October 26, 2011

I had my monthly appointment with Dr. Reddy, my oncologist, today at Atlanta Cancer Center. It felt good to walk in with my cane (Michael). It felt even better to know that the cane is rapidly becoming something of a security blanket for my walking. Of course, I wear my back brace, now christened Biff Bracewell by the supreme character, Sue Rainey, the majority of my waking hours. I am also required to wear a bone stimulator (no moniker at this point) four hours each day. This sends electric stimulation (can’t feel it) to the spine. The staff at ACC complimented my walking. I liked it that they saw a difference from four weeks earlier.

Dr. Reddy liked my bloodwork from last month and allayed my fears of the cancer recurring. I told her that I have a fear of not doing anything and allowing the smoldering cancer to become active enough to attack new vertebra. She says that the remission state is monitored by close examination of the monthly labs of my blood. There is no need for any further treatment at this time. In fact, she put me on a six week schedule for lab work. All in all, a very good visit!

I am ever eager to erase signs of being incapacitated in any way. I have moved from the twin bed in our library back to our big bed. We did have to have the big four poster bed lowered somewhat so that I could get in safely. Occasional bending and picking up things that fall to the floor is not impossible for me anymore. That is huge.

Just this week I have started putting in a little time on a stationary bike. Strengthening leg muscles that have not had much activity is important for me. Oh yes, I can now stay awake until eleven o’clock. That is a milestone for this perennial night owl.

I mentioned Sue Rainey earlier in this blog. Sue has been keeping me updated on her ongoing back problems. She was scheduled for surgery at Kennestone Monday of this week. I don’t have an update, but I hope that her surgery went well. If she reads this, I want her to know that I am thinking about her and will get in touch soon.

I mentioned on FaceBook that my mother received a good report last week from her orthopedist. Her fractures have healed to the point that she is receiving walking therapy. She actually walked in to her dialysis clinic in Duluth using a walker today. The staff were surprised and pleased to see her progress. We meet tomorrow at her rehab center to plan her discharge home next week. The entire family is so thankful that this day has come.

Enjoy the fall weather and Happy Halloween to all!

Mike Green

Mary and I were at Dr. Steuer’s office at Peachtree Neurosurgeons Monday afternoon for a follow- up appointment. We walked in (I with “Michael Cane,” rather than “Walker, Texas Ranger”) with our prepared questions. There was a little wait time in the exam room, so two educators played with models of spinal columns, naturally. There was even time for photo documentation (see attached).

Dr. Steuer and Carter Cooper, PA were very pleased and pronounced the long back incision healed. It turned into a three handshake visit with Dr. Steuer. He gave his colleague, Dr. Morrison, ample praise. Dr. Steuer okayed increased physical activity such as swimming and stationary bike exercise. He said the brace (still to receive a pet name…soliciting nominations) should be worn for three to six months, but cheating is allowed in the house. I keep wearing the bone stimulator for four hours each day, as well. He bragged on my walking and said that I could drive. I am indeed thankful for the positive remarks!

I see Dr. Reddy, Oncologist, next week. I hope my blood work continues to show improved numbers. The lab work report from last visit had a handwritten positive comment. We like that!

Anyway, I told Dr. Steuer that I was ready for my close-up for his office walls. He said that it must contain a good view of the tats, of course! Every time that I see Dr. Steuer I remember how ironic and cyclical life experiences can be. Seventeen years ago, a younger Dr. Steuer performed a C3-C4 Discectomy on a younger SeizeTheDay Mike when the brilliant surgeon first joined Peachtree Neurosurgeons. That surgery was a tremendous success. He went on to perform a number of high profile surgeries on some well-known clients over the years. Mary and I were well-pleased to renew this old acquaintance after the turn of events from this summer. Dr. Steuer reminded me today that my spinal fusion could not have been done ten years ago. Yes, I am thankful to science, prayer and my higher power.

In our pictures, Mary looks especially bemused. Readying lesson plans…

Mike Green
October 17, 2011

One month ago, I had a surgery that involved:

*the removal of a collapsed T9 vertebra (Vertebrectomy)
*the removal of the remains of an irradiated Plasmacytoma
*the fusion of eleven vertebra T3 through L2
*replacement of T9 with a plastic “cage”
*two pints of transfused blood
*seven hours in the OR
*one week of hospitalization in the neurological intermediate care unit at Northside Spine Center

Today, I take no pain medications, wear a brace and use a cane when I am walking outside my home.

I know that I can say that I am a very blessed man. Along the way, I have had the intervention of brilliant neurosurgeons and oncologists, the optimism, care and love of a wonderful wife and family and the prayers and support of many friends.

All of the above is sufficient reason to be thankful and to crow a little!

I leave the reader today with a little Will Green’s humor. For a while in my recovery, I used a walker with a name, Walker, Texas Ranger. Now, I use a cane with a name, Michael Cane.

Leave it to the kiddos!

Mike Green

October 10, 2011

This has been a perfect, rainy fall day that offered respite from the summer heat and dryness that has parched the landscape. Our gardens around the house sighed with relief from the gift of a slow, gentle rain. The folks in the house looking out sighed with relief that hand watering could be postponed for a day or two. It was a good day for napping according to the pets.

Not everyone napped, even though we had a good excuse as the day was Columbus Day and a holiday for many folks. Mary had to teach today as KSU was in session. She had an inspiring lesson plan today and sent me the following note.

