Meet the Team...

Feb 12th BBBBRRRrrrrrrr It's COLD!!!

Hello messenger community! Most of you know who I am but some may not. My name is Brandon Lockwood. I rode downtown for about three years for ABC and SeaLeg. I am now the part-time wrench for Fleetfoot as well as the injured/healing Team Captain for the newly formed AVA/Counterbalance Bicycles racing team. The following is a brief history of our new racing team and an invitation for our messenger community to come to our races, watch us race at the track, participate in our summer event, and support a team that is comprised of your fellow co-workers.
The foundation of our team has been Counterbalance Bicycles who has helped non-traditional cyclists enter competitive racing for about six years. The first Team Counterbalance was a group of five messengers, Mike Dodge, Tim Mason, Jake Jewett, Jason "Squirrel" Calderwood , and Matt "Mess man" Messenger, who participated and won their category in the 2000 24-Hour Round-the-Clock mountain bike race in Spokane, WA.
Counterbalance Bicycles then helped other racers get involved in racing over the next four years. In '02-'03, the shop sponsored me in cross country mountain biking, track, and cyclocross. I was able to get a few friends from work to come out to the track in 2004 and asked Adam Smith & Peter Clark, Counterbalance co-owners, if they would sponsor a “team”. The formal USCF licensed team came together in the 2004-2005 racing season, and Team Counterbalance Bicycles was born. Starting teammates were Jeff Middlewood, Todd McMeen, Will Johnson, Drew Arce, and myself, all of whom were either actively working messengers or former messengers. During the '05 season the team competed as Cat 4/5’s in various road races around the state, Cat 3 and 4’s at the track, in the Singlespeed category in cyclocross, and in a few mountain bike races.

For the 2006 racing season (and the 2005 cyclocross season) Counterbalance Bicycles decided to merge with another small messenger based team from the 2005 racing season, AVA Racing, to form the new AVA/Counterbalance Bicycles racing team. Anthony Vega, a messenger in Seattle back in the mid nineties with MDR Pro Process, then he went on to Elliott Bay messengers for a year or two then started a "collective" which eventually turned into Mercury Couriers, which is now owned by US Dispatch Corp/Fleetfoot. He was the guy on the pink bike! Anthony went on to become a successful realtor but continued to have an interest in the cycling community. Anthony Vega and Associates (AVA) Real Estate (http://www.avaseattle.com) is a newly formed real estate company that sponsored two messengers in 2005, Forrest Hoag and Craig Ethridge. Anthony decided he wanted to invest in a cycling team and pledged to help financially sponsor the new AVA/Counterbalance Bicycles racing team. The team is sponsored by AVA Real Estate, Counterbalance Bicycles, Desalvo Custom Cycles, Tifosi Optics, Schwalbe Tires, Full Speed Ahead, and Indy/Stealth Messenger Systems. Our new team jerseys are in production and will soon be on the backs of team members as they compete in 2006.

Watch out for the red and white!!

With the addition of the two members from AVA Racing the team has grown into what is now a strong 19-member squad, including a 5 person women’s team! This newly formed team will keep Track racing as it’s main focus, competing at Marymoor Velodrome on Wednesday nights starting at 7:30pm May 17th - August 30th, but will also race on the road, mountain bike, cyclocross, and even a few triathlons.

We would like to invite any messenger who feels fast to find out for sure.

Our team will be sponsoring a HUGE indoor “Goldsprints” event/party this summer. We are in the planning phases of this event. The Goldsprints will be USCF licensed and we are billing it as a “Messengers vs. Racers” event. The local road and track racing community will be invited as well as the entire messenger community. This will be head-to-head 500-meter time trial with best times advancing to a final. A similar event was given by the NYBMA at the 2005 CMWC in New York with resounding success!! We are planning to have DJs spinning and beer and food flowing! With awesome schwag and prizes for the winners!
We look forward to the years to come growing this team into a competitive force within WA state racing. We welcome all newcomers and veterans alike who might not feel like they fit into a traditional cycling team. Check us out and join the forum to get the latest news at www.counterbalancebicycles.com

The team roster (with forum names in parenthesis) and a brief who they are or where they have worked:

