Just got back from meeting with the specialist about my skin issue around my knee. The long story short is, he feels that whatever the numbing agent was that was injected into me after surgery was contaminated somehow. The photos I showed him of my knee from 3 days after my surgery already showed the damage had started. He said my overall good health is the reason that some of it is healing but the black part is dead and has no shot at coming back. He said while there appears to be no infection right now, that doesnt mean there wont be an infection tomorrow or in a week and because it is going to need a graft no matter what, we might as well do it sooner rather than later. He also said while the black tissue is "gangrenous" its what they call "dry gangrenous", not "wet gangrenous" and there is a big difference between the two. Dry gangrenous is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

So, our plan of attack is I am having the necrotic tissue debrided as deeply as it needs to be to reach good tissue and then using grafts from my thigh/hip to start the new tissue regeneration. This happens next thursday at Genesis right by my house. Doc says it will only take about 30 minutes and the donor area from my leg will hurt more than my knee.

Thanks for the concern and prayers.

In the days leading up to my surgery eveyone asked if I was nervous, I wasn't but I started wondering if I should be since apparently everyone felt I should be?

That all changed the night before when. My sister and I were texting and she mentioned a catheter. NOW I was nervous. I created a thread on Vital asking for info from those who had the surgery. The data was split, some had caths, some didn't. Fortunately, all who did said it was done after they were sedated; inuding Heather B(thanks Heather!). Ok nerves gone again.

So I get to the hospital, get into my gown and watch CNN coverage on Fort Hood and a little Scooby Doo. Two separate nurses try to get my IV started, unsuccessfully; good thing needles don't bother me. So they decide to let the anesthesiologist do the IV later.

I am wheeled to pre-op in my bed where I lay for about 35 mintues answering the same questions to about 4 different staff members, finally get my IV started and get to go to John for the last time. There was a 6 year old girl next to me in pre-op, Sabrina, who was there for her second cyst removal from her neck since July, she was so cute and at ease. Strong little girl there.

Off to the operating room I am wheeled which is probably say 60 degrees but they put warm blankets on me and I was good to go. I was transfered to a new bed, given O2 and then the nurse says, "I'm gonna give you something to relax your muscles in your IV". Next thing I remember, I wake up in post-op. Well, sort of wake up, you know the feeling. I was so hungry but not wanting to eat yet in case nausea was laying in wait. Was very groggy feeling but not sickly. Ate some crackers, drank some water and took my first Vicoden. I wasn't having any pain but the nurse insisted so I partook.

I have this very cool device which is essentially an Igloo cooler filled with ice and water which is hooked up to a knee wrap to keep my knee on ice for about 7-8 hours at a time. Cool!

It's now 22 hours after surgery and I've done alot of sleeping with my foot elevated about a foot above my waist. I do lots of ankle rolls and lower/upper leg muscle flexing to assure they stay as limber as possible. Walking is slow, crutches are sketchy and I'm real concerned about the first squat on the pot :-).

All in all I feel great and can't wait to get it strong and have a good knee again. Maybe next year I'll do my left knee :-p

Thanks for all the concern and support!

- Posted from my iPhone

Firstly, I want to start by saying Say Anything killed it. They played an amazing show, had incredible energy, showed great variety in their setlist and played a pretty long set.

This posting is about the ridiculous sound provided by Clutch Cargo. Absolutely shameful. Maxs vocals were hardly audible unless he was in his screaming voice. There was no kick drum, didn't hear a single kick all night unless there were no guitars playing. The guitars were a melded hodgepodge with no discernation between one or another to create a constant buzz with only the bass guitar providing any sense of scaling or chord change. The only instrument which was plainly clear all night was the cymbals. I've heard better sound at the Flint Local 432.

I haven't been out to a show since the Small Brown Bike reunion in Hamtramck over a year ago and I am by no means a music snob(for petes sake three of my favorite bands are Cradle of Filth, Say Anything and Lifetime yet just two weeks ago I picked up the newest Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas and like them very much). I think it's pretty safe to say my tastes span pretty well musically speaking. But I couldn't help but feel how out of touch I was with the crowd at the show. The crowd went off!! It was as if they had no sense of how bad the sound was handled, they just belted all night long and represented Michigan well. I didn't have it in me, I love all the songs they played but still left the show feeling ripped off and completely underwelmed by one of my favorite bands due in no part to their efforts/abilities.

During the last song of the encore Max removed his innerears and I couldn't help but wonder if he was getting a sense of how fucked the mix was. If he did, it didn't show and good on him for keeping on.

They were very gracious as a band throughout the night and I can only hope their next trip to Michigan either includes a different venue such as St.Andrews or at least sound guys with a clue as to how a good mix is accomplished.

-- Posted from my iPhone

First of all, congratulations to Team USA for really stepping up when even many Americans were in doubt of their ability to pull off the victory! Tedesco would of course be strong having been on a winning team before and knowing how to handle the pressure. Dungey is just coming into his own and really showing that he is a long time removed from the SX season which saw him succumb to the verbal taunts and mind games of one Jason Lawrence. Wow was he impressive! Weimer seemed a little frazzled but still put in a good ride for 8th and with the consistency of RD and IT, thats all that was necessary when you add in the problems for many of the other teams. Which brings me to my motivation for writing about the race.

