Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May 25, 2010
It's a little after 6pm on Tuesday. This is a quick entry as I am heading to a preview of The Karate Kid with two grandchildren and their father (my son-in-law). Wanted to note that I wdnt to orthopedist today and that office discharged me. They took out the 33 staples and said I am ready to be turned over to the rehab team for all the prosthesis stuff. So, I have a shrinker and a date next Tuesday for casting of Daisy. Dates are here. Gotta go.
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 24, 2010
Had a really busy weekend. My dear friend, Beth, from Rochester, NY came to spend a couple of days with me. She arrived on Friday and left yesterday. Beth is a gardener, par exellance, so we spent time in my garden (or at least she did0, she started by pulling weekds. Then on a trip to Whole Foods and Giant Eagle MarketPlace for some food goodies, we also bought plants. And Beth has planted new stuff in my back yard. I will have more basil than I know what to do with come the end of August - all different kinds. It was really good to have her here with me.
Also had a day of good church stuff yesterday; the music at the service was glorious. We had a guest saxaphonist (name gone from my head and my papers), apparently of world reknown, who accompanied our pretty wonderful pianist in a couple of duets, and played with the choir and the congreataion singing. Wow!! Took Beth with me to church and then to lunch with daughter and friends. Then drove by to see James' house.
More stuff went on during day, but as I was getting ready for bed last night, this came to me:
Why do we wear bras?
They are not comfortable
Can we do without?
So today, I do without. (More than you ever wanted to know).
Tomorrow is doctor's appointment day. I am not too sanguine about this. If all is well, the 33 staples will come out and that won't be fun. Perhaps if they are out, some of the phantom pain will recede. I am on the largest dose of neurotin and it is still banging at me. I am also worried about where I think the big calf muscle should be attached to the front of the tibia. Feels okay, but looks strange. Then again, why should I know what this should look like as it is new for me. I'll report after visit tomorrow.
I have two dogs living with me this week. My dog, Rags and Julie's dog, Moose are here. Julie and family went to Ann Arbor last Thursday for Liam's pentathalon, and when they came home I said that I didn't want to give dogs back. I like their company. So, we will share them for the next two months until Julie et al go to Capetown, and then they will be with me for a year. Have to do something with gate in yard as Moose can open gate and then they go wandering. They did this Saturday while Beth and I were doing our Whole Foods run. Big thunderstorm, makes Moose very unhappy, and his solution was to open gate so they both could take off. (I have a doggy door so they can get in and out of the house - it's not that I left them out in the rain). Blessings on neighbors, Linda and Bob, Jay and John for doing dog rescue in the rain - twice. And I'll get a new latch on the gate this week.
Will report more after visit to doc tomorrow.
Also had a day of good church stuff yesterday; the music at the service was glorious. We had a guest saxaphonist (name gone from my head and my papers), apparently of world reknown, who accompanied our pretty wonderful pianist in a couple of duets, and played with the choir and the congreataion singing. Wow!! Took Beth with me to church and then to lunch with daughter and friends. Then drove by to see James' house.
More stuff went on during day, but as I was getting ready for bed last night, this came to me:
Why do we wear bras?
They are not comfortable
Can we do without?
So today, I do without. (More than you ever wanted to know).
Tomorrow is doctor's appointment day. I am not too sanguine about this. If all is well, the 33 staples will come out and that won't be fun. Perhaps if they are out, some of the phantom pain will recede. I am on the largest dose of neurotin and it is still banging at me. I am also worried about where I think the big calf muscle should be attached to the front of the tibia. Feels okay, but looks strange. Then again, why should I know what this should look like as it is new for me. I'll report after visit tomorrow.
I have two dogs living with me this week. My dog, Rags and Julie's dog, Moose are here. Julie and family went to Ann Arbor last Thursday for Liam's pentathalon, and when they came home I said that I didn't want to give dogs back. I like their company. So, we will share them for the next two months until Julie et al go to Capetown, and then they will be with me for a year. Have to do something with gate in yard as Moose can open gate and then they go wandering. They did this Saturday while Beth and I were doing our Whole Foods run. Big thunderstorm, makes Moose very unhappy, and his solution was to open gate so they both could take off. (I have a doggy door so they can get in and out of the house - it's not that I left them out in the rain). Blessings on neighbors, Linda and Bob, Jay and John for doing dog rescue in the rain - twice. And I'll get a new latch on the gate this week.
