I went down to Mt. Airy, NC, to visit my sister. I had a great time. I also had a difficult time. And, while I was gone, Alan stayed home, and boy did he have problems.
First, I knew the freezer was doing funny things when I left, but I went anyway. The ice-making machine was dripping and freezing as it dripped. I had problems with that ice-maker on my GE refrigerator for 10-1/2 years of the 11 years I owned the refrigerator. And I had service calls galore, and finally stopped getting it fixed. But this time...
The man from Hagedorn (our local small business folks who sell and fix kitchen appliances) came and looked at the refrigerator/freezer and said he could fix it, but it would cost over $400 to do so. Well, Alan decided and I agreed, that a new refrigerator was in order, and it would not be a GE. All my GE appliances have been duds. So, I ordered a Frigidaire refrigerator/freezer, side-by-side, counter deep -- it doesn't stick out from the counter -- and I accepted the floor model. I did this from NC by Internet and phone. The thing works and I'm so used to going into the freezer to get out some ice, that I still start to do that. This fridge does give me ice from the door, as well as water. And the appliance is four inches wider than my previous fridge.
Now, for the down side -- I suddenly realized that white appliances are not easy to purchase. Everything is stainless steel. I would have loved to get stainless, but my other appliances are white and I don't think they are going to need to be replaced for a long time -- at least I hope not. But I was able to get this refrigerator in white. The one I really wanted didn't come in white.
Also while I was in NC, the elevator, which was inoperable when I left, continued to be unusable. Poor Alan. He called someone to come out and fix it. They looked at the switch, declared that it was illegal (it passed the state inspection when we put it in with the "illegal" switch) and he wouldn't touch it. I think he didn't want to touch it. So Alan called the people from whom we purchased the elevator, not the people we were told to call if there was a problem, and they diagnosed it correctly over the phone. Now we have an elevator again.
Because our elevator was out of sorts, I had to use the steps several times. Going down wasn't too much of a problem, except that I was afraid I might fall, but going up? Well, I made it up as many times as I had to and then stayed put.
Now, I'm mobile again. My legs are working great. My back feels pretty good. I'm ready to go shopping -- which I did quite a bit of while in Mt. Airy. I loved the antique shops and spent some money in those stores.
The best thing is that I lost another two pounds, and I thought I had gained weight while I was at my sister's, because I ate a lot of food, but I guess all that walking around in antique stores and climbing Deb's back steps into the house, was beneficial for a person needing to lose weight.
ttfn
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Vacation's over
Well, posh. I had almost finished writing an epistle when I somehow deleted it. I though Blogspot had automatic backup. Aparently, it doesn't.
So, here goes again.
We are home from a three-week vacation to two western states -- Colorado and New Mexico. We have been to both states before. I had, however, forgotten how beautiful the Rocky Mountains were, or perhaps it was because the last time we were out there we came into Colorado from a different route.
We spent four days at YMCA of the Rockies which is in Estes Park, CO; one week in Pegosa Springs, CO; and four days in Albuquerque, NM. I enjoyed every place we visited, but I would love to live in Albuquerque. A couple of things would be drawbacks to that move: (1) Typing Albuquerque stymies me and I have to think of every letter and it slows me down; (2) my children all live within 50 miles of us and that makes for easy visits with grandchildren; and (3) I don't ever want to move, not ever again. It's too much work, hassle, and trouble.
So, we stay in Northern Kentucky and visit those places we find so interesting and enjoyable.
Since this BLOG is supposed to be about the difficulties we vertically challenged and mobility challeneged people have to endure, I will add only one thing. The worst part of the trip was still the pain in my sciatic nerve and it slowed me down for several days, two in Estes Park, and two in Pegosa Springs. It's didn't stop me in Albuquerque, though. There were no episodes while I was driving, which was for the entire trip and for as many as 12 of our 22 days.
The worst part of the trip was at the end of each driving day, unwinding to get out of the automobile, getting into a hotel room, and then just waiting for the pain to subside.
The best part was that we didn't have to visit any hospitals or doctors for the first time in 10 years. Isn't that a blessing? I think so.
ttfn
So, here goes again.
We are home from a three-week vacation to two western states -- Colorado and New Mexico. We have been to both states before. I had, however, forgotten how beautiful the Rocky Mountains were, or perhaps it was because the last time we were out there we came into Colorado from a different route.
