What the Hell, Cobblers to my recovery - Microdiscectomy +21

Tonight I had one of those 'what the hell' moments.

• Northampton Town were playing at home.
• I have a season ticket.
• The temperature was hovering above freezing and due to drop
• I have only driven twice since my op and yesterday's drive didn't exactly leave me feeling great
• I had no idea if I could cope with a drive of that distance, the walk from the car park, and sitting out in sub zero temperatures for a couple of hours.

But I thought 'what the hell'. I am sick of being stuck inside on my own. I am sick of missing footie games. I'm sick of wondering  when I will be fit to do x y or z. Tonight was the time to see what my body could stand.

So I set off in my car, pillow behind my back. By the Newport Pagnell services it became clear that my seat wasn't in a great position. After adjusting it, the rest of the journey was fine. My walking after the drive was better than it had been the day before, but by the time I reached my seat I was exhausted and my legs felt leaden. Treadmills are fine it seems, but the outside world has contours that test muscles unused for 3 weeks.

Why were the Cobblers playing in the evening when every other game in League 2 today was at 3pm? According to Radio Northampton, because Northampton's shoemakers used to work on Good Friday home games on Good Friday were always evening matches to enable them to attend after work. I'm not sure if that's true, and if it is, why with the decline of the shoe industry such a tradition still holds sway.

Blurry action shot looking towards the Family Stand

Anyway, we won the game, which makes 10 straight home wins. So I left the ground feeling cold but my morale boosted. I got home fine, and though I'm tired I feel ok.

So I think I now have to try to up my exercise. Push my body a bit more.

The Easter Bunny

Santa always turns up at the last game before Christmas to dispense mince pies. Tonight for the first time I can remember, the Easter Bunny appeared at half time dispensing goodies from a bucket. It was a rather freaky looking bunny.

WTF? was the cry around the stadium

I don't get the whole Easter Bunny thing. I understand how eggs came to be associated with Easter. But why does a bunny get the task of distributing chocolate eggs? Somehow I missed that at Sunday School.

Gruff's Geek Zone

Here's a little chain of online geekdom

The Guild

The first web series that I ever watched was The Guild. I was almost immediately struck by its quality and its humour. I think some familiarity with online gaming/gamers helps but is not essential. If you like The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) you would enjoy with this. Not least because Wil Wheaton crops up as the evil leader of a rival group of gamers.

It is written by and stars the scrumptious Felicia Day. She first came to notice in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Hold that Buffy/Joss Whedon link in your head for later.

The Guild has now been running for 6 seasons and is very much the revered elder statesman of geeky online shows. Periodic holiday specials led to a song "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" written by Jed Whedon (Joss's brother) and with just short of 22 million views and counting. Subsequent videos such as the Bollywood themed "Game On" show quite how far online serials have developed.

Anyway, the Guild is funny so I wanted more of the same....

The Legend of Neil

Sandeep Parekh (Zaboo from The Guild) was involved in writing The Legend of Neil in which someone playing The Legend of Zelda finds himself in the game (the explanation of how is too icky for delicate eyes). Again, this is funny stuff, though perhaps patchier than The Guild. Felicia Day crops up as a nymphomaniac fairy and is responsible for one of my favourite online songs. 

Dr Horrible's Singalong Blog

Speaking of online songs, Felicia Day is also in Dr Horrible's Singalong Blog (viewable for free on youtube) a musical created by Joss Whedon and starring a host of Whedon regulars as well as Neil Patrick Harris as Dr Horrible and Simon Helberg from TBBT.

It's funny and smart. Watch this!

Neil's Puppet Dreams

As if this world wasn't incestuous enough Neil Patrick Harris has his own series with guest stars such as Nathan Fillion from Doctor Horrible. NPH has narcolepsy and when he dreams his dreams feature warped muppet like creatures. 

Avenue Q

Ok this isn't an online series but I thought it would be nice to end this internet round up with a song by puppets about the internet. 

Long drive to freedom - Microdiscectomy +20

The obligatory recovery stuff
By the early afternoon I was both bored and fed up. So I decided to drive to the shops. Then I thought 'sod it' and decided to drive to Milton Keynes. Pleasingly, the drive itself was a comfortable and unproblematic experience. Unfortunately my walking was rather laboured and painful after the drive. A consequence perhaps more related to watching two movies that morning than the drive itself. At least I hope so. Nonetheless the drive holds out some hope of freedom from these four walls. With a queue of people wanting to visit me showing no signs of forming, I now at least see a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of being able broaden my surroundings and see different faces.

Apart from that I watched films and tv and stuff (see below)


Midnight in Paris 4.25/5
You know what it's like...Woody Allen doesn't make a decent film for years and then twice in the space of 5 years he comes up with a corker (the other being Vicky Cristina Barcelona). Ok so there were three duff films in between, but nobody's perfect.

What's more surprising is that this is a rom com that defies the standard formula and works (albeit there is more rom than com).

What is even more surprising is that it stars Owen Wilson and by the end, far from wanting to pummel his face into a mush I quite liked him.

The plot is kind of hard to explain, but it goes a bit like this. Wilson plays a writer visiting Paris with his fiance (Rachel McAdams playing pretty much the only role in her acting repertoire) and his future in-laws. One night he gets drunk and lost, when a 1920s vintage car pulls up and offers him a lift. He finds himself back in time in the 1920s and taken to a party for Jean Cocteau. Ernest Hemmingway promises to show Wilson's draft novel to Gertrude Stein.Wilson returns again and again, and comes to realise he doesn't love his fiance and has instead fallen for Picasso's mistress. He confides in Dali and Bunuel and...(to quote Kenny Everett's Cupid Stunt) "but I'm telling you the plot.

Suffice to say the film has a nice and unpredictable resolution (apart from the fact that he splits from his fiance - that's entirely predictable).

I liked it. there I said it. I liked a modern Woody Allen film and an Owen Wilson film. Two for the price of one.


Contagion 3.5/5
So what would happen if a global flu pandemic occurred? Well according to this film millions of people will die. But it's not all bad, Gwyneth Paltrow sucombs within the first 10 minutes.

This film has the feel of one of those docu-dramas you get from time to time. There isn't really enough...what's it called...plot. Bug spreads, people die, society is pushed to the brink of collapse, doctor discovers a vaccine, hooray. But having said that it is a compelling film. It's one to watch once, but not when you have a sniffle.

Oh and Jude Law's Aussie accent? Purrrlease!!!


