Leg-6 weeks on / Neck-TBA

After reading Tuesday's post my sister Kelly actually called me instead of commenting because she was concerned about me.  Thank you, Kel, but really I'm not sad or depressed.  I'm sorry if I come across that way.  I'm just reporting on my life, and right now it's mostly medical stuff.

I got a call Wednesday from my doctor's office.  They got the results of the MRI back and wanted to set up an appointment with a neurosurgeon, so we did.  That's coming up early next week.

Yesterday I got x-rays and saw the orthopaedist in the morning.  Everything seems to be going as planned.  It has been 6 weeks since the surgery and my knee is still swollen and won't bend much.  I am supposed to start putting a little weight on it, more and more over the next few weeks.  Soon I will start physical therapy to help me bend it.  This doctor is looking at November 3 as my return to work.  Part time for a couple weeks then full time.  Of course this may change...

Yesterday afternoon I saw my primary doctor and we discussed many things.  Most important of all was the MRI results and what may happen.  I have a moderate to severe bulging disc that is pinching off my nerve.  He was so sure that the neurosurgeon would recommend surgery that he went ahead and did the pre-op exam.  Next is finding out how healed my leg has to be for me to get neck surgery (c6/c7).   If it needs to be done then the idea is to get it done sooner so it will be less time off work overall. 

I'll know much more next week but it looks more like when than if  I'll have another surgery now.

October Is Full Of Weekends

Here's something I wasn't aware of - Half the month is the weekend!  I know it doesn't change anything but it's neat to know!

Thanks to Bits and Pieces!

Sleep, Stress And Sickness

I've been having a real hard time sleeping lately.  Mostly I have been sleeping in my recliner the past several weeks so I can have my broken leg in a semi comfortable position.  In bed, I have been limited to just flat on my back, which just doesn't cut it for me..  I've been trying to sleep on my sides in bed recently, and I can, but only for very short periods of time.  So, essentially, I have been sleeping when I am too exhausted to remain awake, which adds up to just a few hours a day.  We have an OTC sleep aid in the medicine cabinet and I think I need to try that tonight.

Last night I had an appointment for an MRI on my upper back/neck area for that nerve problem I was whining about right before I broke my leg.  I last had an MRI about 10 years ago before my lower back surgery.  Since then I feel that I have become more claustrophobic so I requested a sedative so I wouldn't freak out in the machine.  I'm not sure how much of an effect the sedative had, but I got through it.  I had to have my head fixed in with a part that went under my chin, my elbows hit the sides, and when I opened my eyes my nose was 2 inches from the top.  Very small quarters indeed.  I never totally panicked, but I had to keep my eyes closed and I tried to keep myself occupied by counting the pulses or moving my feet rhythmically.  When it was all done I was very relieved to get out of that damn tube.

After coming home from the MRI, about 6:30, we ordered out pizza.  It was time to relax after a stressful venture out.  All trips are stressful still.  I am not used to moving myself longer distances with the crutches or the walker.  I had the crutches last night, but they were nice enough to give me a wheelchair ride back to the elevator.  From there it was just a short hop to the car.  Anyway, after dinner I was out like a light for maybe 2 hours.  Upon awakening I wanted to try to sleep in bed.  Unfortunately my wife was wanting to go to bed at that time too, and she didn't appreciate the noises I was making.  I responded more harshly than I should have, but eventually got up to leave the bedroom to her.  Then it got interesting.  Sickness happened in a few different ways, none of which you want to hear about here.  I have been phlegmy for a few days and I have a heck of a headache this morning, so maybe I'm getting sick or maybe it was just a reaction to the sedative.  Time will tell.

This morning was testy.  I actually slept for about 5 straight hours, very good for me lately.  But my wife had a terrible nights sleep and the stress of having to do everything came to the surface again.  Besides working full time she has to take care of me and do all of the household chores and duties herself and it is taking its toll on her.  To her all I have to do is eat, sleep and heal while her workload and to do list is never ending.  I love my wife greatly and appreciate all that she is doing for me, but it's hard for her to know that right now.  I do wish I was more mobile and could help her.  In time, I guess, in time.  It's certainly no picnic for me, either.

Later this week I have two appointments.  First with the orthopaedic surgeon to check on the progress of my leg.  It is still swollen and I still can't bend it much at all so I highly doubt I will be back to work for a few more weeks yet.  Hopefully I can start putting some weight on it soon and it, well, heals more.  There is an incision over my knee cap about 7 inches long, plus they poked seven holes in my leg all around the area.  All that digging around in my flesh in a relatively small area is proving to need quite some time to heal.  After that, my next appointment is with my primary doctor to discuss the results of the MRI.  I do know that soon I will have to start physical therapy on both my leg and my back.  Hopefully with promising results in both areas or it is possible I may have to have another surgery soon on my back.  Sigh, just what we need...

Post Number Tree Fiddy!

350 posts! 

