DAVE MUSTAINE Says He Was Diagnosed With Degenerative Disk Disease And Arthritis In His Neck

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has posted the following message in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site:

"I am writing this while sitting in my studio, and Justis [Dave's 16-year-old son] and his friend from school, Ryan (a drummer) are in the lounge room blasting KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and now RUSH for songs for their band, and I have some rare 'extra time,' so I wanted to make a post about last week and what we are doing next week.

"I had a barbecue at my house in Fallbrook [in southern California near San Diego] after service on Sunday and met some of Pam's [Dave's wife] new friends, and got ready for something that I never thought I would do in my life. That is my adult life. But first comes Monday — a dreadful day for me.

"I have been struggling with my back for some time, and have been doing yoga, stretching, acupuncture, faith healing, 'laying' on of hands, injections, chiropractic, and everything else you can imagine.

"Two years ago, almost, I went out to my friend in Ohio and went to the OSU Medical center and had MRI's done on my neck and spine for 1 3/4 hours. The next day, the doctor (and I say that reluctantly) said that I had stenosis, and acted like it was just indigestion and went on talking to someone else. Needless to say, I was pissed by his cavalier attitude, and when he told me that there was nothing I could do except take two Aleve and get used to it, I felt doomed. After two more years of destroying my neck and back on tour and ruining my liver from the medication, I finally went to the Kieran Jobe Clinic in Anaheim and my Dr. Orr Limpisvasti did more x-rays, and requested I get another series of MRIs done. I was also to be fitted with a brace, and a traction unit, and physical therapy. AGAIN WITH THE FUCKING PT! This time it's for six months. I went there on Thursday to find out the results of the MRI. This was the day that I find out if I go under the knife or not.

"Now, back to Electra [Dave's 10-year-old daughter] getting the acting bug, and this is even with her brother started acting before her. You see, when I was a kid, my mom used to take us to the Costa Mesa Repertory Theater to see plays and acting. I know this is where Electra got her bug from, and consequently ended up with her as the co-host with her friend Wanda Goldberg from their show 'Faithful Friends', which is a show about animals that is aired on the Animal Planet channel on cable TV for its second season this year.

"Anyway, I went out to Las Vegas on Tuesday with Pam to see the play 'Mamma Mia'. I thought it was going to totally suck when we went to see the movie and I actually liked it, so I easily agreed to the invitation to come see the play in L.V. and again I had fun. Except for the obese troglodyte woman that kept kicking the back of my chair, it was very enjoyable; not as good as the movie, but good just the same.

"I flew home on Wednesday and got back to work in the studio.

"Thursday was the day I found out the damage. And oddly enough, ever since I went to the dude Todd Bentley that everyone is saying is a healer; my back has been feeling better. It could be psychosomatic, but I digress. The doctor came in the room and turned on the lightbox (what they use to view x-rays) and gave me the news.

"I have been diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and arthritis in my neck and that is what's causing all of the problems in my back.

"But don't despair, because I am in a great place and am very happy.

"I get to listen to my little boy just shred! in the other room and I am so glad that he isn't going to inherit my reputation and that he is going to be better than me.

"Friday and the work week is through, but not before I made another trip up to L.A. to film a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for VH1's Rock Autism, and I also filmed a segment for the greatest 100 hard rock songs of all time and we were on it. I just hope that we stay on it!

"Lastly, I got to play the video game 'Rock Band' and was filmed playing against someone online, and this will all be aired in the near future, so we will text you a notice if you are signed up for TheLiveLine [a service launched by Mustaine that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone] for me, and if not we will just post it here.
"I came back to the studio and stayed here until 12:30 AM with the Storekeeper and we went over all kinds of great stuff and we are going to be listing a DV-8 soon. This is one of my last ESPs and definitely a great guitar.

"Now, as I finish this post, I can't help but laugh about James Lomenzo [MEGADETH bassist] coming over here this morning and setting off the silent alarm, and how Brooklyn it is of him to be gone when the sheriffs all swooped, which was right when I pulled up.

"I am finishing up the day here and getting the studio ready for our album and the private clients that come in here, which will be screened so that it is Droogies first. The rest of the weekend is going to be spent in Nashville with Justis, playing golf in a tournament, and although I asked good buddy Shawn Drover if he could make the drive up and it is just too much right now, so I won't see him for a few weeks still, but I may see some of you at the tournament, or at the airport coming and going Sunday and Monday with my son."