ITS KNEES SURGERY TIME!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

THERE'S A REASON WHY I SCHEDULED MY SURGERY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY...  LOL!!!  BUT LETS GET TO THE ROOT OF WHY I'M GETTING KNEES SURGERY.

BACK IN 2011 I STARTED TO HAVE PAIN IN BOTH KNEES WHEN BENDING AND GOING UP & DOWN STAIRS.  AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST STRAINS AND STRESS.  BUT AS THE MONTHS WENT BY, I FELT LIKE IT GOT WORST.  BUT I STILL TOUGHED IT OUT AND JUST LIVED WITH IT.

7 YEARS LATER I FINALLY DECIDED TO GET IT LOOKED AT, ALSO 2 YEARS PRIOR TO 2017 I RECENTLY ADDED A NEW PART TIME JOB WITH ALASKA AIRLINES AS A RAMP SERVICE AGENT AND BEING MORE PHYSICAL THAN MY OFFICE JOB, I NOTICED MY KNEES STARTED TO HURT MORE AND 2 YEARS LATER AS SAID EARLIER I DECIDED TO GET IT LOOKED AT.

I WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY 2 FRIENDS OF MINES TO GO SEE,

DR. DOUGLAS VERMILLION AT

Orthopedic Research Clinic of Alaska - http://orcaak.com/

A WEST POINT GRADUATE AND AN ATHLETE WHO SPECIALIZES IN SPORTS MEDICINE, I FELT I FOUND THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB.  HE'S SERIOUS AND STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND BRUTALLY HONEST.

AFTER GETTING AN MRI DONE IT APPEARED THAT I MY CARTILAGE IN THE KNEE AREAS WAS GETTING SOFT AND PRETTY MUCH OLD.  WE DISCUSSED THE OPTION OF STEM CELL TREATMENT BY REGROWING MY CARTILAGE IN A LAB TAKEN FROM MY KNEES AND THEN PUT BACK IN BOTH KNEES.  IT WAS GOING TO BE A 3 PART SURGERY, WITHIN A PERIOD OF 2 YEARS AND A RECOVERY BETWEEN 2-3 MONTHS PER KNEE.  SO I DECIDED TO GO WITH THAT.

SURGERY DAY!!!

I'M GETTING AN ARTHROSCOPIC PROCEDURE:

Arthroscopic knee surgery involves the use of a small camera to look inside the knee of a patient. The physician must make small cuts in order to insert the camera and other small surgical tools to perform the procedure.

I'LL ADMIT I WAS VERY NERVOUS AND I'VE NEVER BEEN UNDER BEFORE OR BETTER YET HAD ANY SURGERY DONE BEFORE UNLESS YOU COUNT WISDOM EXTRACTIONS...  LOL!!!

BUT THE STAFF WAS SUPER FRIENDLY AND I EVENTUALLY FELT COMFORTABLE AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT I WAS HOOKED TO ANESTHESIA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT SLEEPY AND I MEAN SUPER SLEEPY, I WAS TRYING TO FIGHT IT BUT I LOST...  GOODNIGHT...  LIGHTS OUT!!!

AND NEXT THING I REMEMBER I WAS SEEING A NURSE BEING CHOKED BY ME...  WTF!!!  AND IN A BLINK OF AN EYE, I WAS IN ANOTHER ROOM ALL BY MYSELF FEELING SUPER SLEEPY AND DAZED.  THEN DR. VERMILLION CAME INTO MY ROOM AND SAID MY SURGERY WAS SUCCESS AND SAID MY KNEES WERE NOT AS BAD AS THE MRI READ VERSUS WHAT HE SAW DURING SURGERY.

I THEN REALIZED I WAS SITTING IN A WHEELCHAIR AND BOTH OF MY KNEES WERE WRAPPED UP WITH SOME PUMP MACHINE CIRCULATING COLD WATER TO KEEP MY SWELLING DOWN.

 

DR. VERMILLION SAID THAT MY KNEES ARE IN BETTER SHAPE AND IT WILL TAKE TIME TO HEAL AS THEY REALIGNED MY KNEECAPS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF MY PAIN, WHATEVER THAT MEANS BUT OKAY...  LOL!!!