Duran Duran live
Sky Arts showed a Duran Duran concert from 1987 and for some reason I was drawn in to watching it. I wasn't a fan back in the 80s. I'm not sure many guys were. Girls tended to fall into either the camp of Duran Duran or Spandau Ballet (a bit like 1 Direction and JLS nowadays). But over time I have grown to appreciate the fact that DD actually wrote some damn good songs.

This performance, if not showing Duran Duran quite at the peak of their popularity was not far off. Le Bon was a surprisingly charismatic front man.And curiously for a band whose other members seemed intent on covering themselves in glue and then rolling around in the worst fashion excesses of the decade, Le Bon's look holds up pretty well.

Which is curious because not too long ago he was seen looking like this

Now who does he remind me of?

Two Kenny Everett references in one blog GTFI!

In my next blog (unless something interesting happens) I will indulge my inner geek. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

24 - Microdiscectomy + 19

Has it really been 19 days?

19 days of these four walls? 19 days of various degrees of pain and boredom? 19 days of overdosing on tv?

Yes it has.

On the plus side I got the date of my first physio session today. 8th April :) So I should start getting some proper focused rehab in a couple of weeks.

There's not really much else to report on the recovery front.


Boxset watch

24 Season 1
I finished the first season today. It has been a compelling rollercoaster of a show. I can see why such a buzz was created at the time, albeit the 24 episode format meant that there were rather more twists and turns than were plausible.

I have rarely seen an organisation on tv that is both as sophisticated as the Counter Terrorist Unit and as fundamentally hopeless. An organisation riddled with incompetence and traitors. Ok, so hopefully all of the traitors are out of the way now. But with 6 more seasons to watch I worry if there will be anyone left by the end.

Much was written about President Palmer and how he may have desensitised America to the concept of a black President. Maybe I will get more of an insight into that in future seasons. I'm not sure I saw it in Season 1. Because as much as he came across well, his wife would have done Michelle Obama no favours whatsoever.

I hope you won't find it too mean of me to say that I am glad Bauer's wife died at the end. She annoyed me. And if his daughter doesn't get her act together soon she will be next for the chop. Keifer Sutherland was simply brilliant as Bauer. No two ways about it. Vulnerable and tough in equal measure. One of tv's great leading men.

Once I get my breath back I will start Season 2, but I think I will hammer some of the other boxsets first...



30 Rock - S1 eps 1-8

Parks and Recreation - S1 full season

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-4
Utopia - full series (6 episodes)



Film Watch

Men In Black 3  3.75/5
The first MiB film was tremendous fun. The second was a bit of a let down. Yeah I know. Sequel in let down shock. Well I'm glad that they waited so long before making the third film because if it wasn't as good as the first it was well on its way.

So basically it is the classic 'reality has been altered so someone has to go back in time to change something and make it all ok again. But it's done well. Some really clever characters, and a lovely visit to Warhol and the Factory. It ended as these things often do with a big set piece historic event as the background. In this case the Apollo 11 launch.

It was smart, it was funny, and it was quite touching at the end. I'm glad I caught this.


Caddyshack 3.25/5
I guess Rodney Dangerfield is an acquired taste, and though Chevy Chase has had his moments this is not really one of them. The film is worthwhile for Bill Murray and the gopher. Between them they steal the film. I loved this film as a kid. It must be 20 years since I last saw it. I don't love it now, but I did enjoy it.

Things I learned today whilst mining the wikipedia page about the film is that the perky breasted and beautiful Cindy Morgan (playing Lacey Underall - clearly a name that the Bond producers felt they could spare) is blind, which makes her diving board leap all the more impressive.


Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines 3.5/5
This is one of those films. You know, the kind you have seen many times but probably not in one sitting? Well that's what it was for me. I remembered elements of it and probably on a Sunday afternoon as a kid I did see the whole thing, but that would have been a long long time ago. It's one of those multi-star vehicles that the 60s did so well and we don't get so much any more. It's a delight to watch. Silly harmless fun where nice guys win and rotters are foiled.

Terry Thomas is brilliant as his proto-Dick Dastardly and Gert Frobe is comedy gold as the hapless German. There is something intensely watchable about this film. It's a bit too loose and rambling to be a true classic but it's a delight.

First Men In The Moon 3/5

I understand this film was remade a couple of years ago. My question would be why? If you want to see a truly excellent recent sci fi film set on the moon, try Moon.

A bit like The Day The Earth Stood Still (TDTESS) last week this was a film very much of its time, with a large debt owed to The Time Machine. After 1969 such fanciful stories were not possible. It is a fantasy. The basic plot is that satronauts landing on the moon discover that in 1899 the Brits got there first. A survivor of the trip is found and tells his tale.

Aesthetically and in its production values the film is very similar to the Peter Cushing Doctor Who movies of 65 and 66. The monsters (insect like Selenites) could equally have appeared in just about any Doctor Who episode until 1989.

Animation is courtesy of the great Ray Harryhausen and works well for a film of its time and type. Like TDTESS there is some moralising. The Selenites try to understand humans but Lionel Jeffries tells them that soldiers are heroes on earth although wars are considered bad, you know things are going to turn ugly. Jeffries stays behind to his fate as his companions escape. When, 70 years later, a multinational team of astronauts explore the moon they find no sign of life and the civilisation in ruins. In a neat twist on The War Of The Worlds, Lionel Jeffries had a cold when he went to the moon and that humble virus was enough to kill the Selenites




The Muppets 4/5
Beginners 3.5/5
Friends With Benefits 3/5
Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5
The Space Between 4/5
The Challenger 4.75/5
Genevieve 3.5/5
S1M0NE 2.5/5
Yangtse Incident 4/5
The Day the Earth Stood Still 3/5
The Hunger Games 4.25/5

On the road again - Microdiscectomy + 18

In today's blog:
- Curse You Mother Nature
- The Beard Thing
- Boxset Update

Curse you mother nature!
Things have improved a bit in the last couple of days. It's all about managing your body. On Saturday and Sunday, due primarily to the snow I was sat down for far too much of the day. This I suspect was the cause of the spasming and pain I felt in my vulnerable left side. Yesterday I tried an experiment. I set an alarm every time I sat down to ensure that every 30 minutes I was prompted to get up and walk around for a couple of minutes. Despite watching an awful lot of tv I felt very good by the end of the day. I walked well on my treadmill, and I had my best night's sleep yet. Today I was less regimented but nonetheless got up regularly and used the treadmill and the result was much the same. It makes me wonder how I would be doing if the weather had been more Spring-like rather than Wintery for the past week.

I also tried driving again today. It was only 1 mile to Tesco and a mile back, but it didn't feel bad. With the correct back support I would fancy my chances of a longer drive. Friday night's Cobblers match v Torquay comes to mind.

