From High School to now!

4 years of High School came and went.
I followed a musical pathway as I couldn't do sport and even join the Australian Army Reserve, Army Band Tasmania on Tuba for nearly 9 years. Hobart City Band, Derwent Valley Concert Band, Huon Valley Concert, Adult Education Concert and Big Band, Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music Huge Band to name a few that I have played with.

I discovered Para-medicine and move to NSW to train. The plan was to move back but well that just didn't happen. The move to Temora was one of our better decisions.

All these years I have never let the hip and arthritis hold me down and strove to be as active and I wanted to but as time passed it got worse.

I struggled to find a Dr who understood the issue till this year. Dr Kurtzer was my choice after my last one moved to Sydney.

Tracy came with me to my annual checkup to ensure I didn't skip over the pain and increasing disability. He ordered some x-rays and you saw that in the first post.

He consulted with others and a referral was sent for a consultation with a surgeon.

It's done and now we wait for a date in either November or hopefully October but after the Temora Town Band's next big gig at the Warbirds Downunder 'Music from the Wartime Era's'.
   


Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz

1976 - 2nd Year High School

My parents managed to persuade my school to keep me with my original year so I didn't lose one.  I started the year on crutches then walking sticks before being able to walk unaided. That brought me to the attention of everyone, staff and students (the good the bad and ugly)

I couldn't do sport anymore, no physical impact allowed on the hip and after a few sessions in the library I started to hang around the Music block, leading to my lifelong involvement with performance.

I was young and with the first pair of built up shoes drawing the wrong attention I didn't get a second pair and took up the variation in leg length in my spine. I'm an inch short on the left.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!


Taz

Later in 1975.

A fortnight before my birthday I make my first hospital stay since infancy and get put into traction to dislocate my left hip without trauma prior to Mr Binns operating in installing the larger two fixture in the photos.

I don't have photos of my cast but here a diagram.

And that is how I spent four months of the year before they cut me out and operated a week later installing the three other fixtures in that configuration and then discharged on Christmas Eve.   

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz

1975

Started well, High School wasn't as traumatic as the movies tell you and that's where I discovered music, my music.

Then my knee started to hurt again.

Dr couldn't find anything but the pain got worse. Back then a lot of doctors still thought they knew it all and our local GP belittled my Mum as neurotic and I was a hypochondriac.

Eventually he gave us a referral and like modern times we had to wait for an appointment. My smooth talking father got us in months earlier. That was a lucky turn because by then I could barely walk.

Mr Binns (Fred) informed us after a very brief examination that I was going to hospital for an operation on my HIP!

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

 Taz

It begins

The prequel in 1974 saw me diagnosed with Osgood Schlatters Disease.

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in growing adolescents. It is an inflammation of the area just below the knee where the tendon from the kneecap (patellar tendon) attaches to the shinbone (tibia).

 Osgood-Schlatter disease most often occurs during growth spurts, when bones, muscles, tendons, and other structures are changing rapidly. Because physical activity puts additional stress on bones and muscles, children who participate in athletics — especially running and jumping sports - are at an increased risk for this condition.

However, less active adolescents may also experience this problem. In most cases of Osgood-Schlatter disease, simple measures like rest, over-the-counter medication, and stretching and strengthening exercises will relieve pain and allow a return to daily activities.

All I know is, I took a course of little red pills and and got on with grade 6 and eventually getting back to playing hockey (which could have contributed to it) at school and thinking of new year approaching and High School.

Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!


 Taz