A "dear" DUer called me and reminded me that it would be good manners if I

[Redstone]

dropped by to tell everyone that I'm still alive, so I'm doing so.

Still hanging in there, I am; though after the fact I found out that my bizzaro chin-splitting accident did indeed produce concussion number five (though not to bad a one this time). But still, there's even more reason now for you all to forgive me when I forget things.

How about a contest? Anyone had their brain-bell rung more than five times? (Boxers and pro football players are welcome to enter).

Redstone

[bicentennial_baby]

1. Hey you

:hi:

[Midlodemocrat]

2. Man, I lurves me some Redstone.

How goes it, C? Miss you. Lots. On my way to the Cape this summer, totally crashing in and saying hi.

[Redstone]

3. You want to stop by, give me a date and I'll send you directions to the house. We have

lots of room and like to have visitors.

Redstone

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Oh, dude. I am totally taking you to lunch.

I think we're headed to the Cape the last week of July through the second or third week of August, but I'll keep you posted.

Would love, love, love to meet you and the Missus.

[bicentennial_baby]

9. Say WHAT???

Were you not going to tell US?! :cry:

[Midlodemocrat]

10. Oh, no. I was totally going to tell you guys.

I just see you more than I do Redstone.

I'm still trying to finalize the house rental, but I'll let you know. '

:hug:

[Redstone]

13. What, you think anyone's going to forget YOU? I don't think LiVA would do that.

Redstone

[Redstone]

11. We're usually gone the first weekend of August (Old Home Day in the town

in Vermont where I grew up), but should be around otherwise.

Plenty o' restaurants where we live, plus TWO town beaches (not that we ever go to them; we're just not beach people); a steam train / riverboat ride on the Connecticut River, and little towns so charming you'll feel like you ate too much cotton candy after visiting them.

Any wonder we don't go anywhere except to visit relatives? The "summer people" leave town around Labor Day, but we lucky ones who live here get to stay all year.

Redstone

[CreekDog]

12. Cape May?

Well, look out. I'm going to be there 7/26-8/2. Oh my. :crazy:

[Redstone]

15. I think she meant Cape Cod, or at least I hope so, because we're right off

I-95. If she meant Cape May, I'm sure she'll appreciate the overdose of stunning Victorian houses there.

Redstone

[NewJeffCT]

41. Midlo's originally from Connecticut, of course she means Cape Cod

There is no other Cape in the northeast to New Englanders. Cape May? What's that? :P

[AllieB]

4. Concussion #5? Good lord.

I've had 3-thankfully all very mild. Do you have any recurring symptoms as a result aside from forgetfulness? Glad you're OK. :-)

[nomorenomore08]

6. I've had a few hard knocks on the head, but nothing severe.

Never lost consciousness, never needed medical attention, etc. But the Natasha Richardson story did freak me out a little.

[abq e streeter]

7. Glad to know you're hangin in there

I obviously don't know you personally, but you've always struck me as one of the real good guys here....and not just cuz you said something nice about my writing once , and not just cuz you're a musician either; hell that'd incline me to figure you for a slimeball till proven otherwise.

[DarkTirade]

8. You got me beat.

Glad to hear you're doing okay. :)

[csziggy]

14. Take care of yourself - I still can't beat on the concussions

Are you showing any bad effects? After the fourth, I find that I lose words when I am tired.

[Redstone]

17. No more so than after the fourth, so far. "Losing the words" is something

I've gotten used to, though that doesn't make it any less annoying.

Hang in there.

Redstone

[csziggy]

20. Lat week I had good drugs, which made me not care

But that was for the shoulder surgery (rotator cuff repairs, all minor but annoying), so I don't get to keep them. This week I am tapering off and I am more awake.

I think I won the DU Lounge thread last winter about the most scars and I got six more for this surgery. :woohoo: It will be nice when I have my right arm back in use.

How's the chin doing? Gonna have a scar from that?

[Redstone]

22. I've had the "body-off frame restoration" on one shoulder, followed by further

(open) surgery to try to correct the suprascapular nerve damage caused by the first surgery.

I wasn't around, so I missed the "most scars" contest. Can I enter late with a total of 27 (that I can remember?). I could get back to you with an exact count if I had some time to add the, up.

PS: The scar is below the point of my chin, so the DU ladies don't have to worry that it's ruined my chin-dimple...but I have to go back to thr VanDyke beard configuration for now, since I can't shave the cut area.

Tanks for asking.

Redstone

[csziggy]

33. 27 scars is a respectable number!

My left shoulder was the first really big operation I had - but when a horse tries to snatch off an arm, it tends to do a lot of damage. So I only have one scar from that operation - a 8-10" long scar that wraps around the entire should joint. This right shoulder at worst, right after the operation, felt better than the left did at any time before he worked on it. I'm just being whiny since I am 90% right handed and can't do shit with the left arm.

At least when the knees were messed up, I could type fast and do needlework. Without my right arm, I am so bored - typing a message can take me a very long time. And no needlework for at least two months, which sucks big-time.

Good thing the chin scar won't show! Even a beard won't cover a badly placed chin scar.

[flvegan]

16. Good to see you, sir!

I've had a couple car accidents and a few noggin knockers playing hockey on the ice, but no concussions that I know of.