BUT I WAS DISCHARGED TO GO HOME AND OFF I WENT, MY COUSIN SHANNON PICKED ME UP AND DROPPED ME OFF WHERE KAHEALANI WAS WAITING.

I WAS GIVEN GOOD AND YUMMY PAIN KILLER DRUGS AND BED REST FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS AND A SET OF CRUTCHES.

BOY DID I GET THE ROYAL TREATMENT, I HAD ALL MY MEALS SERVED AND BROUGHT TO MY BEDSIDE INCLUDING DESSERTS!!!

MY PERSONAL SERVANT, KAHEALANI.  SHE EVEN TOOK CARE OF ALL MY MEDICATIONS INTAKE AND SET THE ALARMS SO THAT I TAKE THEM AS PRESCRIBED.  SHE CHANGED THE WATER AND REFILLED THE PUMP MACHINE WITH ICE TO KEEP MY KNEES FROM SWELLING AND EVEN GAVE ME MASSAGES EVERY NOW AND THEN.  YEAH SHE DIDN'T APPEAR TO ENJOY IT AT FIRST BUT I TOLD HER I FELT THE SAME WAY WHEN I HAD TO MAKE HER MILK BOTTLES AND CHANGED HER DIAPERS AND BATHE HER FOR HER FIRST 2 YEARS AND SHE STOPPED SULKING.

AFTER 2 DAYS OF PAMPERING, I GAVE HER THE WEEKEND OFF TO GO BE WITH AUNT VICKIE AND HER DAUGHTER, SERENA.  THEY CLIMBED UP TO FLAT TOP MOUNTAIN, ATE PIZZAS AND ICE CREAM AND WATCHED DVDS.

AS FOR ME...

I GRABBED MY CRUTCHES, POPPED MY PAIN KILLERS AND...

I WENT OUT WITH THE ANAKALAS!!!

ATE LUNCH AT "F-STREET STATION RESTAURANT" AND THEN HEADED OVER TO "ALOHA STOP AND SHOP'S ANNUAL HO'OLAULEA" FEATURING HAWAIIAN MUSIC BAND, KAPENA!!!

THERE WERE SO MUCH FOODS AND FUN AND THAT IS WHERE I MET MY NEW FRIENDS, MIKE & MAYA FROM SEWARD, ALASKA!!!  THEY BOTH WERE SO MUCH FUN TO CHAT WITH AND EVENTUALLY THEY INVITED US FOR THE UPCOMING 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!!!

I'LL BLOG ON THAT NEXT!!!

BUT AFTER THE HO'OLAULEA, WE THEN HEADED OVER TO "CHILLKOOT CHARLIES" - https://www.koots.com/  TO GO SEE H3 PERFORM.  THEY PLAYED SOME OLDIES THAT WAS SOME OF MY FAVORITES AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, MY DRUGS STARTED TO WEAR OFF AND IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO HEAD BACK HOME.

WHAT A FUN DAY AND NIGHT IT WAS AFTER BEING IN BED FOR 2 DAYS!!!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE BLOGGINGS!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA



ITS MY BIRTHDAY AND I TURNED 45!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

ANOTHER YEAR ADDED TO MY AGE AND NOW I'M 45 YEARS OLD!!!  DANG WHERE DID THE TIME GO???  THANK GOD I'M A KID AT HEART AND I THINK IT THROWS PEOPLE OFF WHEN I MEET THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I ALWAYS GET TOLD THAT I LOOK LIKE I'M IN MY MID 30'S, WHICH IS A COMPLIMENT.

SO I HAD 2 BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ONE IN BETHEL AND THE OTHER IN ANCHORAGE.

IM BLESSED AND LOVED I SUPPOSED...  LOL!!! 

MAHALO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY.  ANOTHER MAHALO SHOUT OUT TO SHAUN AND BRENDA FOR OPENING THEIR HOME AND THROWING AN EPIC DINNER WITH OHANA & FREINDS.

