I’m planning to follow up on yesterday’s blog. Perhaps later today. Or tomorrow. My buddy Jim just picked me up to take me to lunch, knowing that my type-A is starting to get the best of me. The kind young woman at Subway asked what had happened to me. I explained that I’d just had knee surgery. She quickly responded, “You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
- - - -
Here’s the #1 read article from 2006 at nytimes.com.
Okay, you have to tell the rest of the story. Or did you actually sing that to her? Take it easy or you’ll . . . well, you know.
No. Didn’t actually sing it. Just thought it to myself. It’s been surprising the number of people who have cheered on my surgery by telling me what a catastrophy knee surgery was for them.
Hey Mike, glad you got out today.
I loved the article. I am not very good at keeping my mouth shut. This would be very hard for me but probably much more productive than my tirades.
I resent, er, resemble that article!!! Wait, THAT’S what my wife has been doing….
Good stuff. Makes me wonder if my colleagues at the Department of MFT at ACU would consider that as part of their training procedures. Waymon Hinson did crazier stuff with us 20 years ago. I’ll have to ask Dr. Halstead next time I talk to her.
I hope you’re back up and pitching batting practice soon…
BTW, 1 degree F here in CO today… ouch.
The kind young woman at Subway was just getting in touch with her “inner Eeyore.”
I thought you were a caged exotic animal needing to get out…then I read the article. There is some old movie where the girl “trains” her husband with this dog training book. Anybody remember that one?
Did you get any peppers on that regret?
I have been wondering if there was a ‘Husband Whisperer’ - now i know!
Don’t you love how some people just have to say something.
OK, OK, OK… so I was one of the guilty ones. I know I told you my own knee surgery was disasterous, but that I was sure you would do great. Actually, I will admit that I even tried to talk you out of it! Sorry! I hope you’re doing great! After all, my surgery was 20 years ago now. Wow!
Dear Mike, discouraging words…This is a typed letter my son, a student received from the cofc we have attended (and been active in for over ten years)
Dear Friend,(not even his name typed in)
Happy New Year to you and your love ones!
One great thing about a new year is that we can erase last year’s failed dreams and missed appointment. We can begin anew with a clean slate by resolving to change old habits that are destructive of our physical and spiritual well-being.
God loves us in spite of our failures, but loves us too much to leave us there.
He waits with open arms to welcome us back regardless of missed opportunities. Knowing this, the elders are hoping and praying that all will reflect upon their need for relationship with God; that we will put Him back on the throne in our lives; and that in 2007 we will be faithful in attendance and in service to Jesus and His church.
If you are convicted and persuaded to jion us in this resolve, the Lord and his church eagerly await you.
Your servants in Christ, The ——– Elders,
P.S. if you are going to church elsewhere,please let us know.
so Mike, not only @ home on the range, but in my beloved church, not a phone call, nothing, this is so upsetting to me, my son thinks of this church as his church too, even though he has been visiting other places, he is 18, anyway thank you for a place to speak out, it is so sad to think our elders would send this out to anyone with out calling first,do they want to know what is going on in his life? or just clear the rolls? I’m justa mom having a hard time seeing both sides. and I do not feel like a hug from any of my elders at this moment!
Mike - Random question…is Chris still into audio adrenaline? (I do have a legit reason for asking!) I remember you mentioning it on your blog a year or so ago, but I also know how kids his age can change their prefs at the drop of a hat.
Mike, not everyone’s knee surgery was regretable. I think I told you mine was very successful 2 years ago. Glad I had the ragged cartilage cleared out before it did any more damage.
I was disappointed I didn’t get to be your recovery room nurse. I would have been your best friend for an hour or two. And you would not have remembered a thing. (Maybe I WAS your recovery room nurse…)
Regarding behavioral training, I was in on the first couple of years of the “Behavior Modification” department at the Abilene State School 30 something years ago, and we used many of the same techniques on the little boys, to help them learn to put on their shirt or refrain from self injuring behavior. It was interesting and rewarding work. It also transferred into my relationships at home.
Mike, the article from the NYT is great writing, to say nothing of brilliant for its content alone! I’m sharing it with several people, including my wife. Already today, she’s thanked me for small things that I’ve done. Feels good, and it’s reinforcing my behavior quite nicely: I’m already finding other articles to forward to her.
http://www.clickertraining.com/store/?item=dontshootdog
Don’t Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, is a book on animal (people, husband, children) training that expresses exactly the same concept as the news article. It works!
I think the Subway lady’s response is hilarious. I guess that shows my quirky sense of humor. It sounds like a line from a Billy Crystal movie or something.
…but I do hope you won’t regret the surgery for the rest of your life!
I experienced the same “encouragement” with my carpal tunnel surgeries-I have not regretted them one time.
I’m glad you were pro-active with you’re knee and I bet you will be back at 100% in no time. ( :
Husband Whisperer? Awesome! I think it could sell!
Knee surgery: Our building has been plagued with limb surgery of some kind or another this year. I haven’t heard anyone complain that they shouldn’t have done it. Most were in so much pain that trying anything beat doing nothing — this includes surgery for hammer toes.