November News

I just wanted to update my health news. Next Monday, I go to my cardiologist to consult about a possible back surgery. We will discuss if my heart is strong enough to endure the anesthesia required for the procedure. I took a round of Medrol (steroids) which was supposed to help with the inflammation and pain. It did help to a degree, but I continue to have the sensation of being stabbed in the middle of the back. The thoracic spine specialist said he would relieve my pain by fusing T8 and T9 that are the most herniated of the discs. I can manage the pain at this point with the narcotic pain killer Lortab, Celebrex, and Neurontin. My gp is worried about me becoming dependent on narcotics at my age, but they help tremendously. I'd rather be on a medication that I could become addicted to than go through surgery, which is far more risky! I get so tired of every physician I see say to me that I'm too young to have these problems. I don't want to hear this fact. I mean, really, tell me something I didn't already know... the cardiac issues and now the herniated thoracic discs in my spine. The back pain started out as a diagnosis from my gp of fibromyalgia, which I think I do have also, but the MRI would tell a different story.

Anyway, to a more pleasant topic, the weather. It looks like we overall missed autumn weather altogether, going from September-type warmth to a more early December-like pattern. I've looked at the long-range forecasts, and it looks like a real blast of winter cold could hit the eastern part of the country not this weekend, but the next. Louisville will probably see its first snowflakes of the season this weekend however. I believe Saturday will be a day of slowly falling temperatures throughout the day into the 30s with clouds and an occasional snow flurry. Looking even further out, it would appear that colder than normal weather will stick around until the days approaching Thanksgiving when a more zonal-type of jet stream with milder temperatures could replace the deep trough and cold in the east. We will see if my inclinations are correct in a few weeks. Personally, I'm hoping the cold spell around November 20-22 will bring snow showers that will dust the ground, which I know is still too warm to support a light snow accumulation. Maybe it will be the first "tracking" snow of the season? I apologize to all the snow haters out there in the area. I love snow, but the Ohio Valley seems to get more ice storms than snowstorms with warmth easily overtaking the upper layers of our lower atmosphere. Oh well, I won't get technical. I just hate ice because you can't walk on it, let alone drive on it. When we have sleet/ice pellets or freezing rain, I refuse to drive! It's lunacy to do it! You take your life into your own hands. Anyway, first flurries this weekend and light snow showers the following weekend... that's my forecast. Take it for what it's worth. But, again, I'm expecting a mild spell for the holiday week. So, don't fret if you're in the eastern U.S.!

In regard to music, I've discovered an amazing new folk artist who plays beautiful music. His name is Daniel Martin Moore. I found him through the nationwide World Cafe program on a local public station that plays mostly adult-alternative music. I've discovered so many new and interesting music artists and groups through the World Cafe. If you enjoy dance music from the late '70s and early '80s, Hercules & The Love Affair might appeal to you as well. I listened to them and really enjoyed the music. I hate club music from the last 20 to 25 years. I will always prefer the original disco with real musicians/live bands playing the music in the studio. Like Billy Joel said in the 1980 song "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me," the music is still rock if it's "hot funk, cool punk, (or) old junk... (maybe) next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways." Well, if it were still 1980, I'd agree with all these statements! I'm a limited fan of techno/electronica if there are still elements of live music in it. But, club music is just repetitious programmed sounds, voices, and beats. I hate it. I would much rather listen to an artist like Daniel Martin Moore who plays his acoustic guitar and sings (very well.) He adds studio musicians when necessary for support. There are no drum machines or programming in his music! Anyway, that's enough of my soapbox for today! :o)