Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1208031
15 "You're a new man right there … . That allows you to do whatever you want," Smalling said. "Well, I'm going to, too," Bill said, smiling. His surgery, which took place on Dec. 3, could not have gone any better. "Smalling came out and the first thing he said was, 'The surgery is over and it went perfectly,'" Roger recalled. "And that's exactly what you want to hear. Shortly after the surgery his color changed, and he was lying in bed still loopy from the medicine … but he looked great, immediately. We were all pleasantly surprised by that. I think once the blood begins flowing to all the parts of your body, I think everything else improves— not just your heart but your kidneys improve, your lymph nodes clear—everything seems to function better." Bill was discharged from the hospital the following day, and for the first time in months, he began to feel better. He dismissed his eldest daughter, who had been by his side for six months, from her "nursing duties." After spending some time at home, he drove his truck back to Houston to celebrate Christmas with his kids. He's back on stage, back on the dance floor and back to his occasional whiskey. "Hell, I'm doing great," Bill said. "I'm ready to party." Bill Creager enjoys his time on stage at the Armadillo Palace. T M C P U L S E | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0