Will report more after visit to doc tomorrow.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
May 22, 2010
A quick note about phantom pain and the ghost foot. The pain was getting worse an d lasting longer. I really didn't want to spend the day in bed on pain pills and I hate to be a wimp about pain, but I decided it was time to do something. I had been trying to wait until this coming Tuesday when I see the orthopod again. Decided waiting was too valorous - that it was time to make a call. So, I called the orthopod's office.
Orthopod's fellow called back and said that I did not want to wait to manage phantom pain. He asked if I had nerve pain prior to the surgery, and I said "yup - that I thought I was stretching the nerves unmercifully as the foot was moving off the leg - and that was the cause". He agreed that I was probably right, and said that phantom pain was usually worse if there was nerve pain prior to the surgery. He also said that you don't want to wait to treat it - as you want to interrupt the nerve energy before the neural patterns set in and then become very hard to interrupt. The surgeon's proposed solution was to increase dosage of neurotin - if my pcp agreed.
So, being a good citizen this week, I called the pcp's office (primary care physician - the new buzz word for "your regular doc", and got agreement to increase the neurotin. I am moving from 1800 mg a day to 2700 a day for now. I understand that you can go to 3600 mg with minimum risk. The primary side effect is drowsiness, and I seem to be doing okay on the 2700. The pain has not gone away, but it is feels less destructive to the ghost foot. Maybe a couple of days at this level will decrease it even more. I'll see.
I talked to a friend who's stepmom had an amputation and she reported that her stepmom had phantom pain for somewhere between 8-12 weeks. So, for her, it went away I am hoping that I follow the same model.
And beyond the pain, my friend, Beth, has arrived from Rochester NY. It is good to have her here. I had hoped we could go to Phipps Conservatory and look at the gardens - but it is raining right now - not the best time to roll around in a garden. So, instead, we are gonna watch a movie on my great big TV (all of a sudden, I like watching TV- this big screen is grand), and eat chocolates. A box of chocolates from one of the best chocolatiers in this country - Candinas in Madison WI, arrived the day before yesterday. Sent by two of my dear Madison quilting friends. The advisory on the box is "eat within ten days". I shared a bit with daughter and family this morning, but Beth and I will enjoy most of the rest while we watch a movie on TV.
Orthopod's fellow called back and said that I did not want to wait to manage phantom pain. He asked if I had nerve pain prior to the surgery, and I said "yup - that I thought I was stretching the nerves unmercifully as the foot was moving off the leg - and that was the cause". He agreed that I was probably right, and said that phantom pain was usually worse if there was nerve pain prior to the surgery. He also said that you don't want to wait to treat it - as you want to interrupt the nerve energy before the neural patterns set in and then become very hard to interrupt. The surgeon's proposed solution was to increase dosage of neurotin - if my pcp agreed.
So, being a good citizen this week, I called the pcp's office (primary care physician - the new buzz word for "your regular doc", and got agreement to increase the neurotin. I am moving from 1800 mg a day to 2700 a day for now. I understand that you can go to 3600 mg with minimum risk. The primary side effect is drowsiness, and I seem to be doing okay on the 2700. The pain has not gone away, but it is feels less destructive to the ghost foot. Maybe a couple of days at this level will decrease it even more. I'll see.
I talked to a friend who's stepmom had an amputation and she reported that her stepmom had phantom pain for somewhere between 8-12 weeks. So, for her, it went away I am hoping that I follow the same model.
