JeffL Loc: New Jersey

I had major back surgery a couple of months ago. That, combined with several months of inactivity due to spinal stenosis and sciatica, has me totally deconditioned. And, being 77 doesn't speed up the healing process. This week my honey and I decided to visit Allaire State Park here in NJ. We planned on a 2.0 mile hike, which I have been working toward by walking daily. I didn't feel like lugging two DSLR's, lenses, etc., so I just carried my Nikon Coolpix P7000, which is pretty sophisticated for a bridge camera and light weight. I took some shots and tried for a couple of dragonflies. Now I didn't have a long lens and I couldn't get close, so I used whatever zoom I had in the P7000. These are the results with some cropping:

1st Dragon

(Download)

2nd Dragon

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Jeff, it's good that you are able to get back out and do some photography. I hope your recovery continues to go well and you're back to carrying those two cameras and enjoying it.
--Bob

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Good work, Jeff! Stay at it.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Nice work.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Keep at it, Jeff.

Plieku69 Loc: The Gopher State, south end

You did well. It's always good to be back on the trail with camera in hand.

poprock48

Nice to be back up and out

JeffL Loc: New Jersey

Thanks for all your good wishes and comments. This camera surprised me. I will post some more from that walk.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

Jeff, I hope your recovery goes well. I've had sciatica since June and am hoping to get out soon.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Nice shots Jeff and I'm glad you're out and about. Keep it up!

JeffL Loc: New Jersey

I had dealt with the sciatica for over two years and had been treating it with exercise and epidurals, which worked. Eventually the epidurals stopped working and I was unable to walk more than 50 feet or stand for longer than 5 minutes without severe pain or even having my leg collapse. Pain killers (non-narcotic) were all day, every day. Life was Hell.

I was super leery about getting back surgery because I have seen so many cases where it either didn't help or caused worse problems. My surgeon, who two years ago refused to operate because the less invasive remedies were working, performed a laminectomy and fusion of L4 & L5, and the sciatica is completely gone, and no back pain. Now, I have to overcome the two years of disuse that have caused atrophy. So, I am walking every day, which has also improved my cardiac health. Getting old sucks, but it does beat the alternative !