Men’s Team
Brandon Lockwood, Team Capt. (Brandon448)
ABC, SeaLeg, and Fleetfoot, this season on the Disabled List
Jeff Middlewood, Ride Leader (Money)
Fleetfoot forever!!
Forrest Houg, (forest)
Sealeg, HALO
Matt Messenger, Transportation Organizer (mattmessenger)
What can ya say it’s Mess Man.
Todd McMeen (MCMEEN)
Elliot Bay Messengers, McMeen Couriers, KNR
Craig Ethridge (Craig)
ABC, KNR, Fast, very fast
Will Johnson (willis26)
ABC, Fleetfoot, Indy/Stealth
Kris Lepine (krislepine)
Messenger male Groupie, former cross-country mt. biker
Jose Sandoval (Brujo)
Elliot Bay, Fleetfoot, Jetcity, PM Legal, PNP, ABC, MAC’s cousin
Sam Sawyer, Ride Leader (dontkillsam)
ABC, Fleetfoot, former Cat 6 Racing Squad
Kelsey Wood (3Dbuddha)
ABC, WEB GURU
Rob Kittilson (Bobby B.)
Fleetfoot, Photog
Matt Case (lug_junkie)
Stealth, Raleigh Rep
Addison Linville (radicalad)
Youngest rider, student, former junior Olympic track and cross country runner

Women’s Team
Lara Thoreson, Women's Team Captain (blings)
Bucky’s, Fleetfoot, Stealth, got smart, works in an office now
Molly Foster (Molly)
New to the world of messengers, but loves to ride her bike, very strong
Jenny Daily (jenny d.)
Resident EVIL chick, best receptionist downtown
Sharon Anderson (Sharky)
Jose’s wife, women’s team motivationist, team’s resident Triathlete
Karli Koreski (pinky)
ABC, full-on Attitude

Support Staff
Adam Smith, Club President (bikewrench)
Unibomber, Bike Shop GURU, PM Legal
Peter Clark, Mechanic (wheeliepop)
Wrench, Organizer, SeaLeg, Via Messenger
Todd Gallaher, Coaching Advisor (ToddG)
Not on our team but we wish he was, trainer, coach, Cat 2 Master A, Ex-Messenger
Anthony Vega, Sponsor (avega)
MDR Pro Process, Elliot Bay, Mercury Couriers and $$$$$$$
Christie Lockwood, Go-to-girl/Cheerleader, Club Secretary
What can I say? Wouldn’t be here without her, Mother of my beautiful child

Like a pig in mud! That's what cyclocross is all about!

Long week

So it has been a very long week. I worked Wed. and eight hours on Friday. Had my first Chiropractor's appt on Thurs as well as Physical Therapy. I was even able to ride my new Kona Sutra "recovery" bike to work on Friday. I had my new $25 (bought at the bike swap this HRM retails for $180) Sports Insturments SI-90HR heart rate monitor straped to my chest and I was redlining the entire ride at around 175 to 185 beats per minute!! It was extremely cold and icy out but I was very careful and I had no incidents. At work on Friday I cleaned up after the slackers, replaced brake pads, levers and cables on Eddy's bike. Christie came and picked me up and the family went down to SBS to pick up the parts order. Then I built PJ's wheel, a Suzue carbon hub 28 hole laced to a white Velocity Deep V with black spoke and blue nipples. And I started to build up Jeremy's new Ti road bike (the one I bought at the swap!!). The project are starting to pile up so I believe I will have to make a list...

The final proofs for our cycling team's jersey came on Thursday and Peter and Adam ok'ed all but the skinsuit (color needs adjusting). So we should see them in about 3 to 5 weeks!!! They look good!! Here is an early look at them!














This weekend I am taking the Seattle Fire Department's written and video employment exam.... again. Maybe the third time is the charm??

Swap goodies....

SO went to the swap on Sunday looking to find a beater road frame for one of the Fleetfoot couriers. I found a JEWEL!! For $300 I bought a lightly used Sandivck Titanium road frame, a Look carbon fork, with a Chris King headset, Campy Record BB and Campy seatpost with an old San Marco saddle! I also found, for myself, a 1 inch Chris King Titanium Gripnut headset for less than $50!! I also bought an actual full color photo, matted and framed, of Eddy Merckx riding on the track circa 1977!! This is the true jewel of the weekend, I brought it home and gave it to Christie as a gift to be hung in a place of honor.
I also worked the MVA booth on Sunday man am I stoked to start the race season this year!! I am setting as a goal the Northwest Velodrome Championships July 28th-30th as my big come back that gives me FIVE months to heal, rehab, and get back in shape. I know I won't be any where near 100% but it gives me something to work towards!!!

Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merckx is the most complete all-terrain cyclist who ever lived. His wins came as frequently in road races as they did in tours and time trials.

Merckx was born on 17 June 1945, in Meensel-Kiezegen, Belgium, and became a professional cyclist when he was 19 years old. After a successful carreer in Cycling, which lasted 14 years, he retired in 1978. Eddy Merckx won single-day Classics, six-day trials and long tours, triumphs that made his name synonymous with the golden era of international Cycling.

Merckx was given the nickname "The Cannibal” as he was so eager for victory. Most experts agree that his best weapon was always his willpower, especially his desire for winning. During Cycling's golden age, from 1966 to 1976, Merckx collected no fewer than 525 victories in a variety of short- and long-distance races (around 1.800). For 96 days he was a leader in the Tour de France and finally a winner of 35 stages in the Tour de France.

Nowadays, he is involved with the manufacturing of bicycles, which carry his name, a business he started in his native Belgium in 1980.

Most Outstanding Victories:
5 Tours de France
7 Milan-San Remo Classics
5 Tours of Italy
5 Lige-Bastogne-Lige
1 Tour of Spain
2 Tours of Belgium
3 World Championships
2 Tours of Lombardy
1 Tour of Switzerland
3 Wallonia Races
3 Paris-Roubaix
1 World Hour Record
17 Six Day Races

Meltdown

I took the family over to Sandpoint to attend the Bike Expo this afternoon. We had a good time, that is until our lovely daughter decided to lose it. So, we just let her cry as we walked around and looked at this exhibit or that booth. All in all we had a great day just way past Abigael's nap time!! She came home and slept till almost 6:30. Poor baby was tired.

Shredder....

Last night was the Seattle messenger's Memorial ride for #176 Ted "Shred" Huener, a dispatcher for Fleetfoot that passed away this time last year. There were over a hundred people on bikes riding for Shredder. I got to ride with good friends and hangout like old times. It was good. We rode from Fleetfoot Base to WA Legal to gather people. Then we rode over to The Hurricane bar. That is where the actual "ride" started. We rode to the Seattle Center and rode around the "gehtto"drome (also known as the Seattle Center International Peace fountain) and had a moment of silence for Shred. Then down Mercer St. to the Lobo. It was VERY cold and I was home by 8:45. It's just not as much fun when your sober, ya know what I mean....

This Weekend

http://www.cascade.org/EandR/expo/index.cfm Bike Expo Saturday Sunday.

I'll be at the Desalvo booth or wandering around trying to get as much schwag as possible... Then on Sun I will be at the Bike Swap http://www.pazzovelo.com/events/bike_swap.shtml till about 12:30 then I am going to be volunteering at the MVA booth from 1 till 4. See ya there...

PS I will be selling my Kona Unit singlespeed Mountain bike at the swap special swap price only!!!!

Once again KONA gets it right...Utilitarian cycling in the third world

Kona reveals Africabike

Bike maker Kona - best known for its tough downhill and freeride mountain bikes - has been working for the last several months on something very different. The Africabike is Kona's contribution to the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa. It's designed to be a durable, practical bike for the conditions humanitarian aid workers encounter in Botswana and Kona is scheduled to ship 200 of the bikes in April.

A far cry from the carbon wonderbikes and long-travel suspension machines we covet in the west, the Africabike features a steel frame (for ease of repair); a step through frame (to accommodate female riders who wear traditional skirts); Shimano coaster brakes (chosen because they are more durable than pull-brakes); a singlespeed drivetrain (which has fewer parts to break); and 26-inch mountain bike rims with specially designed Continental tires that are resistant to the thorns and rocks that litter Botswana's roads.

More info: www.konabiketown.com.
Courtesy of cyclingnews.com

Almost laughed myself off the couch....