I've decided to give the wound pics a rest, because quite frankly there's not much new to see until the scabs come off.

I'm still finding the mental side tough. I'm a sociable person, and being kept away from people is not great. I've had my low points, and it caused me to have a deep muse on the nature of friendship today. But I am keeping that blog post for another day. Or maybe never. Instead - here's more beardy stuff.


The beard thing
Well in truth I thought that the beard focus of the last post might generate more discussion/entertainment than it did. Thanks to Jen K and Duncan for their comments on the blog itself. Grace deleted hers but I suspect that I can guess what she wrote. Suffice to say neither the human cannonball nor the 70s gay porn star looks are strong contenders.

On facebook Steve D suggested the Ed Helms look. By which I assume he meant this, or a goatee variant thereon:

Though with the way the colouring seems to be developing this look now appears to be a viable option in the longer term: 

If I go down that route I have to hope that there is no causal link between crazy facial hair and anti-semitism. 

Putting aside this guy of course:

The consensus was to keep what I have tidy, definitely not have a moustache, and curiously that I should not start wearing baseball caps.

OOOPS!

Boxset Update


I will from now on put the most recently watch shows/films at the top of each section.

TV

24 - S1 eps 1-19

30 Rock - S1 eps 1-8

Parks and Recreation - S1 full season

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-4
Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

a recommendation in waiting via Jo is: The Following.

Film / my rating out of 5

The Muppets 4/5
Beginners 3.5/5
Friends With Benefits 3/5
Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5
The Space Between 4/5
The Challenger 4.75/5
Genevieve 3.5/5
S1M0NE 2.5/5
Yangtse Incident 4/5
The Day the Earth Stood Still 3/5
The Hunger Games 4.25/5

Does it hirsute me? - Microdiscectomy + 16

A quick update before the main event of this blog.

I'm having more problems walking than I did before. I suspect this could be due to sitting around too much (thanks rain and snow). But it feels like an injury, which is worrying. It's not in the centre of the back, more in my left hip and it feels more muscular. Fingers crossed this passes. 

The wound continues to heal well, and I am not feeling any pain in the centre of the back near the wound. I can bend relatively well. In the light of the concerns above I consider this to be a good sign. 

Saturday was a tough day. I had been hoping to go to the football. But snow and arctic temperatures put an end to that. The game went ahead but I decided that discretion was the better part of valour. I felt down. Not just because of that. As I said in an earlier blog, the biggest challenges right now are mental. It was one of those times where you can pull yourself out of the gloom, or someone else pulls you out of it for a while, and then you sink back down. Thanks to those who brought me some relief from the gloom through facebook, messages, texts, and emails. It really is appreciated.

Today at Jen's suggestion I went quizzing for the first time since the op (I didn't drive). Sitting still did me no good. I struggled to walk about after sitting around and had to pop a tramadol, but boy was it good to get out. Oh and we stormed the quiz. 60/65 points and clear winners by 7 points. All in all a worthwhile night out. But perhaps an indication of how far off I am being right. I can't hope to return to work until I can sit for significant periods of time without seizing up.

Beardy Weirdy

Today also marks the 17th day of my beard. I didn't set out to grow a beard. In fact I have always avoided growing it for too long, as a genetic gift from both sides of the family are some recessive ginger genes. I have nothing against ginger hair, it just looks a little odd to have it on one part of your head and not the rest. Especially since the other genetic gift of prematurely grey hair hit me.

But being wary of hurting my back by leaning over the wash basin to shave I let my beard grow. I last shaved on 8th March, and at some point a week or so in I realised I actually quite liked having a beard. Even with the ginger two-tone oddness. Opinions have been split amongst the two friends who have voiced an opinion.

I am determined to keep it until I return to work, which is at least two weeks away. However, it is now getting to a point where I have to start thinking about trimming or shaping the beard. This is how it is at the moment.

So I found an app and a pic of me clean shaven and put together a selection of style options. I invite you to tell me which you think I should definitely consider. Yes I know I am a hostage to hilarious japesters suggesting the craziest of the options, but to be honest the funnier the feedback the better. 

So in the comments section please tell me what you think of these, or suggest some alternatives (preferably with links). Click on the pic to see a larger version

  In the meantime I shall be lovingly cultivating my new furry facial furniture and awaiting your comments.

The two week round-up - Microdiscectomy +15

Two weeks ago today I had my operation. Just in case anyone is catching this blog late here is what to expect (based on my experience) if you have microdiscectomy surgery.

The Operation
You are under a general anaesthetic so you won't know anything about it. The operation takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. Because you are on your front for the duration of the operation you will have red marks on the front of your body and your face. These will fade. I was taken to the theatre just before 9am, was awake in recovery by around 11.30 and back on the ward by midday.

Directly after the operation
You are clearly still full of drugs. I was told I could have various painkillers right up to liquid morphine if I needed it. I didn't. I was stiff and achy, as if I had freshly injured my back (which in a way I had), but apart from some soreness I was not in too much discomfort.

A couple of hours after the op I was able to walk to the toilet to urinate. Upon my return I was able to dress myself.

Depending on when you have your operation and how well you respond to the anaesthetic determines when you will be released from hospital. I was fortunate enough to have been first in theatre that day and was released in the evening.

The 1 hour drive home was not too uncomfortable. Make sure you have soft pillows available to support your back on the journey home.

Pain
Discomfort and soreness characterise the pain you feel in the first week. If you sit for too long you get sore and stiff. If you walk too much you are sore and ache. There is no getting away from the soreness. But it is manageable with ibuprofen and tramadol.

In the second week I developed more localised pain in my left side. This is the side that the disc was bulging. I hope that this is symptomatic of that part of my body readjusting after the op. Time will tell.

The Wound
The wound is around 2 inches in length. Neatly sewn with dissolvable stitches. At first look you wonder what kind of scar you will be left with . The sewn up incision is significantly raised. The wound is tender at first but never excessively so.

From 48 hours after the operation significant bruising emerged. It looked blotchy and red. Due to concerns about infection in the wound area I had it checked by a doctor, but it was just natural bruising in reaction to the operation and sitting still.

The dressing on the wound must stay on for 48 hours after the operation. After that there is no increased risk of infection from showering (though a bath is not possible). You are not supposed to soak the wound due to the stitches. I used the antimicrobial wash that I had to bath with pre op. Spread it over the wound and then by the time I had washed my hair I was ready to rinse the wound site and then immediately dry (patting with a towel rather than rubbing).

Unexpected side effects
What they don't tell you is that a common side effect of this surgery is that you often get constipated. That's not usually such a big deal, but when your lower back has been sliced open, it is not much fun trying to persuade your body to expel several days of waste.

