"The doctor said I need about three weeks of recovery... but the nurses is lovin me... Saying the best part of their day is my half... Feeding me breakfast and giving me a sponge bath" - Notorious B.I.G."

It would have been nice if I got to live this fantasy out, but I simply woke up hungry and looking for some grub.  The nurses were amazed that I wasn't groggy or nauseous.  I simply wanted them to hand me my backpack so I could eat the PB & J sandwich and veggie sticks that I packed for the very moment that I woke up.  This was my sixth time under general anesthesia and I must say that I handled it like a champ.

I also felt like my knee didn't hurt nearly as bad as it did when I hand a full ACL reconstruction.  The doc came in and notified me that they didn't end up touching my ACL at all, but there were a lot of cartilage fragments that were causing my knee to swell, and my meniscus was basically non-existent.  The menisucs and cartilage fragments were simply removed, and not only was I let go from the hospital, I was told that I could walk.  I was expecting to be non-weight-bearing for 4-6 weeks which, would have made getting around very difficult.

People who called and expected to hear me sounding like I had a frog in my throat seemed to lose sympathy for me when I sounded like my usual ovial self.  So let me set the record straight....

I'm still in a little pain.

I'm unable to shower (may cause less people to visit).

I have to put my leg in this weird machine that moves it for four hours a day.

I can't drive my car or ride my motorcycle.

I have a sore throat from the endotracheal tube they stuck down my throat while I was out.

BUT I'M SO EXCITED THAT I'M ABLE TO WALK ALREADY!!!

So the mix for this posting is comprised of songs about walking.  I tried to throw some curveballs and focus on stuff you may not have heard in a long time.

Puedo Caminar Mix

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and concerns for my health.  Especially, Rosa who laid hands on me and said a special prayer for a speedy recovery.  :-)

In 2002 those screws were put in my knee and my descent out of professional sports and into a normal life began.  Now it's 2009 and all I want to be able to do is play some basketball.  Since my first ACL surgery, I've returned to graduate school to get my MBA at Stanford (also my current employer) and learned to DJ (it's been a great side hustle).  Still my athletic side wants to compete and I'm one week away from a either getting really out of shape, or pushing myself toward the goal to dunk a basketball again.

People keep asking me if I'm scared or nervous.  This will be my fifth orthoscopic surgery (Rt. Ankle - 1998, Lt. Wrist - 2000, Rt. Knee - 2002, Lt. Ankle 2005, Rt. Knee 2009).  I'm more nervous that I won't reach the goal that I've set.  The odds are against me.  I'm going to be 31 years old on April 5th.  I haven't dunked a basketball since my surgery on my left ankle, which was the end of me working hard at keeping my body in shape.

This blog is not only the public statement of my goal, but a nice outlet for me to write what is on my mind, and mix the music that I feel corresponds with what I'm feeling.  Most of the posts will be light-hearted (I'm often in a silly mood).  All of the posts (exlcuding polls and quizzes) will be accompanied with a short blend of music (usually based on the theme of the post).  I've been posting like crazy since I started, but post-op I'll probably post 1-2 times per week (I'll be working out the rest of the time).  ;-)

I hope you like the music and the commentarty.  Wish me luck, keep me in your prayers, and keep me motivated (I welcome opinions of those who think I can do it, and those who think I can't).  Surgery is scheduled for 9:30 AM (PST) March 20th.

Ball Again Mix

It's ironic that I ended up in the San Francisco Bay Area. When they asked me to take a recruiting trip to Stanford I just had to see what 2Pac was talking about when he penned California Love. Even back then, music moved me. Now 12 years, 10+ jobs, six football teams, four surgeries (soon to be five), and two Stanford degrees later, I'm still here (I left for a minute).

I used to joke that I went to business school so I could enjoy a career where I wouldn't lose my job if I tore my ACL (I was cut from the San Diego Chargers in 2003 after a knee injury). I guess I'm about to see if that is true as I'm set to have my ACL repaired on March 20, 2009. I should be able to keep my job this time, but two of my favorite things, playing basketball and djing parties, will have to be on hold.

I always wanted to write a blog and when I found out that my knee had to be surgically repaired again, I thought it would be a good time to start. This blog is my public declaration of my goal to be able to dunk a basketball again. I hope to keep you entertained with music mixes, comedy, commentary, and documentation of my progress toward my goal. I'll probably make some people mad along the way (I love to spark controversy).

So for my first posting I put together some of my favorite songs from back in the day. Ironically, many of them are by artists from the Bay Area. I guess the music was telling me something.

Pre-op mix