You'll never see me more naked than this (thank God) but painful as all get-out.

But here I am. And that's a synovial cyst arising from my right L4-5 facet joint. That big sucker has got to come out.

So right now I am all prepped and ready to go. With luck and your prayers, I'll be home maybe tomorrow, but time will tell.

Something that tiny (but big by synovial cyst standards) can cause considerable pain across the lower back and down one or both legs. Fortunately, these things are non malignant but can do their damage in other ways.

"So doctor, will I be able to play the piano when I'm all healed?"

"Well yes, of course you will."

"Gee, that's great because I could never play the piano before."

For my first song, something I've composed myself when I was young as Amadeus as a child prodigy. A little ditty called "Bob's Gas Station."