Exercise
You should try to be active from your first day at home. Certainly, sitting around all day does nothing to benefit your back. Every hour or so get up and walk around for 10 mins. I did a rudimentary step routine on my stairs. 50 steps.

Later I walked with a book balanced on my head to encourage the right posture. There is no sense healing your back into a slouch.

A couple of days after the op I was able to walk 1 mile. It was very tiring but great for my morale. Gradually the walks got longer and the tiredness diminished. The walking became more fluid. The trick is to keep walking regularly.

A set of light exercises provided by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals are designed to gently stretch you and maintain flexibility are part of my programme. It says to so them 3 times a day but I didn't get to that level until into my 2nd week.

Driving
I was told that you can drive when a) you are comfortable turning your body and b) when you would be able to make an emergency stop without problems. I tried driving 12 days into my recovery. Just a short drive to the shops. Afterwards I felt stiff. I know that I could drive if I needed to, but I will take it slowly.

Nourish your soul
You will have a lot of time to think. Fill your time productively. Have people visit you and take you out from time to time. Read, enrich yourself by what you watch on tv. Interact with people.

Getting back to normal
One of the aims of the op was to relieve my sciatica symptoms. It could take up to 6 months to see if this is a success.

I should be able to work from 4 weeks after the op, though I might not be up to commuting for a little while after that.

I will be having physio, hopefully from around 4 weeks after the op. I will also be able to swim from around that point. Running is still not possible because of the impacts it sends through your spine, but walking on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike are possible (as long as the back can cope).

I should be fit to umpire a cricket match after 12 weeks, and fit to resume playing more active sports after 24 weeks (6 months).

Final thoughts
Is this something to be worried about? All surgery has its risks so it would be stupid to say no. But in the hands of a good neurosurgeon this is a routine operation. The results are not entirely predictable however. But if a herniated disc is making your life a misery, or stopping you from being as active as you would like I would recommend it. It is worth the level of discomfort I have had in order to see if it works.

Boxset and movie reviews

I thought I would give a brief run down of my viewing over these past two weeks. And for the films, an explanation of the ratings I have given them.

TV
Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

Synopsis: Five strangers from an online comic book forum agree to meet after one of them gains possession of the original manuscript for the unpublished second volume of the cult graphic novel 'The Utopia Experiments'. They find themselves pursued by a shadowy organisation known as 'The Network', who are in pursuit of the manuscript and are willing to kill to track it down.

Verdict: At times brutal in its violence, this is a sophisticated thriller drawing on a culture of corporate/political conspiracy theories. The depiction of a group of people brought together online through a common interest rings true. As does their first meeting when online pretence is stripped away. The theme of betrayal runs deep as the groups gets closer to discovering the significance of the manuscript. The resolution of the series is perhaps a little telegraphed and comes as little surprise. There are weaknesses and plot holes, however this remains a classy dystopian and violent thriller.

Thanks to Jo for the recomendation


Sopranos - S1 eps 1-4

Synopsis: Tony Soprano runs a family business. It causes him stress and panic attacks. In his line of business you can't show weakness, so Tony goes to a shrink. Tony's dysfunctional relationships with family, colleagues and 'Uncle' Junior form the core of this modern mafia drama.

Verdict: Yes, I am the one person who didn't catch this show the first, or even the second time around. Right from the off you can tell this is a quality piece of tv drama. At times this show lulls you into thinking these are normal people and then a scene of brutal violence will shake you from your comfort zone. This is a slick production that steers clear of parody. You believe these characters. You even like some of them. It took 3 episodes to draw me in. Now I want more. Perhaps shows like The Wire have neutered some of the shock value, but it is still a quality series.

Thanks Tony for lending me these


Parks and Recreation - S1 eps 1-4

Synopsis: Incompetent small town officials want to create a park from some wasteland

Verdict: We've seen this kind of thing before. It is one of the better 'The Office' style mockumentaries. Not least because of the casting. Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope is a classic self-important and unwittingly hopeless bureaucrat in the mold of David Brent or Captain Mainwairing. Pompous yes, well meaning? - probably, oblivious to how pathetic she is? definitely. Around her is a great supporting cast, not least the wonderful Rashida Jones as a nurse who is supportive of Knope's plans. The only people more clueless than Knope are the people she surrounds herself with. How good is this show? Good but not great. I'm told season 2 is better than season 1. I'm willing to give it a go.


24 - S1 eps 1-8

Synposis: Someone is going to try to kill a Presidential candidate. Jack Bauer has been put on the case but there is someone inside his organisation working against him.

Verdict: The visuals created by this show have become so familiar and have been copied so often that they no longer feel innovative. But that does not detract from this show. Right from the start it is clear this is a complex and intelligent thriller. There are so many strands of plot, so many players. It shocks from the first episode onwards and never lets go of your interest. I'm 1/3 of the way through season 1 and the hype was justified. This show is great.

Thanks Al for lending me these


30 Rock - S1 eps 1-8

Synopsis: Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch comedy show "TGS with Tracy Jordan", must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star, all while trying to run a successful TV show without losing her mind.

Verdict: How can you create such fine episodes in just 20 minutes of air time? Smart, funny, great characterisation, brilliant one liners. This show is a classic.

Thanks Tom for lending me these


Film / my rating out of 5

The Muppets 4/5

Synopsis: Jason Segal has a brother (Walter) who just happens to look like a muppet. Years after the Muppet Show has gone off the air Segal, his girlfriend played by Amy Adams and Walter go to LA to tour the Muppet studios and theatre. The Muppets have dispersed and their theatre is in disrepair. Walter discovers that an oil magnate plans to buy the theatre and drill for oil, and by buying the theatre also would own the Muppet name. Segal and Walter lead a Blues Brothers style reuniting of the Muppets for a one-off fundraiser.

Verdict: You know what is going to happen. Fill in the blanks after the synopsis and you won't be far wrong. But it's how it is done that makes this film so great. I doubt kids would get half of the jokes but they would love the goofiness. This is a tremendous rebooting of the Muppets and with songs written by Brett from Flight of the Conchords the musical numbers are funny and manage to avoid the sickening schmaltz of earlier Muppet films. This film has Rashida Jones in it, which only adds to its appeal. I'm looking forward to the sequel in 2014.


Beginners 3.5/5

Synopsis: A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.

Verdict: The film for which Christopher Plummer won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. The film was good enough to stop me switching channels. But I didn't feel that I was watching an award winning film or any award winning performances. Plummer's was a good performance, but by no means a great one. He could have phoned it in, and I don't believed it stretched him. Having seen all but one of the other contenders for that year's Oscar I can only imagine that the Academy was rewarding time served. For my money, Jonah Hill's performance in Moneyball was much more deserving of an Oscar.


