Three Old Men

Three old men are sitting around the table and talking about life. The 70 year old says he would love to be able to get up in the morning and take a good, healthy piss. The 80 year old says he would love to be able to get up in the morning and take a good, healthy shit. The ninety year old said, "Boys, when I wake up in the morning, I take a good healthy piss and I follow it with a good healthy shit. My problem is I can't get out of bed."

This morning, I was the ninety year old. And that's all I have to say about that!

Knee Saga

I went in to the X-Ray Store last Thursday and had my knee shot up with iodine. This allowed them to take many pictures of my knee and see what's going on. I had no trouble other than having the knee chip move around on me all day. It never hurt but the fluid they injected in my knee hung around a good portion of the day and I had to keep moving the chip around.

I visited with the Orthopaedic Guy yesterday and got this groovy picture of my leg. I thought I had one bone chip floating around in there. It appears I have two. They are depicted by the little tag box next to each piece.

Now the question is whether to do this surgery and remove it and when to do it. I was thinking of postponing it until the first of the year, but that would mean starting all over with my deductible payment. Perhaps that is not a smart move.

I'll think about it and then decide after Susan tells me what to do.

Old, Broken Down and Decrepit

I woke up about 5:30 this morning and realized I couldn't straighten my left leg. Several years ago, this same thing happened to me. I came to work and by about ten o'clock, it was as if someone flipped a light switch and I had full use of my leg again. I'm hoping that's what is going to happen today, but in the meantime, I think it is time to have this fixed.

Close to 30 years ago, I was working out on the property at the Little Spokane River trying to dislodge a log that was up against the bridge.

In the course of this work, I screwed up my knee and broke a small chunk of kneecap off. It has been floating around in my knee since. It hasn't ever really been a problem...except for now.

I'm sure that is what is causing the current problem. The knee cap chip has moved into a position where it is preventing me from straightening my leg.

I'm calling the doctor in about five minutes. Details to follow!

8:25: I've made the call to my Doctor and am now awaiting a return call to see what he suggests. I'm limping around work in the meantime and I don't really feel like doing much of anything.

9:00: Still waiting for the Doctor to call.

9:45: The Doctors office called. they will fit me in at 10:50. Yea!

1:05: I have returned from the Doctor. I got there at the appointed time and they got me in pretty quickly. Dr. O'Connor's Physician Assistant checked me over and then sent me down for an X-Ray. They are going to arrange to get me into an Orthopedist.

I stopped at home to check on a couple of things and call Susan and let her know what was happening. While I was talking to her, I stretched my leg to test it and it stretched out completely with no pain.

I went on down to the X-Ray Machine and got in and out quickly.

3:45: I just a call from my Doctor's office and they are arranging for me to see an Orthopedist on Monday. They want to do another x-ray where they shoot me up with die and then take the pictures. I have to go into a local lab and have my blood drawn. They want to make sure my kidney can tolerate the die.

This looks like it is going to go on and on and on. Oh Joy!

Bicycle Day

I rode the bike today. I tried something new. I timed myself from the driveway to the curb at the Bus Stop. My time was 9:30. Now I have a bench mark to beat.

I had one mishap on the ride where I was trying to beat a Para Transit Van to an intersection. I beat the van but as I bounced across the street, my tail light fell off the bike and smashed across the pavement. To make matters worse, the van ran over the main part of the light as he made the turn. I'm positive he aimed for it. Bastard!

I tried my best to go as fast as I could during the trip downtown. But I have a long way to go before I will be able to substantially challenge that nine and a half minutes. I was huffing and puffing pretty well when I reached the top of the one little hill I have to climb.

We'll see how it goes!

This Side of the Dirt Still

It is just after the Fourth of July. To be accurate, it is the Fifth of July, which according to my calculator is just after the Fourth of July. I believe I have now properly hammered this point.

I continue to enjoy life on this side of the dirt. My back stiffness/pains that I had have seemed to have gone away as mysteriously as they came upon me.

I have no idea what's going on other than it is a wake up call to get my ass in better condition. I have been walking but I need to do more. I was very active over the three day weekend just past (remember the Fourth talk at the top) and exercised quite a bit. I paddled a canoe, I hefted a canoe in order to go paddling, I walked and I rode my bike. I feel pretty good after all that and it reminds me to keep the activity going.

Lunch Walk

I have just returned from a nice little 1.3 mile lunch time walk. I have to do that more often so that I don't feel like I currently do after the walk. A little doughy.

