Man, this is a great video: http://vimeo.com/5533269 for spot made by is friends in the sky.

Hello Spot from Australia,

I confess that reading this whole set of posts brought a genuine tear to my eye. Apart from being at one of your Sydney/Australia seminars, I cannot cost the value of all the input you have had to my video life personally. Being a creative person, this makes the rest of my life seem better, too. To read of the initial accident, the horrendous list of diagnoses, the initial rapid recovery, the set-back ..... the mind (and the heart) boggles. I will be praying for you. And thanks for everything.

Regards,
Neil

Hi Spot,
We dont know each other (I have a book of yours and a couple of DVDs).
I just came back from Europe and read about your ordeal. I'm quite certain that you are greatful for the "positive" turn of your dramatic injuries and I can only applaud you on the strong will you present but please - do not let the idea to get back up in the air to jump again be your priority for getting better.
By all means, keep that idea but keep it on the backburner - and let us here enjoy your knowledgeable comments a bit more (again).
All the best ... and as speedy as possible.
Stephan
.

Any updates on Spot? It's been awhile unless I missed something. Just like everyone here, I'm missing a friend whose presence I looked forward to nearly daily.

Prayers are up for Spot and his loved ones.

here is the best update I can give at the moment;
I'd been making some really good progress, was released from the convalescent training facility a full two weeks early for demonstrating skill on crutches and walker.
Then I got home.
After being home for 3-4 days, my left foot began to expand. I was certain it was the left talus that was broken, and my doctor agreed. So, he put me on other drugs and in a compression system. Neither helped.
Through a friend on this forum, I send photos of my feet to a doctor friend of theirs, and his immediate response was "You have RSD" or "You have a disease known as CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). It's rare, but is documented as far back as the Civil War. Up until the 30's, they just amputated.....
Today, they try a little harder. It's 24/7 pain that no narcotic can get to, and only certain neuro meds can sorta hit. So....there's where it is. They won't touch the ACL/MCL until the left leg is healed solid, and they say that CRPS (notice how it looks like CRaPS?) lasts between 90 days and a lifetime. So...dunno when the actual healing begins. But...I can still play the piano, and I'm having fun working on a couple new VASST plugins for Vegas. I work on the book when I can, but for some reason, the computer screen makes me fall asleep.
Thanks again to all for the kind concerns, private messages, emails, pies, coffees, and other wonderful gestures!!! This really is my family, and I'm grateful for it.

~d

Is CRPS any relation to Gout?
JJK

Acupuncture would absolutely help the CRPS.

In one case years ago, I got rid of 80% of my severe regional pain with a 10 minute acupuncture treatment, the rest took one more visit and two weeks.

In my experience with using acupuncture (20 years), it takes a practitioner 10 years of clinical experience after they get their license before they're any good. For all except the most experienced, electroacupuncture works significantly better and faster.

Note that they would normally never get even close to the area with the problem, so no access is needed.

Another alternative is Jin Shin Jyutsu, which does effectively the same thing without needles (and without pressure), and you can easily learn to do much of it yourself, so the price is right too...

It depends on the practitioner. Like anything else, there are good ones and bad ones. It probably takes the average guy ten years to clue in, but the one I go to now is out of school two years, and he is better than all the rest of them I ever saw, all put together.

Put if you really want healing, consider the power of fervent, sincere prayer.

You will be in my prayers, Spot.

Spot, just checking back in on this thread - sorry to hear about the CRaPS. You are absolutely in my prayers. Please take care of yourself; you need to come before any projects for us Vegas folks.

Wanted to give y'all an update.
My mind is back in the race (thankfully no more meds other than Aleve).
Therapy is a daily grind, painful but I see the end of the road coming up fairly fast.
Got clearance to ride my motorcycle a coupla days ago; that's a major step for me. If I can put 1200lbs between my legs, it shouldn't be long til I can heft cameras and mic booms all day.

My last surgery was three weeks ago and I'm walking reasonably straight with a brace. WEVA became a target, and I was fortunate enough to make it there, albeit walking badly.

I can't begin to thank everyone enough for the encouraging emails, posts on FB, posts on this forum, and other places; they were the encouragement I needed to get through this. I've tried to work and produce here and there during my confinement to bed, and Ray Schlogel and David McKnight have been huge assistants in making things happen (like the new Vegas Pro 9 book and BMW promo piece using the RED). and the chocolates and coffee sent by a couple of people in this community was tremendously appreciated.

We've shot a couple of training programs since the incident; here is one for the RED Camera in Vegas.
http://www.vimeo.com/6259105]

We also completed an AVCHD training disc that isn't specifically related to Vegas. Fortunately the training vids are all three T shots, so it's worked out well. We're back in full production swing in the next week or so.
Additionally, we've released Ultimate S Lite.
Next stop, NAB Post Plus in NYC the first week of October. If any of you can join me there, beer is on me.
Thanks again everyone, for the support and well-wishes. Been a difficult road, but y'all have made it a bit easier.

Welcome back to the land of the living. I spent the whole morning waiting in the doctor's office for a friend undergoing his tenths back procedure -- including multiple fusion operations -- so I know how long and painful this can be. Getting yourself to the point where you can make it on just over-the-counter NSAIDs is a great step forward.

Hopefully the cane can take a hike shortly.

Finally, it must be nice to have 1,200 pounds between your legs. I've had to settle for only 600 pounds all these years ...

Welcome back, and good to see you made it.

Great news Spot. I'm so pleased. Have to take a rain check on the beer though as I''m in the UK but the knowledge that you're making such good progress is really heartening.

Richard

I don't have to tell you this, but you've packed a huge journey into three months, Douglas. Thanks for sharing so much of it.

... you sound like you're getting too busy to do this, but that clip you posted of your physio routines - I'd love to see how it would be with your Native Flute instead of that speedy music.

Good to hear you're into the final recovery phase. Getting back to the things you're familiar with makes a huge difference to your state of mind I found. Once you get the mindset healed the physical stuff takes care of itself. Keep the positive thoughts flowing.


Bob.

d. Once you get the mindset healed the physical stuff takes care of itself.

Very much worth repeating. The greatest step was getting away from Oxy and morphine. Easy to get away from, but the lasting effects are long and difficult. Getting to WEVA meant a lot to me, and my recovery had exponentially improved /increased since returning. WEVA is a small show, but it gave me the "drive" that I feel at NAB and other shows where I'm able to present and teach. Once I discovered I hadn't lost what I hold so dear, I've been able to get up and literally run (with braces on). Looking forward to seeing y'all now that I'm back (more or less).

That's great news, Spot. I am simply amazed at your quick recovery and frame of mind and spirit, given the brush with death and massive trauma you suffered. Many people would have given up a long time ago. The fact that you were working on projects throughout the ordeal of recovery speaks volumes.

Best wishes and all the best.

Tom

Spot - hope you heal safely and quickly. I consider myself lucky to have your guidance (book/forum posts) and wish you a speedy recovery.

Kunal

Its good to known you're back!!!!

"d. Once you get the mindset healed the physical stuff takes care of itself. " Don't forgot the multi-purpose miracle gaffer tape either. :-) I think DSE 's mindset -------is more kick butt attitude than lets plant daisies and hold hands .... ;-) Probably lot of the health officials know DSE's boot size - painful, well...... ;-)

Spot - best wishes to you for full recovery

Jay

Lollygagger

Lollygagger

Hey, that hand-poured chocolate you sent is partially responsible for me being up so fast! That stuff is LOADED with get up n' go.
I can't begin to express how excited I am to be back in the saddle.

Hope to see you at NAB Post Plus in NYC in October?