Friends With Benefits 3/5

Synopsis: Dylan and Jamie want to have sex but not be boyfriend/girlfriend

Verdict: When all is said and done this is the standard rom-com plot. Boy meets girl, boy and girl secretly fancy each other, boy and girl fall out when one or both acts like a jerk or there is a misunderstanding, boy and girl get together at the end after a big romantic gesture.

This is possibly better than many of these. You can believe in Timberlake and Kunis as lovers. There some nice vignettes and the portrayal of Timberlake's grandfather struggling with the early stages of Alzheimers is spot on. All credit to them for that. 3/5 might be a little ungenerous. This is an enjoyable film if you like rom coms.


Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5

Synopsis: Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.

Verdict: When you see a film stars Jason Segal and Ed Helms (The Hangover) you naturally assume that the film is going to be a comedy. Instead what you get is a rather interesting piece that flew under the radar. The IMDB synopsis calls Jeff (Segal) a slacker. He is clearly actually someone somewhere on the autistic spectrum. At times lucid and insightful and at other times driven by autistic/aspergers impulses.

The film is odd. Not a conventional Hollywood film for sure. I found it interesting and thought provoking. The supposed normal brother meltsdown while the misfit searches for and inadvertantly finds meaning in his life. This film is not for everyone, but I liked it.


The Space Between 4/5

Synopsis: A smart 10 year old Muslim boy from New York is put on a plane to LA having won a scholarship to a school. The day is September 11th 2001. When the flight is grounded, Omar is put in the care of a world weary alcoholic stewardess. Omar reveals that his father worked at the restaurant on top of one of the Twin Towers, and the pair embark on a road trip to NYC.

Verdict: Melissa Leo is wonderful as the jaded alcoholic stewardess, and the child playing Omar is simply superb. The film explores the tensions and prejudices that were rife at the time; misunderstandings and cultural differences; as well as the relationship between a boy and his father. There aren't a bundle of laughs in this film, but of the handful of films directly addressing 9/11 this is one of the better ones. A good film with much to say about loss.


The Challenger 4.75/5

Synopsis: When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986 a commission was established to identify the cause. In failing health scientist Richard Feynman is the lone independent member of the commission (others having vested NASA, military or political interests). This film follows Feynman's battle to get to the truth.

Verdict: I'm a sucker for the lone truth seeker battling the corrupt system films. Hurt is believeable and sympathetic as Feynman. A guy with terminal cancer choosing to devote some of his last days to finding the truth. His persistence and insight identified the cause of the disaster, as well as complacency and mismanagement at the heart of NASA. Brilliant performances all round. True stories don't get told much better than this.


Genevieve 3.5/5

Synopsis: Gentle comedy about London to Brighton vintage car rally. Two guys take it a little two seriously causing much mirth.

Verdict: Who hasn't seen Genevieve? Surely everyone has by now. It is 60 years old and yet the rivalry between John Gregson and Kenneth More sparkles. Britain may have changed but this is a timeless piece of gentle British comedy. And it is surprisingly risque: Dinah Sheridan says "Stay and make love to me" before Gregson opts to play with the car instead, and there are allusions to what More plans to do with the women he takes on the rally each year (and is doomed to failure with). Whilst all of the main protagonists are now dead it is particularly sad to see Kay Kendall so full of life just a few short years before her premature death.


S1M0NE 2.5/5

Synopsis: Movie director Al Pacino falls out with actress Wynona Ryder. When things look bleak for him he is given the means to create a virtual movie star: Simone. The world falls in love with her and Pacino just can't bring himself to reveal the truth about his reclusive star.

Verdict: Interesting concept, but the film doesn't really deliver. There are too many moments that stretch credibility and too many logic gaps. Nonetheless this is watchable nonsense.


Yangtse Incident 4/5

Synopsis: HMS Amethyst is cruising up the Yangtse in 1949 when it gets caught up in the Chinese Communist Revolution. Fired on and damaged, the British and the Chinese are caught in a stand-off.

Verdict: Forgive the occasional crude racial stereotyping, and this 1957 is an engaging depiction of a real life crisis. Richard Todd is in his finest 'stiff upper lip' mode, and for Doctor Who fans there is the treat of seeing both William Hartnell and Bernard Cribbins on the same crew. Simon the cat gets much deserved credit for his morale raising and rat killing exploits.

When Todd orders the following message sent at the end of the film: "Have rejoined the fleet south of Woosung ... No major damage... No casualties....God save the King." the music swells as does the heart. They don't make films like this any more.


The Day the Earth Stood Still 3/5

Synopsis: A flying saucer lands and the stupid military assumes that the man who emerges and his robot are a threat and shoots at them. The people of earth are given a proof of the visitor's power and are given an ultimatum.

Verdict: This is very much a piece of its time. Its time being 1951. There is much to like, but in other ways it hasn't aged too well.Michael Rennie is well cast as Klaatu. You only have to contrast him with Keanu Reeves in the appalling remake to see quite how good he is. But in the end the film is a little too obvious with its preachy message. A nice slice of early 50s sci fi at the birth of the atomic era.


The Hunger Games 4.25/5

Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete.

Verdict: It is always entertaining to see school children turn feral and murderous. The Hunger Games is superficially similar to Battle Royale, however where this film trumps its predecessor is in the back story and the richness of its world. Where Battle Royale feels claustrophobic, The Hunger Games feels big. Both are excellent.

Jennifer Lawrence is superb as Katniss and you both engage with her and believe that she has the required inner steel to face her fate. Indeed the female children in the cast are excellent especially Amandla Stenberg who really could be a star in the making. The adult cast is excellent and if you can get past the oddity of the hyper stylised fashions in the capital city there is much to admire, though Donald Sutherland's President feels rather underused. This is not a perfect film, but unusually nowadays it was perfectly paced and did not outstay its welcome. I would like to see a Director's cut because it felt like much was left on the cutting room floor.


AND NEXT - two more weeks off work. More films and dvds to watch :

Traversing plateaus - Microdiscectomy + 13

There comes a point in every climb...
...when the steep climb drops away, the horizon emerges and you reach the top. But sometimes you realise you haven't actually reached the top. You've reached a plateau. There is further to go, but you have to traverse the plateau first.

I feel like I've reached a plateau in my recovery. There was a rapid improvement over the first 9 or 10 days. But the last few have felt much of a muchness. It's not as if I feel right. Certain movements cause back spasms from time to time, rather like when I first injured my back. Though overall the stiffness and aching have diminished. I have an occasional a pain around my left hip, and the numbness in my left leg and foot remains.

