"I Got Them Right Leg Blues, Yes I Do..."

So, I mentioned in the last post what happened at the end of the tour, concerning my right leg.

After I got back home, the pain didn't go away for awhile, and I found it hard to pick up my leg to walk. My walking anywhere resembled a teenage boy trying to hide a boner from people. At least, what I remember that being like when I was a teenager. And had boners. My knee would "click" about every seventh or eighth time I bent it, if that seems understandable. After a week or so of being back, the pain subsided, but the clicking continued. I finally went to the doctor about it; I waited for awhile, thinking that this was all due my exuberance at a Fishbone show and would subside. My doctor, who can often be one of those "look at Google" guys when trying to figure out an issue I might have, seemed pretty knowledgeable on the subject of knees. He ordered a full round of x-rays and told me later that the diagnosis was "arthritis." So, I have that in my right knee. And that's not much they can do. He did say that,at some point in my life, I'll probably need a knee replacement....not any time soon, luckily. People I know who've had those did not heal quickly.

Over time, the knee issue has gotten much, much better. I can pretty much walk normally, although if I stand somewhere for large amounts of time, I can feel it and limping starts again. So, I avoid that for the most part. Drumming hasn't really been affected much, although sometimes I beg out of "The Medley" at Hickoids shows, if the knee's stiff. When we play the "Petticoat Junction" theme, my novice train beat has the kick on 1 and 3, and it's fast. That wears my leg out quickly, especially if it's early in the set. I really need to practice that more at home, but I just don't. One day, maybe.

That's the leg report. It's much better now.