For a great laugh! Check out the videos of all of the project bikes. This is a great excerpt:

I should never have let us go that fast to begin with, but we had reached the point of no return. Because of the inconsistent dirt surface, I feared that braking hard could cause us to spinout. As the couch hurdled closer and closer to mach speed, all outside noises became muted. I could still here Eivind's last words. "I'm scared", he said. "Don't be scared." I replied with a calmness that was belied by my posture in the couch. I had assumed a sort of starfish stance on the cushions, my legs and arms spread out wide in preparation for attack from all directions. No sooner had I spoke those soothing words, than our worst fears were realized. One wheel jammed and the couch spun into a donut. The world swirled around us. Strangely, at that point, everything felt very calm. This was one smooth donut.

And in the immortal words of the Great Homer J. Simpson, MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm DOoonuutttssssss

A Pirate Missed......

courtesy of www.drunkcyclist.com

Marco Pantani
January 13, 1970 - February 14, 2004

I gotta say, I miss the Pirate. Two years gone.

Man, what a rider. That guy could ignite the powder. He make it exciting. He was the man.

Never mind Armstrong's seven, which I'll probably never see matched or broken in my lifetime, how 'bout the Giro-Tour double? Seems a bit more achievable, doesn't it, in this post Armstrong era?

We gotta have something.

And I'll never forget (maybe for the rest of my life), as the Gnome and I were suffering through the 2004 edition of the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo in the solo class, Pantani was a half a world away suffering by himself in a hotel room.

It ended for Marco that night.

We made it to the dawn, Marco. We made it. Why couldn't you?

Ciao, Marco. You were a card carrying badass.

I'll turn a pedal in anger for you this weekend.

courtesy of www.drunkcyclist.com

New old laptop.....

So I have been looking for a new used laptop for awhile now. I found one, it is a Sony Vaio PCG-FXA36. I got it for a steal from Craigslist. Thanks to Julian for helping me out. I got it mainly to allow Abigael to watch her Elmo DVD's. Here are the specs.

I took my girls out for Valentines day to have dinner. We went to the Village Pub here in Magnolia. Not bad believe it or not it IS a family resturant. I gave my ladies each a single red rose for St. Val's day. Abigael mainly played with the Babies Breath flowers....

First day at Fleetfoot Messengers

Welcome to Fleetfoot

So I worked my ass off today, WHEW! I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I could still stand to clean some more but until I can get some better floor stripper I am not gonna abuse my back anymore. Boy am I sore after yesterdays ride and my first 8 hour work day in a year and a half! I threw out about two dozen old dead wheels and three trash cans full of trash and recycling. The guys were giving PJ a hard time saying I did more work in 8 hours than PJ did in 8 months... HA! Just give'n ya some love there PJ... Anywho, After dropping Grandma off at the airport I took Abigael to spend the day with Maxine and they played like crazy. Apparently they did not take a nap at all!! I will be taking her to work with me tomorrow for about 4 hours??


Here are some before I cleaned the shop pics....



And after I cleaned the shop.... more to come soon...
Thanks for the plug Mark!! More AVA/Counterbalance Racing Team info coming soon including pictures!!!

First ride!

I did IT!!!!! I got out with my team on Sunday and rode!! My wife dropped me off in Leschi at 9:30 and the team, 15 out of 20 members, rode out over I90 to Mercer Is. and did the MI south loop. We double pace lined once we got to MI with 30 to 60 sec pulls keeping the pace at a 16 mph average. I pealed off as the team headed east and I cut across on the bike path across I90 to Dearborn to the waterfront then down Myrtle Edwards to Magnolia and Home. I did 24.54 miles with a total time of 1 hr and 40 min average speed 14.6 mph!! I FEEL GREAT!!! My muscles are sore and my lungs burned a little but my bones don't ache...yet!! It did wonders for my state of mind!!

A Job??

HOLLY SHEEET I gotta job!! I signed the papers today I am OFFICALLY employeed!! I will be the new wrench at Fleetfoot Messenger service. Building wheels and wrench'n bikes. Best part is I can take my daughter to work with me!! Boy oh Boy, she IS gonna grow up to be a shop rat.

Yes, that IS an Allen wrench in her hand!!

First order of business is cleaning the shop up!! I will post some before and after pictures next week.

I start on Monday and my hours will be very flexable as long as the shop stays clean.....

Special delivery?

ELMO...MO!!!!

My daughter is OBSESSED with Elmo... All I hear all day long from the time she gets up till we put her down at night is, "Watch....El...mo mo!" It seems that Grandma gave Abigael Elmo visits the firehouse DVD for Christmas. We watched it ONCE and ever since then it is all she cares and talks about!!