We spent four days at YMCA of the Rockies which is in Estes Park, CO; one week in Pegosa Springs, CO; and four days in Albuquerque, NM. I enjoyed every place we visited, but I would love to live in Albuquerque. A couple of things would be drawbacks to that move: (1) Typing Albuquerque stymies me and I have to think of every letter and it slows me down; (2) my children all live within 50 miles of us and that makes for easy visits with grandchildren; and (3) I don't ever want to move, not ever again. It's too much work, hassle, and trouble.
So, we stay in Northern Kentucky and visit those places we find so interesting and enjoyable.
Since this BLOG is supposed to be about the difficulties we vertically challenged and mobility challeneged people have to endure, I will add only one thing. The worst part of the trip was still the pain in my sciatic nerve and it slowed me down for several days, two in Estes Park, and two in Pegosa Springs. It's didn't stop me in Albuquerque, though. There were no episodes while I was driving, which was for the entire trip and for as many as 12 of our 22 days.
The worst part of the trip was at the end of each driving day, unwinding to get out of the automobile, getting into a hotel room, and then just waiting for the pain to subside.
The best part was that we didn't have to visit any hospitals or doctors for the first time in 10 years. Isn't that a blessing? I think so.
ttfn
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Vacation -- part II
I say, part II, because I posted to Runnemede Remembered a tome about distant vacations.
Soon, Alan and I will be taking one of our 2012 vacations. We're going to head out west (again) and we're praying we won't encounter the awful health problems we encountered last time. As a reminder, Alan had shingles really bad, and we didn't even know what it was. Because it was so hot I thought it was prickly heat. Eventually, Alan decided to go to a hospital and get it looked at. He was given some meds to lower the pain he was suffering and we moved on to our next stop, where I wrenched my knee. I had been walking really well until I foolishly turned my body around 180 degrees, but left my knee in its original position. Then to make matters worse, Alan ended up in the hospital for a week after he collapsed twice at the Grand Canyon. After the second collapse we both consented to his being sent to a hospital. After two weeks with friends in Cody, WY, where Alan suffered quietly, we headed home.
This time we're hoping to visit Hannibal, MO; Estes Park, CO; Pagosa Springs, CO; Mesa Verde, CO; and Albuquerque, NM.
Again, I am so fortunate to have someone to take care of the condo while we're gone.
I might BLOG while we're on the road, but I probably won't. I hope because I can once again walk and, oh yes, climb stairs (with the aid of a railing), I won't have time to BLOG because I'll be too busy sight seeing.
ttfn
Soon, Alan and I will be taking one of our 2012 vacations. We're going to head out west (again) and we're praying we won't encounter the awful health problems we encountered last time. As a reminder, Alan had shingles really bad, and we didn't even know what it was. Because it was so hot I thought it was prickly heat. Eventually, Alan decided to go to a hospital and get it looked at. He was given some meds to lower the pain he was suffering and we moved on to our next stop, where I wrenched my knee. I had been walking really well until I foolishly turned my body around 180 degrees, but left my knee in its original position. Then to make matters worse, Alan ended up in the hospital for a week after he collapsed twice at the Grand Canyon. After the second collapse we both consented to his being sent to a hospital. After two weeks with friends in Cody, WY, where Alan suffered quietly, we headed home.
This time we're hoping to visit Hannibal, MO; Estes Park, CO; Pagosa Springs, CO; Mesa Verde, CO; and Albuquerque, NM.
Again, I am so fortunate to have someone to take care of the condo while we're gone.
I might BLOG while we're on the road, but I probably won't. I hope because I can once again walk and, oh yes, climb stairs (with the aid of a railing), I won't have time to BLOG because I'll be too busy sight seeing.
ttfn
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I've been neglecting my BLOG duties
I do apologize. However, this is really a diary of my travels and travails through the 60s (age wise) into the 70s. I can't believe I'll be 70 next year. I don't feel that old (until I stand up, that is). In my mind, I think I'm 20. Young.
Lately I've been neglecting writing because frankly, I haven't been able to sit at my desk for any amount of time. I rarely even read my e-mails any more.
I have had such sciatica since the second knee was fixed that getting out of bed has been terrible.