ALOS FOR MY BETHEL ALASKA AIRLINES CREW, THANK YOU FOR COMING!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

KAHEALANI LANDS IN ALASKA!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

AS ALWAYS I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE MY BABY VISITING ME WHEN POSSIBLE.  SHE'S 14 YEARS OLD AND HAS BEEN TRAVELLING ON HER OWN BACK AND FORTH FROM HAWAI'I & ALASKA SINCE SHE WAS 7 YEARS OLD.

I FLEW DOWN TO SEATTLE TO MEET UP WITH HER AND TOOK THE LONG RIDE BACK TO ANCHORAGE...  UGHHH!!!

WE FLEW ON THE MILK RUN ROUTE:

SEATTLE - KETCHIKAN - WRANGELL - JUNEAU - ANCHORAGE... 8 GRUELING HOURS AND WE COULDN'T EVEN GET OFF THE PLANE!!!  BUT THAT'S PART OF FLYING NON-REV FOR ALASKA AIRLINES.

BY THE TIME WE LANDED IN ANCHORAGE, I WAS SO TIRED AND BEAT THAT WE SPENT THE NIGHT AND HEADED BACK TO BETHEL THE NEXT DAY.

PRIOR TO HER FLIGHT TO ALASKA, KAHEALANI GRADUATED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL AT KAMEHAMEHA AND WILL NOW BE ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL THE 4 YEARS.  SHE HAD A BEAUTIFUL GRADUATION CEREMONY WITH FRIENDS.

CONGRATULATIONS KAHEALANI, WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU!!! 

BACK TO OUR WILD TRAVEL BACK TO BETHEL, AS SOON AS WE LANDED IN BETHEL KAHEALANI SURPRISED HER BEST FRIEND LEAH AT THE MOVIE THEATER, SHE HAD NO IDEA AND AS SOON AS THEY BOTH MET, THEY WERE INSEPARABLE!!!



KAHEALANI & LEAH FINALLY REUNITED!!!

MEANWHILE I WAS INVITED TO A PARTY AT ALEASHA'S AND WENT TO GO CHECK IT OUT FOR BIT...

IT WAS INDEED A FUN EVENING  WITH MY ALASKA AIRLINES CO-WORKER BUT I WAS ANXIOUSLY WANTING TO GO HOME TO BE WITH MY KAHEALANI AND SLEEP THE NIGHT AWAY!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

SEA GALLEYS ALOHA ISLAND JAMS CONCERT 2017.

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

KA'IWA AND I WAS ALREADY PLANNING TO GO TO THIS EVENT BUT FIRST WE HAD TO STOP AT SHAUN AND BRENDA'S AND MAKE LAU LAU'S AND EAT HAWAIIAN FOODS!!!

NOT ONLY WE MADE LAU LAUS, WE ALSO ATE POKE MIXED WITH OPIHIS, MUSSELS POKE, PASTELE, HAWAIIAN SMOKED MEAT, ETC...

THEN WE PLAYED MUSIC WHICH I HAVEN'T DONE IN YEARS BUT IT DEFINITELY FELT GOOD TO PLAY THAT UKULELE AGAIN!!!  AND THAT HOW WE ENDED THE NIGHT!!!

THE NEXT MORNING WE HEADED OVER TO SHAUN AND BRENDA'S TO HELP LOAD UP HIS INSTRUMENTS AND GEARS TO TAKE DOWN TO THE CONCERT...  LET THE PARTY BEGIN!!!

THE PLACE WAS PACKED AND IT WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD ALOHA SATURDAY AFTERNOON.  YUMMY FOODS, COLD DRINKS, ARTS AND CRAFTS, CORN HOLE GAMES.

H3, R & R BAND, ANUHEA, AND SPAWN BREEZIE WAS ALL JAMMING IT OUT AT THE ALOHA CONCERT!!!  I ALSO GOT TO MEET UP WITH MELISSA & CASEY  FROM BETHEL AND COBY & KAMU JOINED US TOO AND WE ALL HAD A BLAST.  NEXT STOP WAS HUMPY'S!!!

H3 WAS SCHEDULED TO PLAY RIGHT AFTER THE ALOHA JAMS CONCERT, SO OFF WE WENT AND DANCED AND LISTENED TO MORE JAMS FROM H3!!!

