 of a mile deep and two miles across they will move overburden for 5 more years to expose a new vain... Must be good money in minerals now...lol... As soon as this crazy wind stops blowing I'm headed out fishing... Be safe and keep in touch!!! John
2/27/2008 Well today was my follow visit with X-Rays, all instruments are in place and the fusion appears to be under way. I asked if I would be able to resume fishing by summer and he assured me bay fishing would be fine but offshore will be on a day by day deal another words if the seas are calm I can if not I’m not…lol… He did tell me at 3 months I can start weaning myself from the back brace, he did not indicate any certain procedure however more of I would know what my body could handle. I’m not scheduled for another office visit until late April so that is a positive note, I do need to continue wearing my stimulator so I’m wearing it now. That is all for today I’ll catch you all on the flip side. John
01/02/2008 Well as most know my surgical proceedure on the 14th of December went very long but well, today I had my first follow up visit with x-ray and everything looks awesome, he was happy I'm happy. I did get a script of Neurontin for the never sensation I'm feeling in my right hip/thigh area... I going back in a month for what will be regular monthly visits over the next 6 months... Only down side was he is not allowing me to drive daily to school so I'm having to work out a bus route where I can stand most of the way. Small price to pay for being pain free!!!! I'm loving 2008 so far ... who knows what lies ahead.... For those worried about upcoming surgeries... look at me and all of my post... what more could one ask for!!!! John
12/28/2007 Well folks here we are 14 days post and everyday I'm getting stronger and feeling better... I've started useing heat to help with the nerve root sensitivy I'm feeling on my right hip/upper thigh.. and I must report it works very well.... I'm down to only taking my meds 4 times a day I'm still taking benedrill for the itch I'm getting around my bandages... My swelling has decreased to the point where I might need a smaller brace, I'm walking twice daily weather permitting 1/4 mile per trip... Had a great Christmas dinner with friends and family.... I purchased a pair of grabbers off Ebay (have not arrived yet but that is ok since kiddos are home from school).... That is it in a nut shell, just remember tomorrow is just a day away and everyday is a great day!!!!!
12/22/2007 Day 7 Again walking unassisted No Walker the full length of my street, I will sit in a full back deskchair or lie on my wedge on sofa. I have decreased the pain meds but maintain the Muscle relaxier to prevent the spasams.... Pain levels at this point are 2-3's could be handled with over the counter, I've started breaking my Meds in half only taking them when I need to.... I expect to be down to 2 a day very soon.... Now for the sleeping... as I've stated the wedge is a mircle it allows me to sleep I do sleep better on the sofa, I'm not able to get a full 6 hours yet as I wake up because of the spasams... At this point all my pain is located on my right outside upper thigh just below my buttock (Hip area), this is never pain it is starting to heal, all my pre op pain mostly favored my right nerve root bank. I'm expierenceing [b]ZERO[/b] pain from my surgical region. I'm due in to surgeons office Jan 2nd. Funny I've got zero bruiseing in my surgical area. Like I said before I hope this offers some hope or inspiration for those getting ready, please note this was my second fusion, If you would like to see a picture of my back click here Surgical Scar
12/14/2007 Dear Friends and Family Members: Some of you have heard and some have not but I have been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis which is the narrowing of the spinal cord opening through the vertebras, which in turn is squeezing the nerve roots along with my spinal cord. This issue started several years back and I have lived with the pain all this time and it has just gotten so bad I have to get some relief. I have seen a surgeon and at this point I’ll undergo a procedure called a Laminectomy with instrumentation in two days (12/14). This surgery will be the second major spinal surgery in 5 years and hopefully I’ll be able to go for more than 5 years this time around. The procedure will require me to stay in the Hospital (Methodist) for 3 (three) days and after that I should be healed enough to resume my classes in the 2008 school year. Well by now you might know I'm home surgery went longer than expected 6.5 hours there was a huge amount of scar tissue that needed to be removed. Well thanks to Sheryl for picking up this wedge set for me I'm actually able to rest at home the same as I did in the hospital...
10/17/2007 It is with a sad Heart I'm informing of the Passing of Sheryl's Mom.
