Just thought I'd call in and tell you how I'm getting on as I'm almost feeling well enough to start moaning. Still convalescing in a hospital in Toulouse in the South of France where both my back and foot operations went well and have managed to avoid too much pain by taking large, horse size tablets of Paracetamol every six hours and lying as still as possible. I have progressed from being covered in drips, tubes and wires last week to a "stand-alone" human being but due to my back injury I still have to spend the majority of my time lying flat with no pillow, staring at the same patch of ceiling.

Still, it has given me the opportunity to listen to an awful lot of music: Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", "New Boots and Panties" by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, "Doolittle" by the Pixies, various tracks by the Associates and when the going gets tough, early Stooges tracks played at loud volume in headphones have been the highlights this week. I've also enjoyed the music, compilations and audio books people have sent me and a healthy dose of John Shuttleworth is seeing me through.

Although it's very nice in this modern, well equipped and spotlessly clean French hospital, I am looking forward to being able to converse fluently with the medical staff back home about pain management, bowel movements etc. instead of using my pathetic school boy French and a succession of complex hand signals. All depends on how fast the operation wound on my foot takes to heel.



Don't read on if you're squeamish but I thought I'd include a grizzly x-ray to show you how much I've done my foot in. My surgeon, Dr. Goldzac, tells me that a calcaneum (heel bone) fracture like mine is the second worst fracture possible; the worst being sustained by World War Two fighter pilots when their planes hit the ground and the control pedals were driven through their feet. What a lovely image that is. The large pin you can see in the x-ray, running through my foot, is removed in two weeks. I asked the surgeon how they removed it, expecting to be amazed with laser guided technology and an ingenious threading system but was informed they'd be using a pair of pliers and a small mallet. Won't be able to put weight on it for another six weeks but am very pleased to have such a talented and straight talking surgeon.

Just to let you know, I'm still working on new album with them other blokes, selecting mixes and sorting out the artwork etc. over the coming months so that it comes out in the New Year as planned. I'd like to thank all the people who have sent "get well soon" messages on myspace etc. and was quite surprised by the news coverage I'd generated, somebody told me I was a 'bong' on News at Ten; it must have been a slow week.

Looking forward to being up and about again and playing some gigs. It's all been a right royal pain in the ass but I'm still counting my lucky stars that it wasn't more serious

Love Mick