Last brew for a while

[ohiobrewtus]

I'm brewing a Pale Ale tonght and it will be my last brew for a while as I have to have back surgery on 10/16 (to help relieve the pain from two ruptured disks pinching my sciatic nerve). I'm not going to be able to lift anymore than 10 lbs for about a month and no more than 30 lbs for up to 2 months (depending on how physical therapy afterwards goes). This brew will be ready to bottle a day or 2 before I go under the knife.

I put it off as long as I could, trying epidural cortisone injections to see if it would make the pain go away, but they didn't help much. When you can't walk for more than about 10 minutes without having to sit down there aren't many other options. What gets me the most is that I've packed on 30 lbs because I can't exercise and more importantly I haven't been able to play with my kids much for about 6 months

I've been brewing like a madman since I found out that I had to have the procedure done. I'll have 8 batches in bottles before it happens, so that should be more than enough to get me through 2-4 weeks off of work.

I'm going to be bored out of my mind so posting even more than usual and online poker will be about all I can do for the better part of a week. Not being able to brew is going to drive me nuts, but hopefully I've brewed enough in the last 3 weeks to make up for it.

I think I've lamented long enough, here's the recipe that I'm using:

9.5 lbs 2 row
1 lb Crystal 20L

1 oz Warrior 16.4% 60 min
1 oz Hallertauer 6.0% 15 min
1 oz Sterling 5.3% 5 min

Target OG - 1.055
IBU - 64.8

 

[Brewtopia]

Recipe looks good ob. Good luck with your surgery. Back injuries are no fun, at least you'll have plenty of beer to get you through the recovery process.

 

[EdWort]

I wish you the best. I have the same problem, but never did the surgery. I have a permanent gimp now in my left leg though and cannot stand on my toes with my left leg too. Good luck and I hope you stocked up.

See ya in Cinci next year. I'm driving in from Austin with a keg of Apfelwein that will be over a year old. (I'm setting it aside for HBT'ers)

 

[the_Roqk]

Wish you well in your surgery. Guess you'll become a postwhore with all that free time. Keep us posted on your recovery!

 

[TheJadedDog]

Good luck with the surgery; I've had "procedures" done on my back as well so I know how that goes.

 

[eddie]

Sounds like a great opportunity to research new ingredients and come up with a slew of new recipes to try. Make the most of it.

 

[PseudoChef]

I wish you the best, and will toast to a speedy recovery!

 

[david_42]

Hope it goes well. My father and brother both had similar problems & I've been very careful to keep my weight down trying to avoid it. My dad had radiation treatment to calcify the disks and my brother had the disks removed and the vertebra fused.

Are you certain 40 gallons will last through the month?

 

[McKBrew]

Hope your surgery goes fine Ohio. I'm sure we'll see you on the forum and in chat still, and at least you'll still be able to lift 12oz bottles!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Cheers, and all the best to you, ob! I'll raise a glass of the last bottle you gave me tonight. You need to get back to brewing soon - you've got a knack for brewing a really clean flavored beer!

 

[Beerrific]

You could always get yourself one of these as a pre-get-well-soon present:
http://morebeer.com/view_product/15283/102326

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Good Luck OB

You should brew a celebration ale as your first beer after the surgery

 

[uglygoat]

hope you heal fast. get some strong lads to do the lifitng, you make the recipes and add the the hops. let the boys mess about with the boiling wort

 

[justinmcdevitt]

good luck, and to pass the time you could always design some new recipes for yourself (and maybe the forum)

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Good luck on the surgery, hope all goes well.

Make the most of your downtime and you'll be back to brewing before you know it.

 

[Dude]

Good luck on the surgery, let us know how it goes. I recently had a nasty bout with some sciatic pain--don't wish that on anyone.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Good Luck! That sucks, but like it's been said, atleast you got brews for the recovery..... Lay in bed and just run a siphon tube to the carboy, who needs it carbonated?