Work it baby
I have not been overdoing my exercises. Just 4 simple gentle stretches, plus the walking I have been doing. Tomorrow I will start using the treadmill to enable me to do a few short walks every now and then, no matter what the weather. I am listening to my body. I am stopping when it yells at me. But I am not going to let it off the hook. The easiest thing in the world would be to just vegetate in front of the tv and plough through my boxsets (for progress on these see below), but my long term prospects are linked to the sensibly paced strengthening of my core strength. So I need to try to strike a balance that doesn't risk injuring myself.

The power of hello
Never having had any significant period of illness before I don't think I had quite appreciated how much even the smallest gestures can mean. A text here, a phone call there, or a visit. They all do wonders to lift the morale. I wrote last time about my friend Stef and her daughter Hannah taking me out to lunch. Today it was the turn of my Mum and Dad. Although they only live about 30 miles away, for various reasons the drive to Flitwick is quite a big thing for them. So it meant an awful lot to see them and spend time with them.

It doesn't matter that you are doing well in your recovery, it still means a lot when people take time out of their day to say hi. It is that power of hello that is one of the big things I will take from this experience.


Wound pic time

Now looking nicely scabby. Note a cheeky bit of stitching poking out at the top. I know a friend who removed her own stitches once. I'm wondering if I will have to follow suit.

Boxset watch

TV

Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-4

Parks and Recreation - S1 eps 1-4

24 - S1 eps 1-8
30 Rock - S1 eps 1-8

Film / my rating out of 5

The Muppets 4/5

Beginners 3.5/5

Friends With Benefits (partial) 3/5

Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5

The Space Between 4/5
The Challenger 4.75/5
Genevieve 3.5/5
Simone 3/5

Who the hell needs two colour schemes on their head? - Microdiscectomy blog +11

It was an unusually nice and sunny day...
...on Monday when I walked to my Doctor's. It was a walk I had done before you may recall. This time I walked more smoothly. My walk to the station is normally 8 minutes, I got there in 10 and was at the Doc's inside 15 minutes. This is progress. I was a little sore as I sat down, but my major concern was avoiding the people with coughs and lurgies. The surgery's waiting room is not a good place to be if you have a low immune system. I wonder how many people have been finished off by their fellow patients.

Anyway I saw the very nice Dr Webb for the first time. I asked about getting a physio referral and she said she would sort it out. I asked about the rash around my wound and she agreed that it was probably an allergic reaction to my dressing. The rash is now dying down I'm glad to say. For the latest wound pic scroll to the bottom of this blog.

I asked about the sciatic twinges I've been getting. Dr Webb said (as expected) that this was normal. The nerve is recovering after being pinched for so long. It could take up to 6 months to settle down but this was nothing to be worried about. If the pain gets too much I can have more gabapentin.

My surgeon said that I should be able to start swimming after 4 weeks. The doc examined my wound and said that I could probably take a short dip after Easter. Yay.

Who the hell needs two colour schemes on their head?

All in all I left in a very positive frame of mind. So much so that I took this picture of me with my ginger beard in all its glory. What a cruel trick mother nature has played on me. My hair prematurely grey and receding, while my beard comes out in a totally different colour. What kind of design flaw is that? I'm like an 80s car in need of a go-faster stripe to separate two different shades of paintwork.

If I keep this beard (which right now I am inclined to trialling) I have a dilemma. Do I embrace the two-tone look or do I consider dying my hair, my beard or both? Thankfully as I don't have to go to work for a while this dilemma can be mused on for a couple more weeks. If you have any thoughts, answers on a postcard to...oh wait...just use the comments section.


Mo Visitors Mo Morale
Hot on the heels of my visit from Paul and Kay on Sunday, I received a text from my old Uni mate Stef asking if I wanted a visit from her and her one year old, Hannah. Of course! Even that text lifted my spirits. Well that was nothing compared to the visit itself. Nelson Mandela said that the thing he most missed while he was in prison was children. I can well believe it.

Stef suggested we went out for lunch, and so we headed to The French Horn in Steppingley. It's an attractive old pub which serves really nice food. We sat in the restaurant area and proceeded to enjoy a couple of hours of chat, lovely food and cooing over Hannah. If you don't believe quite what a cutie she is, here's a pic.

By the time Stef dropped me off back at home I was feeling really great. I really think good friends and cute 1 year olds should be prescribed on the NHS.

Boxset watch

TV

Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-2

Parks and Recreation - S1 eps 1-4

24 - S1 eps 1-4

Film

The Muppets 4/5

Beginners 3.5/5

Friends With Benefits (partial) 3/5

Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5

The Space Between 4/5

The Challenger (tv movie) 5/5

Today's gratuitous Wound Pic

Louis XVI and Footballers - Microdiscectomy +9

King Louis XVI of France wrote one word in his diary for 14th July 1789: "Rien" or 'Nothing'. The fact that he wrote this on the day the Bastille was stormed has been interpreted as ignorance or indifference to the tumult occurring. In actual fact his 'diary' was actually a log of animals killed on the royal hunt. Of course, things of huge significance had happened and he would certainly have been aware of them. It's just that his diary wasn't the place to talk about such things.

So in this Microdiscectomy recovery blog I could probably get away with writing "Rien" for the past two days. But of course things have happened over those last two days, and as they do have a relevence to my recovery in a way, please indulge me and don't chop my head off.

Let's get the bare facts of the recovery out of the way first
I am in very little pain and the soreness in my back has diminished. However I occasionally get spasms in my back reminiscent of when I wrecked it the first time. This hasn't happened often but it is a reminder to take things easier. I also have some sciatic twinges and twitches. I'm putting this down to my nerve, having been trapped for a year, starting to get used to doing its job again. At least I hope it is. Finally I have a bit of a rash on my back. Not on the wound, but in the shape of my dressing. So I wonder if I have had an allergic reaction. It's been there for a few days and I expected it to be fading by now. So tomorrow I will try to see the Doctor and get it checked out.

I'm like a footballer
When a footballer (or I guess any sportsman) is injured it is often said that the biggest challenges they face are mental.

Firstly there is the boredom. Four walls (give or take the odd short walk) constitute your world. You take for granted all of the people you used to see each day. The sights, the sounds and the experiences. Being stuck at home with yourself for company is a culture shock.

There are the things you are missing out on. The fact that everyone else is out doing things, and seeing people. Plans have been scuppered or postponed. Normal life is continuing without you; at work and in your social life.

You have a lot of time to think. You also have a lot of time to research your condition on the internet. Reliable info on recovering from my op is limited, however scare stories posted on forums are plentiful.

