Camden, I want to take a minute to introduce you to ‘Coffee with Kev.’

This will be a little segment where I can sit down with you and enjoy a High Octane Cup of Joe, or some of Juan Valdez’s Best, or whatever name you give your coffee.  All I ask is that you please not let it be decaf.  Please!!

What did you ask Camden?  You know you need to speak up.  It is hard for me to hear you.  You are three hours away.  Okay, you are two and a half hours away if I am driving.  Sometimes two hours and fifteen minutes.  That is even with a potty break in Emporia at the Braum’s ice cream store.

Hey if you are going to have to make a stop you might as well enjoy some ice cream.  I know, right.  I cannot say no to a double scoop of peanut butter cup ice cream in a cone.  Then back on the road with cone in hand.  Yes, one handed driving or at times two knees operating the steering wheel.  Do not try that Camden.

So, did I hear you asked me what was my favorite coffee?  I thought that was what you asked.  Folgers.  Yes, that is right.  I like me some plain old Folgers.  Okay maybe not quite right.  It is vanilla flavored Folgers.  Also, Gaga buys some sort of chocolate flavored coffee that is also mixed into the machine with the Folgers.  Truth in coffee drinking.

No coffee from a Starbucks store for me.  No mocha latte expresso cappuccino or Frappuccino for me.  Oh, and never put ice chips in my coffee.  Hell, that is not coffee.  That is just disgusting. (As you can tell I do not know what I am talking about)

Camden, I have tried to drink that Starbucks coffee.  If you remember you and I traveled all the way to the state of Washington in the search of a good cup of coffee.   It was your first Coffee with Kev.

Okay maybe we were there to explore Mount. St. Helens, and the city of Seattle. Which we did and we need to go back.  Yes someday.

But while walking around Seattle we did find the original Starbucks store.

I am going to tell you Camden what I should have told those people in Seattle, and that is: Folgers is good to the last drop.

I have just not found a coffee at Starbucks that I like more than Folgers.

Sometimes though Folgers could use a little help.

Camden if it is a weekend morning or say a day in the week when I am not working, I have been known to add a little Bailey’s Irish Cream to my coffee.  Or something similar.

We do come from Ireland you know.  Yes, I was born in Mexico.  More about that later.  I am a very confused person.

Camden, Bailey’s is also excellent in hot chocolate.  Just saying.

Anyway, this morning there will be no whiskey in my coffee or your apple juice.  Maybe another time.

This morning I must drive to the east side of town for physical therapy.  It has not been too bad so far.  She has not put me on the rack yet.  She said that she was not going to do that.  She calls it traction.  I call it the rack.

My therapist explained that she had two reasons for not using traction.  The first one being that I have had two back surgeries and she did not think that the metal implants and screws placed in my spine would like that very much.  I like the way this lady thinks.

The second reason is because of Brutus.  Often things circle back to Brutus.

She is concerned that my bones are not as strong as they once were due to Brutus.  Hence no traction.

Even without the metal plates she said that Brutus would negate the use of traction or decompression therapy.  Active cancer is a bummer.

I have been doing my exercises.  I have not yet had an epidural.  So, I still have discomfort from time to time.  I find that I cannot walk far or stand long before I feel the discomfort.  Damn right foot tingles and goes to sleep.

This situation has been a total pain in the ass Camden.  No really, I mean a real pain in the ass.  The pain starts in my lower back then moves to my right butt cheek, and then shoots down my right leg into my foot and toes.  Who knew you had so many nerves in your ass?

The old L3, L4, and L5 bulging disc conundrum.  It is weird though Camden, because sometimes my foot will start tingling and then the pain hits.  Weird I know.

So, I am trying to make this therapy work.   I do not want surgery.  I do see my neurosurgeon in June.  If he tells me I need surgery, then surgery it is.  I will not question this man.  He has operated on me before and took my pain away.  I trust him.

Right now, the pain has subsided with the use of medication and is not nearly as bad as the last time I had disc issues.  I will be making an appointment with the pain management doc about the epidural.  Trying to avoid it to see if therapy will work.  With the shot how am I going to know if the therapy is working or not?

Speaking of shots, I do not think a little bit of whiskey in my coffee this morning will hurt.  Okay Camden you are right, I will not do it.

But when I get back, I am going to make Juan Valdez’s Best even Better.

I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts and stories with you.  Because if I do not share my stories now, then who is going to tell them?

I am smiling while enjoying my coffee and writing this little piece.  I imagine that I will not have any problems finding future topics to talk to you about.  Maybe together we can solve world hunger or end nuclear proliferation.  Probably not, but we can talk about our fishing trips.

My goal is that one day you will sit down and read these pieces while enjoying your coffee.  A future moment having Coffee with Kev.  Maybe they will bring a smile to your face.  Just do not forget the Bailey’s.

Now I gotta get to my appointment.  We will do this again.

Love you.

Papa