Island in the Tung and a Rhizotomy OOPS plus I hate Lyrica

I was trying to go with another song title like the past couple posts but I couldn't figure one out so instead of "Islands In The Sun" you've got this one! So I'm corny, whatever ;-)

I had a couple emails wondering where I have been (THANKS for checking on me!). I try to mostly post happy good thoughts. I'm a typically rose-colored glass half full kind of chic as I've said before. Admitedly, the longer this stuff goes on with my back the more of an effort that is.  I'm going to tell you a bit about that and then move on to happier stuff, you are welcome to skip the next paragraph...it won't hurt my feelings, I really DO have somewhat tough skin!

After the first Rhizotomy on my right side (my more painful side of my spine) I had about 11 BLISS-FILLED days of reduced pain. I was SO EXCITED! THEN, it came BACK! I thought that I had perhaps done too much in my better feeling state of mind. I believe what actually happened was the anti-inflamatory that they put into the injection before they actually cauterized the nerves, wore off.
During the prep for the next injection,  I was telling the doctor about the weight I was gaining like a sponge soaking up water. He said that he thought I was re-acting to the anti-inflamatory in the injection and took it out.  (You have to realize that this place on surgery days is like cattle in a cattle yard and they get you in and out SO fast that the doctor never really sees your face. Every 15-25 minutes they are calling on this doctor over the intercom, "Dr. Doctor your patient is ready in the OR", Since he's not looking at  my face, just my back and butt, he really doesn't know WHO he has under his xray machine. LOVELY. The poor man!) During the procedure he took the anti-inflamatory out of the injection and then I mentioned that the weight gain started before the first rhizotomy and that I gained about 7lbs in the first 7 days on Lyrica. So he says "OHHHH, you're on Lyrica, then THAT is what is causing the problem. He had me wean off the Lyrica over 5 days. Unfortunately I had NO relief after the second procedure and in fact I spent most of last week laying down and had to increase my pain medicine as per the doctors orders. He thinks so far I'm one of the cases that gets worse before it gets better. LUCKY. Enough of the Debbie Downer attitude...let's talk about my island! ;-)

We picked up the island top from our friend. We had it lightly sanded and joined together. I wanted to make sure we could still see the
original saw marks and patina. We even found WORM HOLES in one section of the wood. I got so excited over those. Yes, I'm a geek like that. If you click this second photo to make it larger, you can see them. After giving her a good bath with Murphy's oil soap,we did some internet research on finishing the piece. I DID NOT want to use a urethane product. We decided on a Tung oil finish and then topped with bees wax or another wax (we haven't decided that yet) Tung oil has the smallest molecular structure so it seeps into the wood better. I want to be able to FEEL the wood not feel the finish. Of course, we'll have to wax it like once a month but that's not a problem for Matt, he loves waxing. Wax on. Wax off. :-) We don't know how we are going to do the mahogony legs yet. They need to be cut down to size still and finished but we can decide that after we put it on the island base. It looks so different now then it did doesn't it? http://whimages.blogspot.com/2009/09/reclaimed-wood-second-chance-salvage.html   I'm in LOVE!

I know I promised photos of the antique store I love but when I went by there today, he wasn't open.  I will get that done soon.  I can't WAIT to share it with you!