AND THAT CONCLUDED MY WEEKEND!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

FIJI & H3 PLAYS @ WILLIWAW IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 2017.

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU COMBINE HAWAI'I'S FAVORITE ISLAND REGGAE ARTISIT, FIJI PLAYING ALONG SIDE WITH H3???

AN EPIC NIGHT!!!

I REMEMBER TALKING TO SHAUN ON A DAILY BASIS THRU TEXTS AND TALK WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHAUN TELLS ME THAT HE JUST GOT WORD THAT FIJI WANTS TO PERFORM IN ANCHORAGE AND WANTS H3 TO BACK HIM UP.

BRAH...  I WAS STOKED AND COULDN'T WAIT TO BE AT THAT EVENT.

ALL I CAN SAY ABOU THAT NIGHT WAS...

"CHEEE HUUU!!!"

IT WAS A FUN ALOHA FRIDAY EVENING AND A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!!

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

MY TRIP TO BALTIMORE, MARYLAND & WASHINGTON D.C.

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP EVER TO THE EAST COAST AND THIDS TRIP HAS AN UNUSUSAL TWIST AS TO HOW I EVEN BOOKED THIS TRIP.

A MONTH BEFORE THIS TRIP, I MET A GAL ONLINE FROM "VAMPIRE FREAKS" (ANOTHER SOCIAL WEBSITE), AND WE KINDA HIT IT OFF WELL ON FILMS IN GENERAL AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING FILM, "PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEANS, THE 5TH FILM".  SHE JOKINGLY SAID THAT SHE NEEDS A MOVIE DATE TO GO SEE IT, AND I'D HAPPILY SAID I'D TAKE HER IF SHE'D SHOWED ME AROUND BALTIMORE.

 DEAL!!!

I LANDED IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!!

THIS IS KNOWN AS "THE FELLS POINT DISTRICT"

ALOT OF HISTORY HERE AS FAR AS THE FIRST IMMIGRANTS DOCKING FROM THE EASTERN EUROPE.

MY AWESOME VF FRIEND SARAH WHO TOOK ME ON AN AMAZING 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR!!!

GREAT IRISH COMMUNITY, WE HIT SOME IRISH CAR BOMBS AND GUINESS BEERS. 

AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL EVENING WALK AND AS SOON AS WE PARTED WAYS IN OUR CABS, THE RAIN CAME DOWN SUPER HARD...  EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT THAT NIGHT!!!

THANK YOU SARAH FOR THE AMAZING NIGHT!!!  I'LL BE BACK SOON!!!

WOKE UP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING AND HEADED TO THE TRAIN STATION TO WASHINGTON D.C.

AFTER A 45 MINUTE RIDE, I'M IN WASHINGTON D.C.

I GOT TO MEET UP WITH ANOTHER VF FRIEND, EMILY WHO ALSO SHOWED ME HOW TO GET TO THE ARLIGNTON CEMETARY, WE HAD A QUICK BREAKFAST AND OFF SHE WENT TO WORK AND I HEADED TO OVER TO ARLINGTON CEMETARY!!!

AS SOON AS I ENTERED THE ARLIGNTON NATIONAL CEMETARY, I COULD FEEL THE GOOSEBUMPS THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE BODY AND I KNEW I WAS ON SACRED GROUNDS.  HERE LIES MORE THAN 400,000 SOLDIERS THAT HAS FOUGHT FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVED WAS RIGHT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO LIVE OUR FREE LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY.  MAN I WAS SO MOVED AS I WALKED MY FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE "TOMB OF UNKNOWN SOLDIER", I PASSED THROUGH ROWS AND ROWS OF GRAVES AND I COULDN'T HOLD BACK MY TEARS, IT WAS EMOTIONAL AND YET HONORABLE TO BE ABLE TO PAY MY RESPECTS.



ALL I CAN SAY IS YOU HAVE TO GO AND SEE THIS IN PERSON WITH YOUR VERY OWN EYES AND EARS TO TRULY EXPERIENCE THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER.  I COULDN'T HOLD BACK MY TEARS AS I SEE THE COMMITMENT INVOLVED AND THE DESIRE TO REPRESENT AND PROTECT AND RESPECT NTO BE SELECTED AS A GUARD.