[Redstone]

18. When your brain whaps the inside of your skull, there are consequences...look at

Muhammad Ali, in the state that he's in these days, from taking too many shots to the head - such an intelligent guy, and look at what the brain damage did to him.

Redstone

[SalmonChantedEvening]

19. My Dear Fellow

:hug: :hug: :hug:

Great to see you.

Just one or two bell ringings. Both in my very young days.

[Redstone]

23. Thanks for your concern. Two "bell-rings" should leave you OK, as your

lucid posts confirm.

Redstone

[Mike 03]

21. Hi Redstone! Indeed, it is very reassuring to hear from you! Thank you for

letting us know you are okay.

:yourock:

[Redstone]

25. I appreciate your concern. With the latest set of brain scans confirming the damage from the

MS and Lyme disease, concussion #5 is not great news to hear.

But I'll manage. I've always done so.

Redstone

[Mike 03]

32. You do hang in there, and that is a huge inspiration to me.

TY.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. My dear Redstone!

Ah, there you are!

Good to see you posting...

And that was an excellent conversation!

Our mutual friend said he was *only* one quarter Irish!

:hug:

[Redstone]

27. Irish is as Irish does, same as being an American Indian...

It's not the percentage of blood that counts (though I'm 50-50), it's the way that you deal with life that makes you what and who you are.

Redstone

[merh]

26. it's good to see you

5 concussions, that is something for someone who is not a boxer or pro football players.

I hope you have reached your limit, I don't think it is a good Guinness record to go for - I don't think it is a recognized category.

:hi: :hug:

[Redstone]

28. Good Lord, I hope not...I'm not about to go looking for #6.

Redstone

[merh]

29. That is good to read, 5 if more than enough

I've never had a concussion, my head is quit hard :silly:

[Blue Diadem]

30. Good to see you Redstone. My son has had 6 and maybe more..

Casts, stitches and mild concussions, that boy kept me in a constant state of anxiety for a very long time. By his Jr. yr in HS, his Dr. said ENOUGH, absolutely no more football, that he couldn't afford anymore concussions and was really concerned because he'd had so many within a relatively short period of time.

Lets see, the first that I remember is when he flew over his handlebars of his bike at age 13 and knocked himself out when he hit the concrete sidewalk. A big thank you to the drycleaners who took him inside. Just a few months later, the trunk lid support shock thingies broke and the trunk lid of our '79 toronado crashed on his head, then we moved here and he had two more concussions in football both times losing consciousness briefly. Somewhere during that time he was fishing in the river and slipped and cracked his head on a rock, more stitches and a mild concussion. The last that I remember took place a few years ago when he tried to talk down a guy who wanted to fight his loud mouthed friend and 5 or 6 guys jumped him. Chicken shit friend with the big mouth ran and hid. Did you know that boots to the head leave footprint bruises? God he was a mess.

He's 34 now and I have no idea how many times he's been injured or had concussions since he left home at age 20. They only inform me if it's visible. He's settled down a lot since he got married and has kids but he still has stupid stuff happen. (ie: His wife knocked him silly with her back swing when he was trying to teach her how to golf) Most recently, just last week, he broke his nose at work and required stitches. Even the Dr. laughed and said it was too bad what fell didn't hit him sideways, it could have straightened out his nose from prior breaks but since this hit him dead on, they couldn't do any straightening. His nose looks kinda like an S.

and don't get me going about his arm that he can't straighten out due to calcification from damage.

[Redstone]

35. Sounds like what I did to my poor parents...arriving home with yet another reaso

for a run to the emergency room every two months or so....

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

Redstoe

[Gormy Cuss]

31. Five more than I've had, friend.

Holy Toledo. That's a lot of knocks on the Irish squash.
Are you otherwise toddling along okay these days?

[Redstone]

37. Otherwise, yeah, pretty much OK. Though our defiition of "OK" tends to become lower

as we wend our way further into our fifties, yes?

Thanks for the reply.

Redstone

[Shell Beau]

34. Nice to hear from you! You know we're worriers!

Take care of yourself.

[SeattleGirl]

36. Hey Redstone!

Can't say I've had my bell rung as many times as you have, but I more than make up for that in broken bones!

Good to see you.

[Pool Hall Ace]

38. Aw, Redstone

I don't even know you, but I wish I could give you some comforting hugs. I'm glad you're still on this side of the grass! Here are some cyber-ones for you: :hug: :hug: :hug:

I haven't had my bell rung lately, but I did have a Titanic-sized tumor removed from my brain in January. Does that count? :P

[Gold Metal Flake]

39. Good to see you post

Take care with the old bean, bud.

:toast:

Gold Metal Flake, formerly Opposite Reaction.

[NewJeffCT]

40. Hey dude, good to see you.

Luckily, I've never had a concussion. At least none that I know about.

[ismnotwasm]

42. Hey Redstone

I was thinking about you. Good to hear from you.

No more concussions. You've reached your lifetime limit, hear?

[Kajsa]

43. Oh, man- Redstone!

You have been through the wringer!

I'm glad to see you here.

I've only had one concussion, not even
close to your five!

:hug:

[libodem]

44. Good to know you are okay

I've been wondering where you were.