Breakfast At Ronald's

My wife was nice and ran to McDonald's for me this morning before she went out to breakfast with her father.  I've indulged in their food several times in the past 5 weeks or so, since I broke my leg.  But this morning's meal I could not finish.  The taste had a strong undercurrent of 'burnt'.  Kind of like when you can taste the 'burnt' on a roasted marshmallow that had caught on fire.  Not my favorite taste.  It didn't matter if I had the hash browns or the McGriddle, it all had that taste.  I think I'm done with them for a while again, but I'm sure I'll be back eventually.  I seem to go in cycles with a lot of the foods I eat, like I get sick of frozen pizza for a couple months then buy them again.  Does anyone else do this or am I nuts?

The Most Perfect Internet Video Ever

Wow, I haven't posted all week!  I guess the days have started running into each other and nothing has happened to move me to post.  Well, in this case, no news is good news.  Next week I have a few medical appointments so there should be something to discuss, anyway.

In the meantime, check out the most perfect internet video ever:

Blogging Thoughts

I've noticed lately that Pic Dump 14 has been getting a lot of hits.  I'm not sure how to use all those statistics provided by Google Analytics, or Bloggers new Stats feature either, or else maybe I could figure out why.  It's not that important, I guess.  If I knew why it was so popular though, I would try to do the same thing every time. 

I received more hits in the past month than any other since I've started this blog.  Of course, I attribute that to family and friends checking in because of my broken leg.  It's nice to know some people care, even if they don't comment.  I expect my numbers to go back down to their usual lows soon.  I could really try to comment more on other blogs, try to get on other's blog rolls, and self promote my site more.  But that's not really me.  I do speak up elsewhere and leave my address sometimes, but not too often.

I am a creature of habit.  Most of the bloggers listed on the right I have read for a long, long time.  I've seen them grow and change and used that when I started my own page.  I don't remember where exactly it started, perhaps with Diamond Geezer or Random Acts of Reality, but I started reading several blogs from the UK.  I've always had an interest in that part of the world so I'm sure I gravitated that way.  Over time that list has dwindled to what you see on the right.  Some know of me, some don't.  Some are friendly, some seem intimidating to me.  I still feel like I'm a fake blogger compared to them much of the time.

I'm just me, though, and for some that is good enough.  I could certainly have a worse hobby...

On Bended Knee

Friday night friends came over for a few hours (and a few drinks).  That was fun.  It was the first time in a month I really felt like I was sociable.  My wife said they wanted to do that the first Friday after I was out of the hospital but she called it off.  She said I was not ready for visitors and looking back she was right.  That first 2 weeks I was not really ready for extended visits.  Anyway, friends came over and I felt kind of like a real person with a real life again for a little while.  It was nice.

I'm still unable - or too uncomfortable - to be going out and about.  Technically I guess I could do anything my wife helps me do, but I would be taking a bigger chance of losing my balance or fatiguing my good leg and taking a fall.  This should change once I'm allowed to put some weight on my healing leg and I can bend my knee again.  Even to go back to work I will first have to be able to bend my knee so I can sit in a normal chair.  Right now, if you look at my leg as 180 degrees, I can bend it maybe 10 degrees at the most.  This has to be because of the swelling.  It bends just a little then I feel an internal pressure that just won't allow it to go further.

Most of all, I miss walking.  My good leg gets tired quickly when I'm up and about and my hands are getting sore from supporting my weight when I do move.  I have 2 more weeks until my next appointment so I'm not expecting anything to change at least until then.  Having this broken leg grows tiresome, more and more the longer it takes...

Phoenix On Letterman

Hello, nothing special happening lately.  I did see this on the internet this morning, though.  Remember Joaquin Phoenix' freaky interview on The Late Show a year and a half ago?  Well, he returned to David Letterman last night to admit that it was all a joke.  All made up for a documentary on his career change to rap singer that really isn't a documentary.  I think it's great how Dave seems actually pissed and wants a million bucks for being a patsy in the movie.  I hope he sues his pants off!  LOL

Pic Dump 21

I hope everybody had a nice weekend.  Nothing special happened here except for football, of course.  Both the Badgers and the Packers won, but this isn't a sports blog so you can read about that elsewhere.  For the most part I am just biding my time while my leg heals.  Not too exciting.  I have nothing to do all day but eat, sleep, read, watch TV(ugh) and surf the internet to pass the time.  Mostly I surf the internet.  I find that preferable to mindlessly looking at the idiot box.  I'd like to get drunk.  I have had a few drinks lately, mostly during football games, but not enough to say I was drunk.  The last thing I need right now is to topple over in my walker and hurt myself some more, so anything more than a couple is out of the question right now.  Besides, I don't know if it's because my taste buds are coming back since I quit smoking or the painkillers I'm taking, but whiskey just doesn't taste as good as it used to before the accident. 

Anyway, with all my web surfing I have already collected more than enough pics for another Pic Dump.   So like it or not, here's the third one in just over a week.  (I'll try to be more discriminating in the future.)  As always, discretion is advised after the break, click on the pic to see the original size.   Enjoy!

Speaking of drinking, here's a funny map.  There's a good chart related to drinking near the end, too.