Copyright 1998-2006 Sesame Workshop

And thanks to the other grandma for rolls and rolls of tiny little stickers!! While they have helped with Abigael's fine motor skills, the stickers are now on everything and everyone in the house!!

The new blog

So I have decided to blog...therefore I am??

I figured I would keep Brandon's crap seperate from me famillia's blog site. I had Physical Therapy today and Erik said I could go for my first ride since the accident, aslong as it was dry and I was smart and safe, this weekend!! I also got TWO calls today for interviews!! One with Fleetfoot Messenger Service to be the Bike Wrench there and the other with Ikea to do loss prevention/safety?!?!?!



SOON so very very soon!!!!

The Leg Story....

So I guess by now almost everyone has heard what happened to Brandon Friday August 5th. If you haven't, I am not sure what rock you have been hiding under. So here it is, written out so everyone can read it, and Brandon does not have to tell the story again!! On August 5th, Brandon, Christie, and two of their close friends, Sean Wellnitz and Kyle Snow, all rode their bicycles out to West Seattle for an annual gathering and ride called the "Dead Baby Bicycle Downhill". While everyone in the group was going to ride the downhill, over 500 people present, Brandon decided to ride the Messenger Challenge. This is a multiple point to point, semi-competitive ride with about 20 other cyclists. The Messenger Challenge kicked off shortly after 7pm with all riders heading south. After the Messenger Challenge participants left on their quest, the Downhill started and ended with a party at "the Big Building" at Spokane and East Marginal. Brandon was heading south on 40th Ave Southwest and was fast approaching Southwest Morgan St. with Brian from KNR in tow. Brian called out for Brandon to make sure the intersection was clear. Brandon started slowing his momentum down to look and clear the intersection. Brandon looked left (east) down 40th and saw that it was clear (no cars), but that there was a slight rise in the road. Then Brandon looked right and saw that there was an Explorer a little over a half a block away, plenty of time to scoot through the intersection. While Brandon started to pedal back up to speed (after slowing down to check for traffic) he kept his eyes on what he perceived as the most immediate threat, the Explorer, and not looking back to the left because "It was clear!!". Brandon started through the intersection and when he was just about all the way into the first lane of traffic, looking right, he got hit by a red car (It WAS a red Mazda Miata)!! At this point Brandon remembers most of the details but some things might be fuzzy. The shock and suprize of, "Where did that come from!" hit him first as he was cartwheeling through the air and quickly followed by "DAMN I just got hit!" Brandon is not sure what kind of damage happened to the car. Brandon got hit in his left lower leg sending him into one and a half cartwheels over the vehicle and sending his bike in the opposite direction onto the SW corner sidewalk. Brandon is pretty sure he landed on his feet, it is really the only way to explain the fact that he has no other injuries except some scrapes to his right knee, no damage to his helmet, head, neck or spine. Brandon looks down and sees his left foot out at "a not right angle!!" reaches down with both hands to stablize it, sees that it has broken through the skin, and falls to the ground. Brandon lets out a few loud yells and moans as the injury is immediately painful. Brandon can remember wanting to lie down on his back so the FFs and Medics would not yell at him about his c-spine but everytime he tried to do that his foot would just flop over to the left so he just laid down on his left side. Suprisingly enough Brandon then reached up to his Nextel radio, dialed up his wife Christie and beeped her. Brandon said in a very calm voice; "Christie, I just got hit by a car, I have broken my leg and I am going to the hospital." (You may not believe it, but he was cool as a cucumber when he called. I kept waiting for him to say "I think my leg is broken.", as quoted from the Austin Power's movie.) By this time ,many bystanders and the vehicle drivers have stopped and 911 had been called. Brandon took off his messenger bag and hip pack. Soon the Seattle Fire Dept engine arrived on scene.

