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Mark Gilroy June 12, 2012

When Is It Time for Hip Replacement?

Just a quick update to let my friends know that next Tuesday I’ll be having hip replacement surgery – the plan is to have the other hip done in August.

I was diagnosed with bone-on-bone arthritis in both hips about six years ago. At that time I had two microfracture surgeries to delay replacement as long as possible. The surgeries had some positive benefit – but it’s been steady pain the whole time. It’s best to keep original equipment as long as possible – but my doctor’s message has always been that life will be much better once they are switched out.

Age 53 isn’t young (or that old) – but still younger than they like to do replacements – the old rule of thumb used to be 60. With the latest rounds of X-RAYS the doctor didn’t make an immediate comment. He just looked at me. I waited. He waited longer.

I finally said, “I think it’s time doc.”

He said, “That’s all I was waiting to hear.”

When is it time to have hip replacement? Apparently, one of the key criteria is your own assessment of the pain and lifestyle inhibitors in your life.

I knew this was coming – I put on thirty pounds in the past eighteen months and have struggled to workout. My doctor says pain, insomnia, and stress will add the pounds. My weight as an adult has always had some flux but not wanting to work out is very unlike me. I’ve lost fifteen pounds in prepping for this- but the next fifteen will have to come post-surgery.

I’ve spent six nights in a hospital in my life – never as a patient – three with my son Bo and three with my Dad (Bo doesn’t talk in his sleep as much Dad!) I’ll stay in hospital two nights on each hip. I’ve been told I’ll be walking as soon as I wake up.

Am I excited about surgery? Of course not. But I knew it was time. So I’m feeling great about the decision and have no worries here.

Your prayers are still appreciated!

Mark Gilroy August 27, 2011

Top 10 Ways to Know a New Football Season Has Arrived

Is it football season yet?

Are you ready for some football? Here are the top 10 ways to know a new football season – high school, college or pro are all fine – has officially arrived!

1. the bass drum corps from the high school – located more than a couple miles from your house – rattles your windows every morning during marching band practice – and then breaks crystal and knocks picture frames off the wall every other Friday night at home games;

2. you find out where your neighbors moved from or went to college as flags are attached to car windows or hung from front porches (or both) every Saturday morning – of note: you will know when their favorite team has lost a big game when the flag comes down immediately after the game;

3. no more curling tournaments; no more bocci specials; no more cricket highlights from the New Zealand versus Barbados match are shown on ESPN 2 through 25;

4. coaches at every level of football stand before a row of microphones and talk about how tough their opening game against a team that hasn’t won a game in three years is going to be…with a straight face;

5. grown men who shouldn’t take off their shirts in public take of their shirts in public with a big block letter painted on their chest;

6. television ratings for major league baseball plummet – and no one outside New York City and Boston and whoever lives in one of the cities that has a shot of playing them cares;

7. even the most long suffering of fans – i.e. Cincinnati Bengals fans (the team I grew up watching) – believe this year is going to finally be different for their team (until after the first game is a blowout loss);

8. the skinny kid who majors (or plans to major) in atomic and molecular astrophysics puts on a Tiger outfit and becomes a rock star to the home fans;

9. fantasy draft parties are held in corporate meeting rooms after work hours with a group of eleven people who bring enough pages of notes to fill War and Peace – and a twelfth person who plans to draft the kicker from his alma mater in the first round;

10. fans who have never played a down of football get into heated – and well reasoned – arguments over the merits of cover two versus bump and run; three-four versus four-three; i-formation versus the spread; punting or going for it; 60’s Packers versus 80’s 49ers versus the 21st Century Patriots; and the current head coach versus the coach who got fired from someone else’s team last year.

Are you ready for some football?

Mark Gilroy August 18, 2009

A Good Dog Down – Losing a Family Pet

Colby was part of our family for 12 years.

As a footnote on a blog I wrote a month ago about the decision of whether to euthanize the family pet, our 12-year-old black and silver miniature schnauzer, the dreaded day finally arrived yesterday.

After long lunch meeting with a publisher and potential author, I settled into my office and figured I’d deal with Colby another day. Wishful thinking. I finally had to man up when I looked at him on the back porch and saw how incredibly awful he felt. I had to force myself to face the fact that an occasional good day didn’t mean he wasn’t miserable almost every day.

Colby did have one great day the past week. Zach and I took him to the park on Saturday. Zach and two of his friends and I were passing the football. Colby trotted after the boys a little – though no mad dashes like the old days when he thought he was a defensive back. He then found some shade and watched the boys run routes with his trademark little smile. He kept his head up the whole time, scanning left and right. I think he wanted to jump in the game one more time.

Just like the old Colby. But the old Colby was gone. Four years of diabetes shots, numerous visits to the vet … it was time. I’m so glad he had that one last good Saturday. Might not have mattered much to him but it was good for Zach and me.

He never ate again after Saturday morning. He hardly moved the last two days. Despite numerous efforts to get him moving and clean him up, he was lying in urine most of the time. So Monday afternoon it was time to end the work day early and take care of a different kind of business.

I had to carry him to the car, which in a sad way made the task at hand easier. On the drive over I talked to him about old times. Colby, remember when … He’d flick his eyebrows up when he heard his name, but otherwise didn’t move a muscle. When we got to the Williamson County Animal Control Center, I decided to stay inside with him for his last shot. I held him. He never flinched when the needle went in. He really was already gone.

It doesn’t rise to the level of so many human tragedies in the world, but losing a family pet is still incredibly difficult and sad.

Thanks for the memories Colby. You were a true friend.

Tim McGraw had a big hit with the lyrics, “I don’t know why they say grown men don’t cry.”

But they do. I know first hand. That’s what happens when you lose a pet who has been part of the family for 12 years.