SALLY SUE (LIGGETT) BROWN passed on October 17, 2007, following a 25-year battle against metastasized breast cancer. She will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, geologist extraordinaire and friend. Sally was preceded in death by her father, J. Harold Liggett, her mother, Frieda Louise (Hensiek) Liggett, her sister, Emma Lou Graves, and brother-in-law, Harold L.R. Graves. She is survived by her husband, Laurence (Larry) Brown, daughters, Sheryl and husband John Burford, Catherine Brown, Stacey and husband Armando Garza, Jr., and son, Jeffrey Brown. Surviving grandchildren are Gabrielle and Alexander Burford and Samantha, Lydia, and Trent Garza. Sally was born August 8, 1940 in Ottawa, Kansas. She graduated from Ottawa High School in 1958 and entered the University of Kansas. She earned her B. S. and M. S. degrees in Geology in 1962 and 1965, respectively. While in graduate school at KU, she met Larry Brown, a Petroleum Engineering graduate student. They were married in April 1965, and spent 42 exciting, loving years together. Sally successfully combined a full family life with her professional career. Her career spanned 40 years starting with Cyprus Mines Corporation in 1966. She worked for several companies, most notably AMOCO, Transco Exploration and Challenger Minerals Inc., where she was employed at the time of her death. Besides her passion for her family, geology, and the oil and gas industry, Sally enjoyed history and archaeology, art, music, the performing arts, the beach and playing bridge. The Brown family wishes to thank the medical professionals who worked diligently to help Sally combat her cancer. Particular thanks to Doctor Frankie Holmes and her team at Texas Oncology and the many professionals at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital. Special thanks also to the staff at Vitas Inpatient Hospice for their loving care of Sally during her final days. A viewing will be held at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Dr., on October 21, 2007, from 3 to 5 PM. Funeral service will begin at 2 PM on October 22, 2007, at Klein Funeral Home. Flowers are welcomed, but donations in Sally's name to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure organization are also encouraged.

08/11/2007 That was just a start to our August fishing…. We ran into another close friend Larry Elrod on Wednesday night 08/08/07 and he wanted to know if there would be an open spot on the “Hunt” for him so of course we had room for a trip on Friday 08/10/07 . Alex and I grabbed the “Hunt” Thursday evening and meet Larry at his Galveston Oasis, we took care of a few house hold duty’s and boy how quick does 5:30 come …lol…. We launched the “Hunt” at 7 O’clock sharp and proceed to another honey hole where we made short work of a great 3 man state Snapper limit, Larry even said this was one of the best trips he has had in years. Larry caught that nice King and I lost one of Alex’s at the boat by not gaffing it ….
Fast-forward 2 days Alex and I decided we would make another run at it while Sheryl and Gaby headed down to Corpus for a tennis tournament. Today we were greeted at the ramp by a wall of rain which delayed us, but all and all Alex and I picked up another 5 and again the biggest went 24” and 4 plus pounder….
07/31/07 Alex and I joined a close friend for some trout fishing today in Galveston Bay and I have to say it was good to be the passenger again. Michelle really knows her bay fishing and she put us on them, only 8 keepers today but the largest went 24” and 4 plus pounds. To many Gafftops to count but we were off the water by 10:30
06/07/2007 Fast-forward a month and so far summer school has been good took me a while to adjust back to study mode but I’m there looks like I finished with a B,C+ just missed that second B by 2 points… Oh well life goes on. Alex and I made one fishing trip and tore up the snapper on my honey hole did not take any pictures but we had a limit and a half, the week before Sheryl, Alex and I hit the same spot and picked up a two person limit that we shared with the neighbors, funny how folks love fresh fish! Well most of you know I have been dealing with a pain issue in my lower back it was diagnosed as a Synovial cyst in the L3-L4 region, they are planning a procedure where Doctors will insert a needle and drain the fluid, then they will inject a steroid compound this should give me a long lasting relief from the pain. (Just an Update the procedure was a success I’m pain free again)
05/26/2007 Well classes ended for me today and what a relief, this past semester I pulled up my GPA enough to be added to the Deans List and that was a great feeling. Summer classes’ start in a week so my vacation will be short lived but what the heck. Alex and I are planning a few fishing trips as soon a the waves settle down right now we are having to many 5’ days and coupled with the rain it is a mess.
07/07/2007 Well first session of summer school was a blast, now the second has started and I’m not going to lie this Stats class is kicking my arse, so it looks like I dropped the wrong class and will end up dropping the stats shortly well we live and learn. Sheryl and I managed a kiddo free fishing trip no keepers but we did have fun catching some rat reds…lol…
Until next time let them take the bait and then just lift the rod….. John