It's a nice day for walk and I took the ol' GPS with me to track the distance and course. It only took me 25 minutes which is not a great pace. I was trying to maintain 4mph but I'm not sure how well did.

Learning from Cats

I figure it has now been a month with this back thing and it is finally starting to fade. Everyday seems different and everyday is unpredictable as to how much pain I am going to experience. Hell, it's unpredictable from one hour to the next.

I was working in the yard on Monday and I was up and down and bending over and not having any problems.

I am stiffest in the morning and I think I need to take a hint from the cats and get in the habit of a routine of morning stretching. I never see the cats just get up. They always incorporate a good long healthy stretch into their process. I am sure I am wound as tight as a rubber band on one of those balsa wood planes. Hey, whatever happened to those? Are they still around? I used to buy those by the bushel and fly them for endless minutes until it crashed and broke.

Uncomfortable Night

What a night! My back pain flared into my legs after I went to bed. It was not conducive to allowing me to sleep. I got up at 2:00 and went down to the hot tub. I was in it for about half an hour and it kind of helped. It at least helped to move the pain from my legs back to my back.

I slept somewhat better through the rest of the night but it still hurt.

I'm going to try and have a massage at lunch and see if they can't rub this thing out.

Dull and Annoying

So I slept but I spent a good portion of the night dealing with this pain in my leg.

It starts in almost the same place were my back pain has been and radiates down my butt and on down my leg. It is painful but in a dull, annoying way. It was really hard to drive to work this morning as it was most uncomfortable. I might describe it as dull and annoying.

I have one other thing to complain about but this is only to note it here and have a date for the noting of it.

A while back Robin Williams was on the David Letterman show and they were talking about their respective heart events. Dave asked if Robin noticed his emotional reactions had changed. They got talking about how much more emotional they were when watching something sad or really happy.

This caught my immediate attention because I hardly ever watch Letterman. Can't stay up that late. No, this caught my attention because I have noticed this in me. I can cry at the drop of a hat. And at stupid stuff. A Hallmark commercial, when they yell, "Bus driver, move that bus!", or anything designed to draw a faint hint of a tear. I'll go ballistic.

Okay, it's noted!

One more thing to note. The last couple of nights I have had a very difficult time trying to stay awake on the drive home. It really concerning. I'm wondering if I am developing Narcolepsy.

So far it has been controllable but is still a bit of a concern to me. I'll be watching this one.

Okay, that is noted too.

The Feeble Decreptitude of a Whiney Complainer

I'm not one to complain. Ask anyone!

I have been wanting to get in here and write for a week about the failing state of my body.

I woke up two Fridays ago to a sudden dull pain in my back. It's on my left back side just above my butt. I was taking the day off to clean the garage and I didn't need the inconvenience of back pain to add to the mix.

I got up and sat in the hot tub for awhile, but that didn't really help. I found that it kind of faded and went away and occasionally returned as I went through the day and nothing I did was going to make a difference.

The pain is still with me a week and a half later. I've been hitting the ibuprofen but can't say that does much. I'm going to do my best not to complain about it. That's what I have this Blog for. My own private OUT LOUD complaining.

Susan and I were working on getting the house cleaned up in preparation for the upcoming Solstice Party on Saturday. She was vacuuming and I was finishing projects. I was up and down the stairs all night and it didn't help that I had a sudden soarness in my right knee. It made tackling the stairs a little extra effort. By the end of the night, I was hobbling on it.

I'm better this morning but it's still sore.

These pains have come upon me with no particular help from me. I went to bed feeling fine on Thursday and woke up with the back pain on Friday. I haven't banged my knee into anything so I can only surmise I have some sort of knee cancer.

But I'm not going to complain.

Bike to Work Number One

It was 47 degrees when I left the house this morning. The toughest part of riding the bike to work is getting out of bed. Once that hurdle is behind me, everything is great.

Everything except my stamina. Wow! Me out of shape. The one hill I have to climb (one block long) really had my huffing and puffing. I needed the rest once I got to the Bus.

The river is really raging. It running at 16,600 cubic feet per second, according to the paper. That's high but I have seen it running at 50,000.

Just past the river is the demolition of the old YMCA building. It was the only private structure on the park and in spite of the cost, I really think it needed to be removed. No there will be a natural spot there forever...or at least until I'm dead.

