A couple of months ago, I developed a sore on the second toe of my left
foot.  No pain, so I didn't think too much about it.  Well, it got worse
and worse, and when I arrived out here in Whidbey I went to see my doctor.
He *very* quickly arranged for X-rays and an MRI, and I found myself in a
podiatrist's office a few days later.  My toe infection had indeed worsened,
and in fact (for various genetic reasons) the bone in my toe had become
infected.  Apparently this is a potentially serious problem (osteomyelitis),
so the podiatrist said "we'll get you scheduled for surgery".  I got out my
calendar, thinking it would be sometime the first week or two of January.
She said:  "put your calendar away.  We're doing this tomorrow."

So New Year's eve I got the tip of my second-left toe removed.  Now I sit
at home with my foot up, waiting for it to heal (should be in a couple of
weeks).  It was out-patient surgery done in their clinic, so I was able to
get home to watch the Times Square ball drop.  Whoo-hoo!  The good news for
me was that there was no pain through this whole episode.  Pain is not good!

I'm thinking about getting a golf tee and cutting it in half, mounting it
on my amputated toe and asking people to refer to me as "Peg-toe Brad,
Scourge of the Computer Music Seas"!  Yarrrrr!