My knees are fine and I still do physical therapy to keep them strong and get them stronger. My goal is to climb stairs. I practice every day, but I don't seem to be progressing very much.
I had another epidural in my back for sciatica and while I am down to a 5 on the 1-10 pain scale (I was at 8 or 9) I still hurt and doing any kind of bending, even when I don't think I'm bending is awful.
For instance, just reaching for the faucet in the kitchen, or trying to turn on the stove is terribly painful. I can't fill or empty the dishwasher. That little bit of bending makes me physically ill. So, I do what I can, which isn't much. I can fill the washing machine and wash the laundry, but emptying the wet laundry into the dryer is another story.
I can cook, mostly, since I have learned to put my cooking items on the upper shelves of the refrigerator and my pantry has been changed around to accommodate the sciatic pain.
My therapists are working on the sciatica and it does help some.
I can now walk if I get myself into a stiffened position after suffering through the standing up process, which is okay. I have been shoppinig a couple of times, but have not tried food shopping.
So, dear diary, that's where I am at this point in my recovery and frankly I'm quite proud since the knees don't hurt at all. In fact, I feel like I'm walking on air, which is a hoot, because I tend to float and then almost fall, mainly because I am slow in moving one leg after another and I think I'm moving the legs faster than I am. That's really hard to describe here.
Alan and I are going to be traveling to Colorado late in the summer and I hope I am able to walk and climb a little bit at least.
ttfn
Lately I've been neglecting writing because frankly, I haven't been able to sit at my desk for any amount of time. I rarely even read my e-mails any more.
I have had such sciatica since the second knee was fixed that getting out of bed has been terrible.
My knees are fine and I still do physical therapy to keep them strong and get them stronger. My goal is to climb stairs. I practice every day, but I don't seem to be progressing very much.
I had another epidural in my back for sciatica and while I am down to a 5 on the 1-10 pain scale (I was at 8 or 9) I still hurt and doing any kind of bending, even when I don't think I'm bending is awful.
For instance, just reaching for the faucet in the kitchen, or trying to turn on the stove is terribly painful. I can't fill or empty the dishwasher. That little bit of bending makes me physically ill. So, I do what I can, which isn't much. I can fill the washing machine and wash the laundry, but emptying the wet laundry into the dryer is another story.
I can cook, mostly, since I have learned to put my cooking items on the upper shelves of the refrigerator and my pantry has been changed around to accommodate the sciatic pain.
My therapists are working on the sciatica and it does help some.
I can now walk if I get myself into a stiffened position after suffering through the standing up process, which is okay. I have been shoppinig a couple of times, but have not tried food shopping.
So, dear diary, that's where I am at this point in my recovery and frankly I'm quite proud since the knees don't hurt at all. In fact, I feel like I'm walking on air, which is a hoot, because I tend to float and then almost fall, mainly because I am slow in moving one leg after another and I think I'm moving the legs faster than I am. That's really hard to describe here.
Alan and I are going to be traveling to Colorado late in the summer and I hope I am able to walk and climb a little bit at least.
ttfn
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
I'm back, I think
The past few weeks have been a time of rehab, exercise, and pain. The pain has been coming from my sciatic nerve, not from the new knees.
All the following information is true if I can push through the pain of the sciatic nerve.
I am loving my new knees. There is no pain whatsoever in them, not even during rehab. My biggest problem currently is balance and re-learning how to walk. When you can't walk properly or hardly at all for more than 10 years, your body doesn't react properly to what you did when you were in pain and over-compensating for that pain.
But now...well, if I could run, which won't happen, I would. I walked quite a bit this past weekend, more than I have since I got the two knees fixed. I felt it, too! I couldn't believe that my calves actually hurt from walking. How long has it been since that has happened? A very, very long time, and I have loved ever minute of that GOOD pain.
My knees will have ugly scars for the remainder of my life, but I don't care. I can walk, and I can with care go up steps, very slowly, and rarely. Curbs don't bother me, but stairs? I try to avoid them. I'm still not sure my legs will hold me up -- that old fear factor. The physical therapist is working on my fears. At least walking is no longer one of them.
So, now I am able to cook again, do some cleaning (I still need my friend to do the deep, down dirty stuff). I can't bend very well because of the nerve problem, which means I can't retrieve things from the refrigerator unless they are at chest level or above. I'm still not up for doing grocery shopping, and frankly, I may never want to do that ever again. Four years of having a personal shopper is going to be hard to get rid of.
