Day 16 SOL #2017 Visiting a friend who had back surgery

Today we visited a friend in the hospital, he had back surgery on Tuesday. Nurse notes on the whiteboard in his room reminded me of my own back surgery 9 years ago. "No feet up, sitting only for 30 minutes, walk every hour, lie flat" and ...

I remembered walking every hour up and down my driveway. 
And I remembered not sitting longer than 30 minutes. 
I remembered that I didn't get in a car for 6 weeks. 

He is twenty years older than I was when I had my surgery. He was doing well, looked great, talked great and complained that he had to buzz the nurses station when he wanted to go to the bathroom. I told him it was because they didn't want him to fall and he nodded.

I remembered going to therapy.
And I remembered going to back school.
I remembered using an expensive blow-up pillow when I rode in a car. 

Then I read the writing on the opposite wall. It said, "call, don't fall". I smiled to myself. Not much had changed in 9 years. As we left I told him to do everything they told him because he would not want to go through the surgery a second time.

I still use the pillow when I ride.
I still exercise to strengthen my back.
I still move every 30 minutes or work while standing at a desk.