August 4, 2008

Today I hiked 6 miles with my pack to my Dr's. appointment with Dr. Muccio of Tri-State Orthopaedics. He hasn't a clue how important a role he played in my life over the past 11 months. Charity hiking is my passion and Dr. Muccio's successful surgery allowed me to "Hike On!".....as was Peter Frampton's message on my good luck banner back in 2004. Frampton also wrote..."Don't break a leg." Oops! My leg is great now, but I shared a different concern with Dr. Muccio. I have had a bump near my lower back for over a month. The bump is located where my pack rests when I'm hiking so I have added extra padding to my lower back/buttocks area. Dr. Muccio examined the bump and thought it to be a cyst. I decided to allow him to stick a needle in the cyst-like lump to try to remove any fluid. I will follow-up with Dr. Muccio when I return from my hike. In the meantime, my leg is great and my cyst-like bump will require some thought as to how to pad it effectively so that my pack is comfortable throughout my distance hike. Brian, an assistant, took some photos of me with Dr. Muccio and then I hiked an additional 6 miles back home. I hiked through a bustling neighborhood in Montgomery and the aroma of Montgomery Inn Ribs wafted through my expanded nostrils. I passed my favorite chocolatier, Haute Chocolate, but didn't stop. I was on a mission to get home to spend time with our daughter, Britty, who is home from UCLA for less than 2 weeks.