And beyond the pain, my friend, Beth, has arrived from Rochester NY. It is good to have her here. I had hoped we could go to Phipps Conservatory and look at the gardens - but it is raining right now - not the best time to roll around in a garden. So, instead, we are gonna watch a movie on my great big TV (all of a sudden, I like watching TV- this big screen is grand), and eat chocolates. A box of chocolates from one of the best chocolatiers in this country - Candinas in Madison WI, arrived the day before yesterday. Sent by two of my dear Madison quilting friends. The advisory on the box is "eat within ten days". I shared a bit with daughter and family this morning, but Beth and I will enjoy most of the rest while we watch a movie on TV.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 19, 2010
I voted yesterday - in Pennsylvania - so I participated in this important electoral process. Son came and collected me around 9 am - we used my car (first time in it - and it was very easy to get in and out of) took car to service station to put air in tires - for some reason they were very low, and then went to fire station at local borough hall to vote. While there was an access ramp, the folks inside rolled up the doors that the fire trucks roll out of so that I had most easy access. And after doing my civic duty, I took son for breakfast. Our first stop was a place right in my neighborhood which turned out to be not accessible. So, we went to my favorite large diner, Drew's, very accessible and a breakfast menu that goes on and on. Worked for James and for me.
Today I finally got back to the quilting stuff. I had received a new quilting book from my MOR Associates friends that provided inspiration to work with little pieces of fabric in a less than structured way. I am finding that I can do that - ironing board set at sitting height - cutting doesn't need to be precise, and I have used my left foot for the sewing machine pedal since 1988. I have twelve blocks started. I will keep building these blocks and see what happens.
Daughter, Julie, is leaving with her two children for Ann Arbor in the morning where grandson, Liam, will compete in the Waldorf School fifth grade regional pentathalon with his class. Waldorf Schools fifth grade curriculum focuses on ancient Greece and fifth grade classes do this each year. Julie has been fostering my dog, Rags, since son, James, and family moved in with me more than a year ago. It didn't make any sense to send Rags home when I was heading to the hospital, but Rags came home today with Moose, Julie's dog, and they will both spend a couple of days here. I have a doggie door that they use, so I figure we will all be fine together. Moose is a combination of a German shorthaired pointer and another German hunting dog - name of which is not in my head at the moment. He is six years old and hyper. Rags is a four year old cock-a-poo and is a thief - he puts his nose into all sorts of places and takes stuff from wherever he has stuck that nose of his. It will be a bit more active in the house than it has been since I have come home.
Both of these dogs will be with me starting sometime in July for at least a year while Julie and kids join Kevin in Capetown for the year. I am hoping that I will be able to walk them in the park - maybe not the beginning of July, but by the end of August. One of my clear objectives has been to be able to take Rags for walks in Frick park. May need some help to walk the both of them for a few months - but I am going to work on meeting this objective.
New leg coming soon
Gait training for park walking
With dogs in the fall
(or should last line be
With dogs with no falls)
Chocolate has been arriving in my house. Yesterday it was handmade chocolates from the Pittsburgh Strip District. Today a neighbor brought a box of Belgium chocolates. Then in the mail, a box of chocolates from Candinas chocolates in Madison arrived. I am rationing all of these delights. And today one of those great fruit boxes also arrived - mostly pears, but other beautiful stuff. Had a pear with some chocolate just a little while ago. Believe that will be my supper. And thanks to all the givers of these great gifts.
Daisy continues to shrink. I see doc next Tuesday and will know a lot more about time frame for next set of activities after that visit (I hope). Phantom pain is moving a bit closer to bottom of residual limb. It's like the ghost foot is a bit closer to Daisy. But its still there. While I am not a fan of pain medicine, I am trying to get a prescription refill as this stuff does provide some relief.
Now, I am going to watch The Blind Side, that is the first of the netflix movies in my new subscription. That netflix subscription is a gift too. I am really being well cared for. And I have seen enough of Rand Paul on TV for today.
Today I finally got back to the quilting stuff. I had received a new quilting book from my MOR Associates friends that provided inspiration to work with little pieces of fabric in a less than structured way. I am finding that I can do that - ironing board set at sitting height - cutting doesn't need to be precise, and I have used my left foot for the sewing machine pedal since 1988. I have twelve blocks started. I will keep building these blocks and see what happens.