I realize that in a race where national pride is on the line, the usual onslaught of race loser excuses are a bit elevated but really? Everyone commenting on the race saw the race; we all saw Byrne crash and DNF, we saw Reed get a horrible start in the last race. We saw Cairolli's bike twisted into a pretzel before he even reached the first corner. All of those unfortunate events sucked. Bad luck, karma, divine intervention, cosmic misalignment; call it what you will. I call it racing and perseverance by a under-estimated and under-appreciated US team. No self respecting racer would pull the "luck" card. Racing is unpredicatable, thats why you run all of every race. Racers know the deal when they sign up.(The cliche's are getting thick , I know)

Bottom line is this. A race happened. The USA won for the 5th consecutive time.
Congratulations Team USA!
Good race world, see you in Colorado.

I know I know, I rip on music reviewers then what do I do? I'm not reviewing, I'm just offering my opinion. This album really disappointed me. It sounds like a studio album written for the sole purpose of having an album released to tour. It shares none of the energy, creative song structure or emotion of the bands previous release. It even managed to turn one of the great songs from their previous album into a likewise ho hum song. Really bummed on the album; I hope their next album is written at home or on the road with the emotional intensity and creative structures the old album showed they are capable of.
Kevin
-- Post From My iPhone

Took the rugrats to the park in town last week and got some photos. Click the image below to check the rest of the pics; they are the last ones in the album.

Do music reviewers actually think that they have any bearing on what the populace buys? Seriously, I have never read a review that had any impact on whether I liked or didnt like music, and quite honestly I have seldom ever agreed with a review written by one of these "regarded" reviewers. I think the only time a reviewer is worth reading is when they review something that is so extremely horrible that their writings become comical and entertaining; because honestly the one or two sentence comments on releases in MRR are far more worthwhile than any reviews available from allmusic.com, Spin or Rolling Stone. They're all just a bunch of jaded music snobs.

I rode a bike today, a whole mile with rugrats in tow. Seriously the most fun I've ever had on a mountain bike. I actually want to go again. I think I'm more of a road guy though, not really into the rough hills.

-- Post From My iPhone

This ones for you bro!
Let's try to keep the comments clean so I dont have to delete your ass :)

I took some time last night to have myself a little photo practice session in the garage. The subject of course, the moto.
Here are a few of my favorite shots.

I was thinking earlier about how crazy it is to me that Straight Edge has been given a bad wrap in some peoples eyes. I dont want to get into a long debate on what it is and what its not and all that redundant shit that just ends up in internet typing wars. I'll simply sum it up the way I have lived my life.
Straight Edge is about internal purification, not external condemnation.
Better yourself, focus within.
32 years and unwaivering in my chosen path.

I figured since I posted my mx bike I might as well show my street bike too. Its an '06 Suzuki GSXR 750. Not many mods on this bike, an Akropovic carbon fiber slip-on, Michelin Pilot Power 2CT tires and some various cosmetic changes. Having two boys doesnt leave alot of time to ride it but Im keeping it because when I do have the time it is all worth the wait. The Deals Gap trip every year or two would be reason enough if I never rode it any other time.

The blog layout is coming together though not all done yet obviously but I wanted to introduce you all to a new member of the family. The garage family that is, its an '08 Suzuki RMZ 250. It is without question the best motocrosser I have ever owned and thats saying alot coming from a 32 year old dad as opposed to an 18 year old ripper. Its got a Pro Circuit full titanium exhaust, complete Hinson racing clutch system, Pro-Taper bars, Pro Circuit triple clamps, coated transmission for the smoothest shift I have ever felt, a Boyesen water pump, braided stainless brake lines and an '09 team Suzuki graphic kit which I just happen to think is the best looking motocross bike ever.

... I was up until 1:30 in the morning fitting this GYTR slipon for an '06 R6 onto Durstee's newtohim '04 R6. It wasn't easy but it did turn out VERY sano! It sounds great too. I have developed quite the rep for exhaust customizations and retrofits for streets. Anyhow, game over; we won.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Talk about irony that was the best worst flight of my life! We departed Tampa at 1pm today, just an hour after a Tornado warning was lifted; thats right a Tornado warning. That means they saw one. Crazy. Jett and Hudsen were the best boys you could ever ask for on the flight; a flight which felt seriously like the Corkscrew from Cedar Point, dropping stomach feeling and all. Traci was flipped out a bit but the fellas was cool :).

You would think with 2 full weeks in Florida(Indian Rocks Beach) I would be smart enough to start this blog at the beginning of the vacation, not the last day. Well, you'd think so but you'd be wrong. I've been busy on the beach, by the pool, changing diapers, eating, watching/playing golf... Oh and racking up $50+ iTunes App store bill due to shear curiosity(some of it was really worth it).
Anyhow, looking off the balcony thinking of returning home tomorrow I am pumped to get back to the day to day. Another good vaca in Fla; I promise to blog more next year, maybe there will even be some people to read the content then. ;)
Late
Kevin

PS: Here is a panoramic view from the condo(yes this is from an App store purchase called Pano).

-- Post From My iPhone