Presently it costs me about $7.50 a day to drive my car to work and back again. It's probably higher than that when you factor in insurance and wear and tear.

It costs three dollars to ride the bus to and from work and I get to read the newspaper. Plus, the buses are equipped with Wi-Fi so I can surf the interweb on my Ipod.

PLUS, I need the exercize.

I rode a total of 8.18 mils today.

Changing Into an Old Man Part 1

For the first time in my life, I am inconvenienced by Spring.

Let me start out by saying that it hasn't been much of a spring. Unless you like the cold and the wet, this has been a trying vernal period.

I have been sneezing my face off since yesterday afternoon. It just now occurred to me that it might be pollen related. Pollen has never been an issue for me in years past. I guess this is a reflection of my fabulous good health.

It has been moist for a while now. There have been a couple of nice days but for the most part, it has rained a lot since the First of March.

Now that I have it in my head, I'll try to pay more attention to how it effects me.

Week Eight

Tomorrow will begin week Eight of when I first felt the slightest little twinge of discomfort that lead to full blown Shingles.

I am happy to say that I finally got in to see Dr O'Connor (or at least his Assistant) and got some medicine that is attacking the damaged nerve. I've been taking Neurotan and more Hydrocodone. I have run out of both drugs and while I still feel a slight tenderness, I no longer feel I need the drugs. I will therefore, not renew them.

Safeway had a sign out front of their Liberty Lake store yesterday that said, "Get your Shingles Shot here!" I went in to inquire. They recommended I not have it for another month and I will be required to get a prescription from my Doctor. The cost of the shot is $210.00. My health insurance will not cover it because I am under 60 years old.

So now I have something to start my list entitled, Good Things about turning 6o."

Cardiologic

I saw my Cardiologist yesterday and all is well with me...as far as my heart goes. I asked him about the Shingles and if I should be getting more anti-viral pills to combat it. He said the virus is gone and what I am dealing with now is the damaged, inflamed nerve. So Suck it Up and Quit the Damn Complainin'!

After I saw the Doctor they took me to another room to check on the status of my Defibrillator. The battery is good for nine more years. They showed me an event I had on August 16th where the Defib detected an increasing heart rate, and paced my heart back to normal. Had I not had the unit, that might have led to a heart stoppage event which would have created a funeral event and a nice party event afterwards. Unfortunately, I would have been unable to attend the party even though it was in my honor.

Before yesterday, I have been questioning whether the Defibrillator was something I really needed or if Dr. Kadel just needed a Jaguar payment. Turns out I needed it.

Another Shingles Update

I am now into Day Two of Week Five of having Shingles. The rash is loooooong gone but the pain and tenderness on my torso continue. I continue to have intermittant sharp pains on my side and stomach that only last a few seconds. On Thursday, I had a burning sensation on my side that grew and grew for about 20 seconds. It was exquisitly painful. I haven't had anything like that during this whole ordeal and I hope that is the last one.

I am seeing my Cardiologist on Tuesday so maybe I'll get a different insight on this from him. In addition, I'm going to get in touch with my Doctor this week and see if there is anything else to do but eat 10 milligrams of Hydrcodone all day long.

Shingles Update

I am approaching the third week since I first felt the onslaught of the Shingles. It's still hanging on. The rash has retreated but the pain has stayed put. The pain is a constant tenderness throughout the right side of my trunk. It sure gets on your nerves.

I am going to attempt to bar tend tomorrow. I'm not sure how that is going to work out but I am going to be uncharacteristically tough and soldier through.

Not Dead, but not giving up either

I am ending my six months of silence with an important health update. I am not dead!

I am however, trying!

I was feeling miserable last week. I had a very sharp intense pain in my side...as if someone had hit me with a board or something. I tried to get in to see my Doctor but there were no appointments open so I was off to the Minor Emergency Clinic. I was really reluctant to go in but I sucked it up and ended up waiting only about half an hour before I was in an Exam Room. Then I waited about 15 minutes for the Doctor to come in.

I described my symptoms and he asked me to take off my shirt. I had it unbuttoned and opened it to remove it and he said, "Oh! You have Shingles."

Shingles is a remnent of Chicken Pox. If you've had the Pox, you have the Shingles Virus living somewhere in your spine. At some point, it may decide to attack one of your nerves and then, you have shingles.

I was off work all last week. I am at work today but I have a steady dull pain in my side where the board hit me. Being the pussy that I am, it remains to be seen how long I will last at work.