“This morning, Merry Willis was kind enough to give up her free morning to speak to my Foundations of Leadership class at KSU. She spoke eloquently of her growing up years and how she has emerged as a leader in technology for the Cherokee County School District. I think the students enjoyed hearing what she had to say; several of them had questions for her and thanked her for coming. She demonstrated just why she is such an exemplary teacher!”

I am sure that Mary’s students enjoyed class today. It is not often that a Monday morning college class on a rainy day can provide such a bright spot for the students. Thanks to Merry for providing an inspiring leadership discussion. I’ll take my measure of pride for having given Merry her first teaching job.

Mike Green

October 6, 2011

Steve Jobs died Wednesday at age 56. The whole world recognizes the loss of a man who changed the world. Jobs will join the pantheon of inventive giants such as Edison, Ford and Bell who revolutionized the way we function in our daily lives. Steve Jobs was my contemporary and I owe so much to his inventive and practical genius. My career was based on learning and required that I be at the top of my form in communication skills. He impacted my career heavily by influencing the way I approached leadership in large, successful schools.

I remember a day in 1975 when one of my graduate courses at the University of Georgia met temporarily at a building on campus known as the Graduate Studies Research Center. As undergraduates, we had been in awe of the building because we knew it housed the latest in computer technology, whatever that really meant. In fact, it housed several computers that required a massive amount of dedicated floor space. This was the infancy of making computers accessible to the work environment via key-punch computing. To put this in perspective, few of us owned calculators in that year.

The professor of the dreaded Statistics course aimed to familiarize us with writing commands and keypunching these onto cards for our simple computer tasks. It was too mighty an objective. Entire years of study went into keypunch skills and program writing in that era. Needless to say, I was limited in my ability to perform even the simplest of the assignments. We spent many classes and outside class time at the GSRC building. Somehow, I passed the class! The mystique of computers grew, rather than diminished for me.

The eighties found me working as an assistant principal with a computer workstation. Mary and I did not yet have a “home computer.” We found that our administrative jobs in education were requiring us to work with programs for creating student schedules in the schools. These could be so frustrating that we never wanted to see a computer at home. With time and with children, we recognized that a personal computer was the key to learning, though. We knew that we must commit to that future. This was also the time of Atari and Pac-Man when computers were insinuating themselves into all facets of daily living. A pocket calculator was commonplace and of little financial consequence. This was a huge change from ten years before, when few could have afforded the expensive Texas Instruments handheld calculator.

The nineties found us using personal computers for word-processing. I remember thinking that my secretary was not going to have anything to do, as I was creating my own documents. Following increased skills at document creation and filing, we became adept at using the Internet and utilizing e-mail. I remember that creating an on-line faculty and staff handbook was such a radical idea when I proposed and implemented it for my school that we offered mini staff development classes for colleagues. We used e-mail to foster easy communication for a very large faculty and staff. Our teachers used e-mail for class newsletters well before most in our system. All in all, my embrace of technology saved a lot of trees, if nothing else!

When I retired as a school principal, I recognized that my life-long learning was not about to stop. I finally joined the ranks of the Apple disciples and stood in line for an iPad2 in March 2011. With e-books, e- magazines, chat groups, on-line research and streaming entertainment, there is little excuse for having nothing to do!

One of the most telling comments on just how far technology has come in meeting the desires and needs of all of our citizens is the impact of FaceBook on senior citizens. I would not have believed that my parents would become so involved with viewing FaceBook posts of family news and photographs. Family reunions have diminished in frequency because of the ability of far-flung family members to stay “connected.”

It is intriguing to look back on the exponential changes that have occurred in my world since that day in 1975 at the Graduate Studies Research Center. A genius like Steve Jobs impacted our lives because he was able to affect practical change in the computer revolution. The practical change touched all of our lives and changed society forever.

As I mentioned earlier in a FaceBook post, “Steve Jobs, meet Thomas Edison.”

Mike Green

We are such easy touches for stray cats. During the time that we have lived in North Fulton, we have been blessed to have some of the most loyal and appreciative cats decide to stop over at our house and stay a few years. One produced a dynasty of wonderful felines, that being the matriarch, Shadow.

Others have been more recent. Chester was a wild one that took some taming with small bites of ham dispensed from the swing on our porch. Even now, some three years later, Chester displays a decided split personality. Beds and sofas are safe zones where all manner of petting and rubbing may take place. Away from the safe zones, skittish, shy behavior remains the norm for Chester. During my convalescence, Chester has been my nurse cat. Of course, Charles, the full time inside cat allows this arrangement out of his own self-less, charitable instincts.

This morning, I heard the cry of the elated hunter cat. Chester had stalked and produced for our edification a tasty chipmunk. I suppose that most folks know that cats love to show off the results of their glorious hunts. When they do, it is entirely necessary that the human hosts must go outside and praise their hunting spoils to the heavens. This is the cat providing for his family. I don’t think that Will quite understood when I told him that we must go praise Chester’s efforts. We did tell Chester what a wonderful hunter and great provider that he was. Then, we left him to his own devices (chipmunk butchery…sorry!) This is the way of the world of cats, alas.

Will got stuck with the clean-up, I’m afraid.

As for the open door policy for strays cats at the Greens, the flashing neon sign remains on at our house. “Welcome, cats…good eats!”

Mike Green
October 5, 2011