Momentous Moments Melt Your Head
Food For The Heart And Soul
The music never stops.
That is true.
Something entered my consciousness at the start of this year. I made a statement saying it feels like this is going to be a momentous year.
This was based on a ‘feeling”.
I had no facts to back this up.
But a good feeling is as good as any fact, I do believe.
Moving away from writing about music most of the time is the only thing that I had planned in a creative light. For now, I want to share stories of the past and the present and thoughts about the future as they reveal themselves to me.
Little did I know that the first month of this year would be filled with some revelations that stunned me. Honestly, I was shocked at a couple of them.
Towards the end of 2023, I went to a new General Practitioner for my first annual skin check. First-ever skin check to be exact. Considering I grew up near the beach and at times covered my body in oil to cook it, I thought it was time. Spots, skin flaps, discolourations all adorn my human form.
The check was passed with flying colours and after I slipped back into my clothes I was ready to go back to the world and wait another 66 years for my next check.
Aging leaves its marks and you wear your ‘stripes’ inside and out.
My new doctor said, “Let me check your blood pressure”. He did the deed and told me it was fine and said, “But you do have quite the murmur”.
“Yeah, that has been around for decades and I have some level of aortic stenosis”, I said.
I have only seen a cardio guy once for calcium and stress testing over 5 years ago. There was little to report back then and no steps needed to be taken except maybe keep an eye on my butter sandwiches.
Dr. Sharon gave me a referral for an electrocardiogram and I got that done at the start of 2024.
No one called me in the first 24 hours so I figured all was not life threatening. I have no symptoms of anything being wrong with my ticker. I took off to Sydney for a lengthy visit, driving up the coast to enjoy some sun and surf.
Landing near Jervis Bay I caught up with my mate Nello. I got a call the next morning from my doctor’s office and he wanted to chat to me about my results. I said I would be back in 2 weeks, but they said they wanted to talk to me sooner. We made an appointment for a couple of hours later to chat on the phone.
Simply, I was told my aortic stenosis was rated as moderate-severe. He referred me to a surgeon and I was a bit more anxious. Tina was able to get me into another cardio guy down here who saved her Dad’s life. I will see him at the end of February.
The only good news of seeing this guy is he was surprised I was referred directly to a surgeon. Dr. Dick is an interventional cardiologist. He does not do open heart surgery.
Age. It catches up with this machine we have. For several days I was anxious, doing my web searches and checking with other medical people I know. Losing my good friend Tony after a grueling time on the table in 2021 with open heart surgery pounded in my head.
That worry passed and I know whatever will be will be. My options will be medication or some sort of procedure.
Avoiding having my chest cracked open will be a good result. My thoughts are there will be some sort of procedure.
Meanwhile, I had my sights on getting to Sydney and catching up with friends and family I had not broken bread with in some time. The handful of good friends I got to hang with was full of love and laughter.
The main event for me was to get my gal Tina to come up and stay with me for a while and finally meet some of my friends and my children. Tina and I have been together since July 2020 and there have been some roadblocks with the damn plague and life that has slowed this gathering down.
I had this marvelous house in Willoughby that felt like my home. Spiritual books lined the shelves, pictures, and artwork that contained many types of birds and the inviting garden and Loki the dog. I fell in love with it all and it was an omen for things to come.
One week ago I was able to get 4 of my children, 2/3rds of the so-called Busch-Catt Hillbillies, in one room. My heart was overflowing and it simply felt like I had never been apart from them. When you raise 6 children and that ability to gather is taken away from you due to the marriage ending and you not having a home in the city where they all live, it hurts your heart deeply.
My heart was overflowing with love. Each child received a 5 x 7 framed picture. Within the frame, behind the first picture were some other pictures from their past so they could change the photo as they pleased.
I have 2 kids named Zac and Zack and they could not attend due to work and the fact that one is not speaking to me. And although I missed them dearly, I took what I could get with love and care and laughs.
The heart and soul are always evolving and the brain sort of comes along for the ride. The day after this gathering of kids and grandkids there was about to be another defining moment of 2024.
This came into focus with a message and a phone call alerting me to some information that was kept from me for many years. This was not good news for the person who called me.
There was a story in the newspapers. The shit had hit the fan for my ex-wife.
I will share that moment soon and the impact upon my being.
Right now, I just wanted to reach out and tell you I am good and loved and happy.
I hope the same for you.
Musically, this month I have found myself listening to a bunch of Grateful Dead Live Recordings. This may continue for some time until I slip into something else.
It’s a passion that has existed for a very long time. They were not always in that sweet spot, but when they were, no one was any better.
Here are some of the better ones I have gone through recently.
Listen to the River: St. Louis '71 '72 '73
Listen to the River: St. Louis '71 '72 '73 contains recordings of these concerts, all of which were performed in St. Louis, Missouri:
December 9, 1971 – Fox Theatre
December 10, 1971 – Fox Theatre
October 17, 1972 – Fox Theatre
October 18, 1972 – Fox Theatre
October 19, 1972 – Fox Theatre
October 29, 1973 – Kiel Auditorium
October 30, 1973 – Kiel Auditorium
Dave’s Picks Volume 41-Baltimore Civic Centre May 26, 1977
Ah, life! This is what happens when you have such a big heart bushman!