Aerial View was WFMU’s first regularly-scheduled phone-in talk show. Hosted by Chris T. and on the air since 1989, the show features topical conversation, interviews and many trips down the rabbit hole. Until further notice, Aerial View is only available as a podcast, available every Tuesday morning. Subscribe to the newsletter “See You Next Tuesday!” and find tons of archives at aerialview.me. (Visit homepage.)

October 13, 2015: Hobbled

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View this in your browser. Today: Hobbled One's mobility is taken for granted until it's gone. This last week has been a test the likes of which I've never known. I've been hobbled. I'm crawling around, using crutches, a knee roller and two different kinds of walkers just go a few feet. The goal is to keep any weight off my left foot and it's more of an ordeal. Today's Aerial View Pod(iatry)cast features more of my reports from flat on my back. Just to break it up, you'll also hear: A piledriver on the Weehawken waterfront. One of the unsolicited telemarketing calls I've gotten. The hobbling scene from Misery. A filthy voiceover man. A song I wrote while in The Nihilistics, performed live at CBGB's in 1984. One of the bands in the WABC-AM Big Break Contest, circal 1968. More moaning and groaning. Below is a picture of my doctor and my foot. Isn't it lovely? The Doctor approves of my Frankenfoot. Last Week: Pain Management It was all about managing the pain on last week's Aerial View In Exile Pod(iatry)cast. Here's some comments that came in via the playlist and e-mail. The comments are re-posted with permission: I've been listening to your show on WFMU for the past few years sporadically, and since you've been also posting the shows as podcasts, I've managed to keep a little more current. Your current situation is something that I've been dreading, as I've never spent much time in hospitals (nor want to). Listening to it on my work break made me appreciate being able to move around the streets. Hopefully you're managing to get more sleep and coping with the pain. Oh, that hurt but I had to hear it (via the audioBoom), thanks.  I'm sure you're feeling better & will continue to do so until the next round of surgery. Although I have talipes equinus, I never had surgery for it but I did have much more superficial surgery on both feet in 2007.I'd had one plantar wart grow to half dollar size, and the other foot had a multitude of smaller ones, so I decided to get both feet done at once to save having to go thru that sort of thing twice. I was an outpatient, felt pretty good going home, but woke up the next morning in a lot of pain & crying. I literally crawled to the phone, where I called my podiatrist & apologized for being such a baby, but just wanted to know whether that degree of pain was normal.  She assured me it was, even with the painkillers. Hearing that relieved me of a lot of anxiety; it's amazing how you can be hurting so badly & still have a lot of your overall feelings depend on your outlook. I thanked her soooo much. I was also overly optimistic about healing. Months earlier the podiatrist had told me how it'd be: that the tissue would be cut away so extensively, it'd have to heal by 2nd intention, and that I'd need a cane for about 2 weeks. With my medical background, I knew what that meant, yet a few mos. later when I arranged for it, I just seemed to forget what an ordeal 2nd-intention healing of a weight-bearing spot of skin would mean, and thought that as soon as I got off the cane, I'd be coaching kids in football again, as I'd begun to that spring. Instead, I couldn't resume such activity for about 2 mos. During that time the larger wound also got a pseudomonas infection.  Funny thing, that, in that it smells like flowers. Who'd ever think a good-smelling foot would be a bad sign? My friends also rave about "Big Bang Theory" & think I should love it too. I saw it, it's OK, but I just can't get into it enough to watch a TV show these days. I haven't had the TV plugged in for over 2 yrs. There's just so much good stuff on the Internet -- like yours. Keep up the good work, & keep healing. Keep up with the show via the Facebook Group See You Next Tuesday! Thanks To The Pledgers! Thanks to the following Aerial View listeners who've already pledged to the Silent October Fundraiser, happening all month, I'm making good progress toward my goal and may actually bump it up a bit.  Clifford Diane Jack Peggy Steve Tommy You can pledge to Aerial View by clicking on the pledge box above. The Crunch Time Silent Fundraiser, featuries two brand new WFMU T-shirt designs... ...and the return of the WFMU Mascot Contest Enter your pet when you make a pledge. Roger (below) is ineligible, which is a damn shame. Upcoming Events Pencil Me In My wife Janet Tsakis is featured in the show Pencil Me In at the Monmouth Museum, extended until Nov. 1. Obligatory Throwback Pic