You find a routine to fill your time. A new norm. If you are smart and disciplined it can be productive. But it is easy to see how people become addicted to online gambling or other vices.

Then you get to a point where you feel good in yourself but your body isn't actually healing quick enough for your liking.

I am at that point. I recognise all of the above mental challenges. I am starting to feel frustrated. The outward effects of my surgery are diminishing: the pain is going, I'm walking ok, the scar is healing. But I have to remind myself that I had spinal surgery a week ago. I am tempted to push things. Inadvertently I do push things and only realise later. I run the risk of set backs. I run the risk of wrecking the surgeon's hard work.

Oh yes, the boredom, the isolation, and the frustration can all mess with your head.

Hence, the boxsets kindly lent to me by Tony, Alison and Tom are a key weapon in the fight against boredom. A key plank in trying to give myself a new norm.

You can't do much about missing out on things. Yesterday I missed a friend's wedding. I was tempted to take a risk and pop along briefly as it wasn't far away. But one over-exuberant kid or inebriated guest could have bashed into me and set my recovery back. Or worse. So I missed it, and was very sad to do so.

But today I received a massive morale boost. Paul and Kay came to visit. The first visitors of my recuperation. They are the parents of Jim who married Emma the day before. Paul and Jim are regular members of my Monday quiz team and Kay joins us from time to time. They are lovely people and seeing them gave me a real lift. I heard all about the wedding and in general we had a great chat and a laugh.

Modern technology can be a blessing and a curse. Today it was a blessing particularly in the pictures it brought to me. Pictures of the wedding with Jim looking dapper and Emma a beautiful bride, an old friend on holiday in Nepal or a newer friend with her daughter. All of these and others made me happy today.

I have at least three more weeks off work. No doubt the boredom and frustration will get worse. No doubt the temptation to overdo things will be more and greater. While my body continues to repair itself my mind will be engaging in its own battles. And I really must try to avoid googling "recovery from microdiscectomy surgery".

So after day 9:

• Rien

In other news

Wales won the 6 Nations Championship in a stunning demolition of England. 

Alex Cuthbert scoring a try on Saturday-- link provided for the benefit of England fans who haven't seen one in a while ;)

Good days and bad days - Microdiscectomy +7

"You will have good days and bad days"
More wise words from musical Jo came to mind today. Today was more on the bad than good side. The underside of my foot was tender when I woke up, where previously it had been numb. This I took to be a good sign, but as the day progressed the numb/tense feeling in my little toe grew worse. Added to that I felt sciatic twinges in my left buttock and thigh. I hope that this could be a sign that the nerves are starting to fire again after a year of numbness. But I'm feeling the effects of a lack of info right now, and searching on the web only gives you the horror stories. That was one of the reasons I started blogging about my recovery.

The weather was crappy so I couldn't go out. Instead I had to do whatever exercises I could manage inside. So I started with a few very gentle stretching exercises as recommended by the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Then I decided to walk around the house and up and down the stairs. It occurred to me that I need to ensure I walk with a good posture so that I heal correctly. So I took a hard-backed book and walked around with it on my head. Even going up and down stairs with the book

An artist's impression of me earlier (kind of)

I wouldn't want you to think that I did that all day. It was maybe 15 or 20 mins but at least I felt I was doing something. I felt low at times today, and exerting any modicum of control over the situation helped to lift the spirits.

Ginger beard
I haven't shaved since my operation. It is reassuring to see that my beard still gains a ginger tinge when it hits a certain length.

Ginger beard

Boxset watch

TV

Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-2

Parks and Recreation - S1 eps 1-2

24 - S1 eps 1-4

Film

The Muppets 4/5

Beginners 3.5/5

Friends With Benefits (partial) 3/5

Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5

Gratuitous pictures time

7 days after the op

and also a pic of the last 5 days of pics all together.

So after Day 7

• Pain is still manageable but the sciatica twinges are worrying
• 2 nurofen taken but no tramadol. I will take a diazepam tonight to relax my muscles and hopefully ease sciatica symptoms.
• Bored

Sometimes it lies - Microdiscectomy + 6

I was meant to be going to the theatre tonight. To see the sold out run of a revival of Chess the musical at the Union Theatre. I love that show. I was so looking forward to seeing it. When my operation was rescheduled from 5th Feb to 9th March it became clear that barring a miracle I wouldn't be able to go.

As luck would have it Sasha Regan, the founder of the Union Theatre was able to arrange for me to go 3 days before I was admitted to hospital. There are only 50 seats for each performance and with a lengthy waiting list it is clear that she performed the required miracle. I will be forever grateful to her, and I will certainly be returning to this hidden gem of a theatre.

But what if Sasha had not been able to pull a rabbit out of the hat? What then? I know myself too well. I feel good. I'm in a little pain sure. But by now (5.20pm) I would have convinced myself that with a tramadol or two down my neck I would be able to cope with 3 hours of travelling and a couple of hours at the theatre.

Maybe I would be able to cope, maybe I wouldn't. I'm glad I don't need to find out. Yesterday Jo (I have several Jos in my life - this is musical Jo) said to me that I need to listen to my body. My response was " I do. Problem is it mumbles, and sometimes it lies." Actually the truth is that I am liable to over-rule my body no matter what it says. It's not my body's fault. It just gets bullied by my emotions, impulses and thought processes and it's too weak to fight back against such a mob.

It tried telling me you see. For a long time it tried telling me that I had to look after my back. How many warnings does a guy need? Bouts of immobility would be forgotten as soon as I recovered. Well now it is sitting there and wincing a little as it says "I told you so."  Smug git.

Today
I walked to the doctor's today to deliver a note from Addenbrookes and to fix a couple of appointments. The round trip was roughly 2 miles and took approx 35 mins. Like yesterday my walking was more fluid by the end than at the start. I need to warm up my left leg in future though I think, as it struggles to extend fully early on in a walk.

Today's gratuitous wound pic

Boxset update
Errm I've not watched anything at the time of writing, though I think I will watch the first episode of 24 Season 1 on my laptop later. I did however watch a couple of films. The Muppets was great, goofy (albeit predictable) fun. There was plenty in it for longtime fans of the Muppets. Cameo spotting was enjoyable from Mickey Rooney to Rashida Jones :)

Later I watched Beginners. The film for which Christopher Plummer won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. The film is good enough to stop me switching channels. But I didn't feel that I was watching an award winning film or any award winning performances. Plummer's was a good performance, but by no means a great one. Having seen all but one of the other contenders for that year's Oscar I can only imagine that the Academy was rewarding time served. For my money, Jonah Hill's performance in Moneyball was much more deserving of an Oscar.

