[PPRAANet] Update for those that may care. :)

[Dick-W0RAA]

As many of you may (or may not be aware) I have been pretty much hospitalized for the past 4-5 months.  It's a long story so I won't bore you you with too many details.  I developed an infected kidney stone which still resides in my kidney area between the kidney and the bladder, kept in place by a stent that was inserted to help kill the infection and allow normal bodily functions..  The stent was placed into position by my Urologist and and inserted through the "front door" by laser for lack of a better more pleasant description.  Fortunately I was under anesthetic and ended up in intensive care for 3 days.  I hope to have the infected stone removed in the next month or two.  My urologist said not until you're back on your feet.  

This attack has caused multiple problem, the biggest of which was completely sapping my muscular system, rendering me unable to walk. I am now able to lift myself out of the wheelchair and the really good news, especially to me    , is that I am down to 210 lbs, a loss of almost 45 lbs.  That's close to my birth weight.  Hi Hi.  

The past 3 months I have been under intensive rehab to regain my strength and am beginning to walk with the aid of a walker, and continued exercising. It will be a while before I am able to drive again, but hopefully it won't keep me from getting back on the air.  I have missed every single contest since the end of November but I've been watching the results via my iPad.  I have seen some really great scores, and have seen postings for some great DX.  I'm chomping at the bit.  That new FTdx3K I purchased in September will get used, but the exercises are the most important thing.


I appreciate the e-mails I have received from a few of you and the visits in the hospital by some local friends.  

A special thanks to my dear friend, Del, KC6R, for going over to my QTH and making repairs to my tri-band beam with new element brackets to the boom, which had worked loose by visiting pigeons, as many as 25-30 sitting on the elements and causing them to go in all directions up & down by their combined weight.  He also installed an fake owl on top of the mast and my wife told me that she hasn't seen a single filthy pigeon on the A3S since the owl was put up.  Thanks, Del.  

If anybody cares to communicate please feel free to write.  I will try to be be more diligent in my replies.  

Dick - W0RAA
dickt at w0raa.com