Wonderful news from the great Allen Mills.
The Lost and Found bass player and vocalist this past 42 years is resting comfortably at home recuperating from a second back surgery in the past 6 months. And at 78 years of age, Allen told us that he feels real good, the best he has in some time.
Apparently the spinal fusion surgery he underwent last July led to some additional nerve pressure, with compression above and below the area (L 3-5) which had been fused. Allen said that the pain had become so severe that he couldn’t walk comfortably without assistance, and regularly moved about with a pair of canes.
If you caught Lost and Found live last year you would have seen Mills sitting on a stool onstage, something he had never done in all his time touring with the group.
But he says that since his recent surgery in late January, the pain is gone and he can move about freely with confidence. The surgeon was able to alleviate the compression and since the bone graft from July has taken hold, he was able to remove the rods and screws that had been installed in his spine.
Allen said he is overjoyed to face life without the discomfort and uncertainty, and looks forward to being more active with the band again.
“It’s gratifying to me that the doctors can do so much. They have really gone above and beyond. My doctor wasn’t pleased with the results from the surgery in July, and was eager to get to the root of the problem.
This has renewed my attitude by 200% – I can sit down and think in a positive direction instead of wondering what I can and can’t do. We had been working on a limited basis, but we are taking on more work for this year.
In another six months I’ll be crawling around under the bus again!”
More good news for Lost and Found fans is the fact that the band is planning on finishing up the album project they started before Allen’s back problems flared up. They have seven songs already recorded, and Mills is eager to get back in the studio and finish things up.
Allen mentioned when we were talking that he had the hardware from the July surgery there at the house. I suggested selling it on eBay and he replied, “That’s what I was thinking! I’ll take the best offer I get.”
What a gem. Long live Allen Mills!