So at the end of day 6: 

• Even with a 2 mile walk today the pain has been low. 2.5 at its peak
• No medication taken at the time of writing

Visiting the Bumble Bee - Microdiscectomy +5

In which I venture outside, extract my DNA, watch a Pope be announced and catch up on some tv

Some of what you are about to read may seem very mundane. Believe me, to me less than a week after my op it doesn't feel that way. I include it so that anyone about to go through a microdiscectomy can see what it's like. I wouldn't normally blog about walking to pubs ;)

So today I vowed to be a bit more active. So the first thing I did was sleep in until 10.30. The wound looked ok this morning. The bruising has come out a bit more, causing a colourful image.

mmm pink, yellow and purple

At lunchtime I suited up for the great outdoors. The walk from my house to the Bumble Bee pub in South Central Flitwick is 0.8 miles and it's all up hill. It is a walk that would normally take 8 minutes, and I managed it in 12. So I was rather chuffed with myself.

an unshaved scruff looking smug outside the Bumble Bee

The Bumble Bee is a rather bland characterless new-build pub in Flitwick. The only other time I have been in the Bumble Bee it was full of the local yoof, many of whom looked under 18. It is a pub that at weekends is notable for loud music and being the only pub in Flitwick with bouncers on the door. So what is it like at lunchtime on a weekday? Well it wasn't empty. Just inside the door there was a group of upper middle aged men putting the world to rights. There was a couple of early 20 something lads, a couple of young mums, and a cluster of people watching horse racing on a tv screen. There was a feel of it being a refuge for the unemployed and the unemployable. Nonetheless, all in all it wasn't an unpleasant ambience.

Not the greatest but not the worst pub in the world

I ordered my lunch and then went onto the quiz machine to set about making my trip to the Bumble Bee cost-neutral. Lo and behold, 15 mins later I had won enough for my lunch with some change left over.

Nom and indeed nom

Lunch was delicious. As much a morale booster as being out of the house. I looked out of the window and saw it had started to snow. No time to waste then. I didn't really want to have to deal with slippery pavements..So I headed home. I got back and felt surprisingly fresh. My left leg was affected badly by over a year of sciatica and on the walk to the pub I was aware that I wasn't striding as far with it as with my right. On the way back my leg felt warmed up and I felt I was walking naturally. So it was with relief, and pride that I got home unscathed from my trip out. I will repeat the trip another day.

Habemus Papem
The afternoon was overtaken with the election of the new Pope. It was one of those moments when I was grateful to be off work. I was able to digest the news as it happened and fully partake of the facebook/twitter fun. Whatever you think of the Catholic church, and I am certainly not a fan, the Pope has an incredible amount of power over people and governments. So the election of a new Pope is of global significance. What will Francis 1 be like? Well he's a humble man, and the church could do with learning humility. However, he is also a homophobe and as a Jesuit he's something of a zealot. Time will tell whether he is a reforming Pope or not. More likely we will just find out whether the Conclave elected a conservative Pope or a very conservative Pope.

Extracting my DNA
A teacher friend of mine was planning a lesson about DNA today. She asked me to test an experiment - how to extract your own DNA. Here's how it is done:

1 - Mix 3 tsp of water and 1 tsp of washing up liquid in a clear glass.
2 - Create a solution of water and salt in a separate glass. Swill it around your mouth then spit it into the glass of water/washing up liquid.
3 - Take some alcohol (I used a miniature of cheap and nasty whisky) and pour it down the side of the glass so that it sits on top of the water/washing liquid mix.
4 - Leave for 5 mins

When you come back to it you should see white whisps in the alcohol layer. That is your DNA mixed with the DNA of whatever bacteria were in your mouth. You can remove it by putting a drinking straw in and slowly winding the DNA fibres around it. I had no straw, but you can (just about) see the DNA suspended in my mix.

Boxset update
I didn't watch any of my boxsets, though late in the evening I did clear the first two episodes of Parks and Recreation from my digibox. I don't know what I feel about it. Amy Poehler was great (a classic in the mold of David Brent), and it is always wonderful to see Rashida Jones in anything. It was funny, but in the wake of The Office it just felt like 'another of those shows'. Well done, but not ground breaking. Two more episodes were recorded tonight so I will see how the series progresses. I've been told that it took off in season 2 so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt (for as long as Rashida Jones stays in it).

So at the end of day 5:

• The pain was low today. Mostly a 2, peaking at 3.5. 
• The pill count was 4 nurofen. No tramadol 
• I'm walking better, and more exercise is probably the order of the day

Panic! - Microdiscectomy +4

It didn't seem like there would be much to report today. In fact, a get well card from Mick and Julie (quiz team buddies) looked for a long time like being the most noteworthy aspect of the day.

For the first time my pain was such that I was able to manage on nurofen alone.  That would perhaps be worthy of toppling a get well card from its pedestal.

During the day I finished watching Utopia. An excellent series that didn't quite reach the truly great heights it threatened to, but nonetheless was enjoyable enough for me to watch 6 episodes in 24 hours. I also started watching the Sopranos. 2 episodes in and I'm starting to see what the fuss was about.

Then when J returned home from work I asked her to check on my wound. It was then that she spotted some discolouration that hadn't been there earlier in the day.

Discoloured patches below the wound

Mindful that any inflammation could be a sign of an infection, but also thinking in all likelihod it was bruising, I called the hospital. They advised me to call my doctor's out of hours service. Before I knew it I was in the car heading to Dunstable. Thankfully the doctor confirmed what I had suspected; the marks were post operative bruising/bleeding. However she said I was right to be vigilant. We discussed what to look out for (tenderness, spreading redness from the wound, oozing from the wound, a temperature), and she advised me to keep taking photos so I can compare and contrast from day to day.

The journey home caused my back some pain so I did relent and take a tramadol to ease me towards a peaceful night's sleep.

Tomorrow I plan to do a bit more walking. The amount of sitting and watching tv I did today might have caused the pooling of blood and this evening's mini panic.I might even walk into central Flitwick, though as the walk is all uphill I will play that one by ear.

In other news I was amused at the BBC website showing live streaming footage of the Vatican chimney at night. Quite how you distinguish between different coloured smoke at night I'm not sure. But in this day and age shouldn't the new Pope just tweet the news?

"In your face #conclave, I'm the new @pontifex, now kiss my ring"

So at the end of day 4:

• The pain was pretty low until my dash to Dunstable made it feel sore
• The pill count was Nurofen x 4 and tramadol x1 (see above)
• I need to be more mindful of not sitting still for too long.