I had received a packet from the doctor before I had surgery and was warned that this (bending) might be a problem and to put anything I needed to get in the kitchen or bathroom at chest high level. Reaching up high is not a problem, just bending. The therapist is working on this also.
I hope and pray I'll be very mobile by the time we go out to Colorado for Alan's high school get together. Yes, he and other grown-up MKs from RVA are getting together for a reunion at the end of summer.
One more thing in this blurb -- as a result of all this medical stuff, I've lost 30 pounds, can you believe that?
ttfn
All the following information is true if I can push through the pain of the sciatic nerve.
I am loving my new knees. There is no pain whatsoever in them, not even during rehab. My biggest problem currently is balance and re-learning how to walk. When you can't walk properly or hardly at all for more than 10 years, your body doesn't react properly to what you did when you were in pain and over-compensating for that pain.
But now...well, if I could run, which won't happen, I would. I walked quite a bit this past weekend, more than I have since I got the two knees fixed. I felt it, too! I couldn't believe that my calves actually hurt from walking. How long has it been since that has happened? A very, very long time, and I have loved ever minute of that GOOD pain.
My knees will have ugly scars for the remainder of my life, but I don't care. I can walk, and I can with care go up steps, very slowly, and rarely. Curbs don't bother me, but stairs? I try to avoid them. I'm still not sure my legs will hold me up -- that old fear factor. The physical therapist is working on my fears. At least walking is no longer one of them.
So, now I am able to cook again, do some cleaning (I still need my friend to do the deep, down dirty stuff). I can't bend very well because of the nerve problem, which means I can't retrieve things from the refrigerator unless they are at chest level or above. I'm still not up for doing grocery shopping, and frankly, I may never want to do that ever again. Four years of having a personal shopper is going to be hard to get rid of.
I had received a packet from the doctor before I had surgery and was warned that this (bending) might be a problem and to put anything I needed to get in the kitchen or bathroom at chest high level. Reaching up high is not a problem, just bending. The therapist is working on this also.
I hope and pray I'll be very mobile by the time we go out to Colorado for Alan's high school get together. Yes, he and other grown-up MKs from RVA are getting together for a reunion at the end of summer.
One more thing in this blurb -- as a result of all this medical stuff, I've lost 30 pounds, can you believe that?
ttfn
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
It's been a while
I haven't been on-line for ages. I look at my computer in the morning and say to myself, "Later." Later comes along and I look at my computer and I say, "First thing tomorrow." Well, tomorrow was a few weeks ago.
I have been healing amazingly well. My right leg wants to walk faster than my "ill" left leg, so I tend to trip myself up if I walk unaided, which I do all the time around the house. I still have bad sciatica, but I guess I'll have that the rest of my life. I do exercises which seem to help, so does icing (that's where you put an ice pack on your back, not where you slather your body with sugar and cream).
My next surgery is coming up really fast. Thursday, I go into the hospital for pre-surgery testing. I have already been to my primary care physician and got my pre-op physical, and she will have a finaasl say when she gets the results of my blood and urine tests.
I'm really excited to get it over with. I hope the left leg heals as well as, if not better than, the right leg did. I've been exercising the left leg to get those muscles strong and hopefully that will help with the leg lifts I must complete before I'm permitted to leave rehab.
I've decided to go to the same place as I went to last time for rehab. The draw of going to a place closer to home was strong, but I know what to expect in the place I used last time, and I really don't care if I don't get visitors every day. Frankly, while I love seeing my daughter(s), grandchildren, husband, and friends, it can get tiresome. I don't intend that statement to put off friends and relatives from visiting me, I did enjoy the visits I received last time, I'm just sayin' it was tiring. And, until I could walk without the brace, I was bed bound pretty much, and the room didn't really have comfortable chairs for guests.
I also found out today that the time of my surgery was changed to 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. Bummer. I'd rather have the early time. I can't eat or drink anything from midnight the night before surgery until after surgery. And I remember being so very thirsty last time, not to mention hungry.
