The final (hopefully) shoulder update

Well it’s been nearly 6 months to the day since I injured my shoulder.  It has taken that long for it to heal.  Let it be known that the shoulder takes LONGER than any other body area to heal!  That and the back, which I threw out last week.  That’s an entirely separate post.  Eh I’ll write it here.  Bottom line: shoulder is almost entirely healed.  I still favor it out of habit when doing certain things.  That was a hard hard lesson learned in how to correctly assume push-up position.  Still though, it was just the perfect, freak, circumstances that led to it.  Even the doctor said it was random and kind of freakish.  Well, it is true, I am a freak.

So my back.  Yes, I did something to my back last week and it hurt pretty solidly up until Saturday night.  I went to a gathering of friends that evening and proceeded to drink and get a little “wooo”.  That was fun but I noticed that no amount of inebriation helped my back.  I knew it was going to be a long night once I got home.

So we got home and took care of home things… At that point I tried to lay down.  My back was throbbing at this point.  Nothing helped.  I was on the verge of passing out at one point.  I finally got up and started walking around which seemed to help a tad.  I grabbed 4 advil and 2 benadryl and popped them all at the same time.  One for pain and the other to just plain knock my ass out.  I knew one or the other would have to happen.  It worked.  Finally, around 4am I drifted into sleep.  I’d already made me mind up (yes, me mind, yar! I’m a pirate!) that I was headed to the family medical center over near Belks.

I walked in at 1pm sharp.  Filled all the paperwork out and then waited.  After about 20 minutes got called back.  Waited about 10 more minutes and the doc came in.  We went over the routine.  He poked around, pushed around, tested reflexes, etc.  He concluded that nothing seemed serious.  It’s just that a back will protest very highly if thrown out of whack.  So he ordered some shots.  Big, fat, steroid shots.  The needles were 3″ long.  I couldn’t look.  Needles don’t bother me but geez!  Anyhow, it was actually painless minus some burning.  I got some pills for the road and for help with sleep … mmm zzzz.

I’d say within the hour the back was noticeably feeling better.  Today it’s still a little stiff but it’s vastly better than it was a couple of days ago.  I am certainly not getting any younger!   I told the doctor that I’m reminded on a weekly basis that time doesn’t run backwards.

What’s new in Space!

So very tired of politics.  So, I’m taking a break from that bantering.

Now, On to something far more fascinating: Space!  Lots of things going on in the next few months so lets get to one of them now.

There is a new show that will be showing on NatGeo this Sunday (11/02/08) at 8pm EST.  It’s called Five Years on Mars.  It chronicles the adventures of two tiny rovers that have been present, on Mars, for a combined 10 years (between the two of them).  They hold a special place in my heart since they were both launched the year my first son was born.  What is amazing about this?

They were sent to Mars on a 90-day mission, but almost five years later the rovers Spirit and Opportunity have traveled farther, seen more, and survived longer than anyone imagined possible, earning a place among the most prolific explorers in history.

These rovers were supposed to last 90 days or thereabouts.  That’s all that was required of them.  Hubble is to deep space as these rovers are to Mars.  That is of course in conjunction with  thr MRO (Mars Recon Observatory).  Having far exceeded their lifespan, Opportunity and Spirit have provided simply invaluable data about the red planet.

Leaving on a Delta II never to return to Earth again, these tiny ambassadors of Earth made the months long journey to endure the loneliest of missions.  In a place where most or all life would perish, the little robots pressed on.  Through a barrage of technical difficulties they pressed on, still.  They are still pressing on, to this day.  How long until they are rendered frozen by the inhospitable frozen desert?  I can only guess.

Perhaps one day, in the distant future, when man begins his travels to Mars, our paths with these rovers will cross again.  Imagine coming face to face with history.  Something our distant future ancestors will have to remind them of how far humanity has come.

 

 Five Years on Mars: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Shoulder update

Yes, so I’ve been meaning to update my shoulder.  It’s significantly better these days.  Still hurts to do a few things but I have the full range of motion back and things are otherwise peachy.  I still stretch to do things involving a lot of shoulder movement.  Oh, my doctor even TOLD me to play golf to help loosen it up.  How’s that for an RX?  Hopefully in a few more weeks it’ll be even that much more better.

Saving the Space Shuttles

Read my blog for a few minutes and you’ll quickly realize I’m a science nut. Particularly a space nut. Even MORE specifically space exploration. Now I wanted to make a post about this because of how strongly I feel on it.

In case you didn’t know, the Shuttle fleet is set to be retired in 2010.  That’s less than 1 1/2 years away!  That was the mandate set forth.  I want to say they had planned to have a new operational vehicle by 2012.  That is not going to happen.  In fact it will be 2015 before the new system is ready.  That’s FIVE YEARS with no American manned space flights.  The United States has ponied a lot of money for the ISS (International Space Station).  How does that make sense?  Go ask Russia to take us?  Sure, for 2 billion dollars, comrade!

No, not good at all.  Whomever the next President is, will have a huge say in this.  Both candidates seemed to have expressed the concerns I’ve stated.  If this program gets ditched, and we’re begging the Russians for rides; I’m going to be one pissed mofo.

But with that said, I’m just glad people are realizing it and I will agree with Jim Lovell who said.  Keep flying them if they work? Duh?