WELL IT IS TIME FOR ME TO SAY ALOHA TO ARLINGTON CEMETARY AS I HEAD OVER TO THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL!!!

I DECIDED TO WALK ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND CROSS THE POTOMAC RIVER AND EVENTUALLY MEET UP AT THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL.

ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER EPIC MOMENT FOR ME AND I WALKED ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE.  TOO BAD PRESIDENT TRUMP WASN'T THERE, I WOULD'VE LOVE TO CHAT UP WITH HIM AND GET HIM TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG...  LOL!!!


AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, IT WAS TIME TO HEAD BACK TO THE TRAIN STATION AND BACK TO BALTIMORE.


THE BEST PART OF MY ENTIRE TRIP WAS DEFINITLEY THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, I'LL BE BACK SOON!!!


AWWWRITE!!!


WAIPA




H3 AT WILLIWAW!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

AGAIN I'M BACK IN ANCHORAGE FOR ANOTHER H3 SESSION AT THE POPULAR WILLIWAW - http://williwawsocial.com/

THIS TIME I GOT TO MEET ANOTHER GOOD COUPLE FROM HILO, CHRIS & SHANNON WHO I MET THRU SHAUN & BRENDA.

LET THE PARTY BEGINS...

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE VICKIE AND BEN TOO.

 

BREAKFAST AT LEROY'S...  I WAS TOO DRUNK TO EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I ATE...  LOL!!!

THE NEXT DAY I WENT OVER TO SHAUN & BRENDA'S HOME FOR A BBQ AND I GOT TO MEET THE REST OF HIS OHANA, AND CHRIS AND SHANNON TOO!!!

IT WAS RIBEYES AND CHICKEN OVER A CHARCOAL GRILL.  PLAYED SOME MUSIC AFTERWARDS AND CALLED IT A NIGHT!!!

BIG MAHALO TO SHAUN, BRENDA, CHRIS, SHANNON, AND VICKIE FOR MAKING MY WEEKEND ANOTHER FUN SESSION!!!

TO BE CONTINUED...

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA

ANOTHER ALOHA WEEKEND IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!!!

ALOHA EVERYONE!!!

AFTER MY AWESOME LAS VEGAS TRIP, I WAS READY FOR ANOTHER FUN WEEKEND IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA!!!

THIS TIME I WENT TO A BAR CALLED THE "TIME OUT LOUNGE", THIS PLACE LOOKS LIKE A PLACE WHERE THE LOCALS OF ALASKA HANGS OUT, KIND OF REMINDS ME OF "JUBILATIONS" IN O'AHU, HAWAI'I.  BUT I LOVED IT, 2 BANDS WERE PLAYING THAT NIGHT, "H3" & "BLAST FROM THE PAST", 2 GREAT BANDS PLAYING GOOD MUSIC FROM THE 60'S AND UP PLUS H3'S ISLAND REGGAE VIBES, YOU CAN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING BETTER FROM A DIVE BAR!!!

FIRST WE STOPPED AND ATE DINNER AT "THAI ORCHID RESTAURANT" - http://www.thaiorchidalaska.com/

AND NEXT STOP WAS THE "TIME OUT LOUNGE"...  CHEEE HUUU!!!

LIKE SAID BEFORE, I LIKE THIS PLACE!!!

DURING A BREAK SESSION, I GOT TO TALK STORY WITH BRADDA SHAUN WHO IS THE LEAD SINGER FROM H3, AND I WANTED TO HANG OUT WITH HIM WHEN HE'S NOT PLAYING.  SO WE FINALLY GOT MEE T UP THE NEXT EVENING AT HUMPY'S AND JUST WANTED TO CHILL AND RELAX.

SHAUN & BRENDA AT HUMPY'S.

AFTER THAT WE HEADED OVER TO LEROY'S RESTAURANT FOR SOME SPAM LOCO MOCOS!!!

AND THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP MY WEEKEND AND BACK TO BETHEL I WENT.

AWWWRITE!!!

WAIPA