Update on recovery

[Frank Goebel]

For those who remember what I wrote at the beginning of the season (it was along the theme of "What is something happens to the Secretary and/or Treasurer - what would your league do?") if only you had the league information and you were incapacitated somehow.

I had suffered a disabling fall with a spinal compression fracture between the date of our pre-season meeting and that of our start.

Recovery has been fantastic; I was able to forego the brace I'd had since 9/12, although I wore it yesterday when we had freezing rain in the area. I've gone back to part-time "light duty" work and I'm ramping myself up to be able to tolerate more. Therapy started mid-December, and everything has just been fine (aside from fighting off a cold). I do wear a smaller brace I bought for working, just during work, to get a little help there.

And yes, I'm itching to bowl, more than anyone can imagine. Patience, patience....

[Lance Rasmussen]

Frank,

glad to see you are on the mend... With the type of injury you had, its a slow processes and I'm sure slower than what you would like.

[mikewhite]

Frank

Glad your doing well.

In Feb of 2002 I contracted Gullian Barre Syndrome and did not have the use of my arms until May of the same year & did not bowl until August. Fortunately my wife is the youth director at the center we bowl & the league voted for her to assume the position. Same thing again in feb of 2003. Only that time I was hospitalized for 28 days as a quadraplegic with the ability to only move my head. Thanks to the wonders of todays drugs I am doing well with no relapses. The league was a wonderful bunch of people with understanding & generousity. They are not just bowlers they are part of my extended family.

Get back soon

[Frank Goebel]

I finally got an okay to resume "daily activities", including trying things to see if I could handle them. Naturally, that included bowling.

I did pretty well, having previously dropped to 14 pounds (though I would want a 14-pound spare ball to complement it). I did a few three-game sets without a single hitch.

The following league night would be our second double shift. Now I certainly am not ready for six games in one stretch, but it was no problem at all to do the second set, much to the surprise of many.

I actually fared well: Two games in the high 180s with one open each and no doubles. Follow that with a 250s game, almost got 630. What a way to start. And many in the league were expressing a "great to have you back" to me, as well. Yes, it's a sort of extended family here, too.

It feels great being able to throw a ball. I have a better chance of injuring myself at work (naturally, I take precautions) than by doing the controlled movement we call a delivery. I credit the fact that I'd taken a plethora of coaching classes as there's no doubt that it helped me with my own timing and control.

It's great being back. I will manage 21 games as long as I bowl every week, and actually wind up in the book.

And, get this: The only time I feel any pain at all is when I'm standing with the off the lane, waiting for my turn to get on the approach. It's extra dead weight on the spine. (I don't reach around for the ball - I roll it to get it near me, then lift it with care.) When in my stance, though, and through the delivery, it's a controlled motion. I call it Therapeutic Recreation, a vital mental health benefit to my recovery.