8/5/2005 7:36:42 PM F050074651 1

M32 Sw Morgan St / 40th Av Sw Medic Response

8/5/2005 7:36:07 PM F050074651 1

E37 Sw Morgan St / 40th Av Sw Medic Response

Engine 37 and Medic 32 arrived and good old Brandon started to give the FireFighter's his own SAMPLE short report. The FF's asked how I knew all of that info and "why do I think my c-spine is clear?" Brandon told them that he was an EMT and a volunteer FF with King 20 in Skyway, WA. The Medics started a 16g IV on Brandon's right AC (started an IV on his right arm) and pushed Morphine and Valium, WHAT A FEELING!!! They cut off all of Brandon's clothes (which he was not entirely happy about) and were amazed they did not find any other injuries. The FF's then backboarded Brandon and put his leg in a vacuum splint to stabilize it. Brandon does remember once, onscene before the leg was realigned, someone saying that his foot had no pulse. But it was quickly recovered before being splinted. Brandon was put in the Medic rig and a cop came to talk to Brandon. He said that he was not going to find fault and I was one lucky guy and I had enough to worry about with healing up. He was a very nice guy!! By the time Brandon got to the ER at Harborview he was loopy and in good spirits. He went through all the usual at the "Zoo" including CT scan, X-ray, and laying on the backboard for over three hours. The Docs cleared Brandon's c-spine and his body and the ortho docs said that he had a compound (multiple) open (through the skin) Tib-Fib (Tibia and Fibula) fracture. The important part was that they could put his leg back together again. Brandon wanted surgery ASAP! The Docs were very busy that night, but they said they would take me to surgery that night. Christie and Brandon's Mom arrived at the ER at some point and were a huge help to Brandon. Christie was and still is the most important "solid as a rock" figure during this whole ordeal. She has had help but she has also had to deal with our car getting stolen from the party Friday night and then recovered only to find it in the impound yard after three days, a very energetic 15 month old girl, work five days a week, and helping Brandon in his gimped state. CHRISTIE IS AWESOME! Brandon was taken to the seventh floor (admitted to the hospital) room 711 bed one sometime late in the night. Christie even slept on the floor of the waiting room that night waiting for Brandon to goto surgery!!! Around 5am it was time for surgery. The surgery took about three and a half hours! Boy oh boy! Brandon was sore after his surgery. They had Brandon laying on his right butt check for three and a half hours and somehow his tongue received a huge sore (probably due to the ET tube??) , but his leg pain was relative to the injury and surgery received. The surgeons drilled out Brandon's Tibia and inserted a Stainless Steel rod to hold it together. (Even BIGGER copies of the before and after x-rays HERE!!) Then they opened up the left outer side from Brandon's ankle knob to the bottom of his tattoo to insert the SS plate that they used to put the parts of his Fibula back together again. They packed it full of antibiotics and left it open (unstitched), but covered and splinted the leg. Then Brandon laid in the Hospital and the "Families" came to his and his family's rescue!!! Brandon's dad flew back from Alaska (he was done) on Saturday and his mom, aunt, and uncle all helped to care for him and his wife and daughter. Pretty soon the word started to get out and over the weekend the fire department started to overflow with support. The same on a smaller scale with the messenger family. On Monday morning, Brandon was taken back in to surgery to clean the open wounds, remove the antibiotic capsules and stitch the wounds closed for good if it looked like there was no infection. After about one and a half hours in general surgery, they said all looked great and they would be starting PT (Physical Therapy) on Tuesday. The pain is intense at times but the drugs help! They started PT with a walker on Tuesday and Brandon walked about 10 feet total!! On Wednesday, they had Brandon back up, this time on crutches and he walked all the way around the unit and up and down some mock stairs. On Wednesday, the hospital gave Brandon an ultimatum, either have a ride ready to pick you up at 1:30pm or go wait in the waiting room??!! So, prayerfully Brandon's mom was on the way and one of Brandon's FF buddies , Brett Omri and family, helped to get Brandon out of the "Zoo". One of Brandon's Messenger friends, Bryce Weaver, met them at his apartment to help him down the stairs. Together Brett and Bryce helped his mom get Brandon settled on the couch. Ever since Brandon has been getting better and healing up. Brandon's parents spent the week here helping like crazy and Abigael is handling the whole situation quite well. As is Christie she has been the BEST throughout all of this. Brandon says it is pay back for when Christie broke her foot/leg last fall, but he is only joking around.







Well here it is hopefully I will be able to get replacement cost for this bike as it is totaled!! Thank God for renter insurance!!! Total replacement value $1997.00!!!!!


And then the relapse! I had bone graft surgery on Oct. 11th which never truely seem to want to heal. And then in April 2006 I went back into the hospital with a nasty staph infection.... FINALLY the SIXTH and last surgery a new bone graft story here.