Hi, Minnie.

I wish I'd kept a journal so I could remember what hurt and when. (grin) My leg used to bother me a lot. Emphasis on "used" to. My docs thought it was no big deal to lose a fibula or to have a flap removed from the area. I suggested that they just might be mistaken.

Good news about your shoulder. My right shoulder deteriorated over time as I favored it. Then the left one started to hurt. It took a month of painful PT to get back on track, but I'm glad I did the work.

At one point, I couldn't lift up my granddaughters to give them a hug. This would be mighty tough for anybody, but I was a 6'-4" football player back in the glory days and I'd kept in reasonably good shape over the years. It broke my heart when I couldn't lift a 4-year-old... but now I can, and a 6-year-old, too.

I was worried that the girls would be afraid of their funny looking grandpa, but their hearts are just too big to let a few scars and a few missing teeth get in the way.

God bless the children. They give us strength on the bad days.

Ken