So, I wait.
ttfn
I have been healing amazingly well. My right leg wants to walk faster than my "ill" left leg, so I tend to trip myself up if I walk unaided, which I do all the time around the house. I still have bad sciatica, but I guess I'll have that the rest of my life. I do exercises which seem to help, so does icing (that's where you put an ice pack on your back, not where you slather your body with sugar and cream).
My next surgery is coming up really fast. Thursday, I go into the hospital for pre-surgery testing. I have already been to my primary care physician and got my pre-op physical, and she will have a finaasl say when she gets the results of my blood and urine tests.
I'm really excited to get it over with. I hope the left leg heals as well as, if not better than, the right leg did. I've been exercising the left leg to get those muscles strong and hopefully that will help with the leg lifts I must complete before I'm permitted to leave rehab.
I've decided to go to the same place as I went to last time for rehab. The draw of going to a place closer to home was strong, but I know what to expect in the place I used last time, and I really don't care if I don't get visitors every day. Frankly, while I love seeing my daughter(s), grandchildren, husband, and friends, it can get tiresome. I don't intend that statement to put off friends and relatives from visiting me, I did enjoy the visits I received last time, I'm just sayin' it was tiring. And, until I could walk without the brace, I was bed bound pretty much, and the room didn't really have comfortable chairs for guests.
I also found out today that the time of my surgery was changed to 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. Bummer. I'd rather have the early time. I can't eat or drink anything from midnight the night before surgery until after surgery. And I remember being so very thirsty last time, not to mention hungry.
So, I wait.
ttfn
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Another update on my knee
I'm sure anyone reading this will be bored, so please, don't feel obligated.
I am updating my home stay after rehab.
I have physical therapy twice a week at the rehab center down the street (it's about 1-1/2 miles away). It's really not a bother at all. I actually look forward to it.
On April 11th I'll be having my left knee replaced and while I'm strengthening the right knee after surgery, the therapists are also working with me to get my left leg muscles toned up and strong. Not walking for 10 years has really atrophied my legs.
I found out today that our local senior center has a Nu-Step machine -- the machine that was my first instrument of torture after surgery. It became my best friend toward the end of my stay in the Care Center because I could read my Kindle while I pedalled before the stretching and bending and pulling began. At first, however, whoo-boy, did that hurt. In fact, one of the therapists said he wished his phone had a camera because he would have loved to have a record of my face as I struggled to get through those first 15 minutes.
Now, I can walk with no pain on the right side. I love it.
I have dreamed for years that I could walk, and I knew I was dreaming because there was no pain in those dreams. I could go up and down steps without pain -- haven't mastered that yet, in fact, the fear factor hits me every time I try to go up or down stairs. I push through and find that the stairs are not as bad as I thought, as long as I can hold on. I know that's something they will really push me on at the after-surgery rehabilitation in April/May.
So, exactly three months from the day of the right knee TKR, I will have TKR on the left knee. I'm really looking forward to it -- not the operation specifically, but the end-result.
Vacation this summer should really be great. I'll be walking.
ttfn
I am updating my home stay after rehab.
I have physical therapy twice a week at the rehab center down the street (it's about 1-1/2 miles away). It's really not a bother at all. I actually look forward to it.
On April 11th I'll be having my left knee replaced and while I'm strengthening the right knee after surgery, the therapists are also working with me to get my left leg muscles toned up and strong. Not walking for 10 years has really atrophied my legs.
I found out today that our local senior center has a Nu-Step machine -- the machine that was my first instrument of torture after surgery. It became my best friend toward the end of my stay in the Care Center because I could read my Kindle while I pedalled before the stretching and bending and pulling began. At first, however, whoo-boy, did that hurt. In fact, one of the therapists said he wished his phone had a camera because he would have loved to have a record of my face as I struggled to get through those first 15 minutes.
Now, I can walk with no pain on the right side. I love it.
I have dreamed for years that I could walk, and I knew I was dreaming because there was no pain in those dreams. I could go up and down steps without pain -- haven't mastered that yet, in fact, the fear factor hits me every time I try to go up or down stairs. I push through and find that the stairs are not as bad as I thought, as long as I can hold on. I know that's something they will really push me on at the after-surgery rehabilitation in April/May.
So, exactly three months from the day of the right knee TKR, I will have TKR on the left knee. I'm really looking forward to it -- not the operation specifically, but the end-result.
Vacation this summer should really be great. I'll be walking.
ttfn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)