Daughter, Julie, is leaving with her two children for Ann Arbor in the morning where grandson, Liam, will compete in the Waldorf School fifth grade regional pentathalon with his class. Waldorf Schools fifth grade curriculum focuses on ancient Greece and fifth grade classes do this each year. Julie has been fostering my dog, Rags, since son, James, and family moved in with me more than a year ago. It didn't make any sense to send Rags home when I was heading to the hospital, but Rags came home today with Moose, Julie's dog, and they will both spend a couple of days here. I have a doggie door that they use, so I figure we will all be fine together. Moose is a combination of a German shorthaired pointer and another German hunting dog - name of which is not in my head at the moment. He is six years old and hyper. Rags is a four year old cock-a-poo and is a thief - he puts his nose into all sorts of places and takes stuff from wherever he has stuck that nose of his. It will be a bit more active in the house than it has been since I have come home.
Both of these dogs will be with me starting sometime in July for at least a year while Julie and kids join Kevin in Capetown for the year. I am hoping that I will be able to walk them in the park - maybe not the beginning of July, but by the end of August. One of my clear objectives has been to be able to take Rags for walks in Frick park. May need some help to walk the both of them for a few months - but I am going to work on meeting this objective.
New leg coming soon
Gait training for park walking
With dogs in the fall
(or should last line be
With dogs with no falls)
Chocolate has been arriving in my house. Yesterday it was handmade chocolates from the Pittsburgh Strip District. Today a neighbor brought a box of Belgium chocolates. Then in the mail, a box of chocolates from Candinas chocolates in Madison arrived. I am rationing all of these delights. And today one of those great fruit boxes also arrived - mostly pears, but other beautiful stuff. Had a pear with some chocolate just a little while ago. Believe that will be my supper. And thanks to all the givers of these great gifts.
Daisy continues to shrink. I see doc next Tuesday and will know a lot more about time frame for next set of activities after that visit (I hope). Phantom pain is moving a bit closer to bottom of residual limb. It's like the ghost foot is a bit closer to Daisy. But its still there. While I am not a fan of pain medicine, I am trying to get a prescription refill as this stuff does provide some relief.
Now, I am going to watch The Blind Side, that is the first of the netflix movies in my new subscription. That netflix subscription is a gift too. I am really being well cared for. And I have seen enough of Rand Paul on TV for today.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
May 16, 2010
Distressed foot is gone
But it's ghost is haunting me
Begone ghost! Begone!
And other than that, I am doing amazingly well. I'm quite competent in this wheelchair. Tool around the house easily, and out into the yard. Feeling stronger and more secure with walker. Took chair to front door (pushing walker in front of chair), then moved from chair to walker so I could get out on front porch. Sat in rocker on porch and looked at my beautiful front garden for a while. Azaleas and rhodies are still in bloom. Other plants are looking happy. Chives look quite strong. In back yard, peonies are about to bloom.
And besides enjoying my garden, I am enjoying the company that is coming by. Quilting friends, friends from church (First Unitarian), and long time friends keep coming by with food and flowers and good conversation. And a subscription to Netflix. Thank you all!!
This morning daughter took me to church and a quick stop at Qdoba with two grandchildren for lunch. Yesterday, daughter Julie and I took all grandchildren (five of them) to see Robin Hood. Expected to see merry men. It was not a very merry movie - lots of villages being burned, men being beheaded and horses suffering horrible injuries. Probably should have gone to Iron Man Two instead.
Today, since church, I am hanging around keeping leg elevated and seeing if that does anything to minimize pain. Doesn't seem to. So, I might as well keep tooling around. I am back to doc in about ten days - and at that time, if pain is still a problem, I will do some more thinking about alternative treatment. (Current treatment is an occasional pain pill - the occasion being bedtime so the pain doesn't keep me awake). And there is no pain in Daisy - all pain is in the bottom of the ghost foot.
Took my weekly shower today and getting up and down stairs on butt was much easier than last week. I am assuming that means two things - I am smarter about it and stronger about it. And while upstairs, I used walker to check out rest of upstairs, get some other clothes from closet, made a list in my head about work to be done upstairs. Hate to bother son and daughter as both are about to their a--es in alligators with huge life changing stuff in front of them and much to do to be ready. And they do give me their time and their love. Maybe I need to let some of the "to-do" stuff on that list go - and just try to get the minimum done until I am mobile, ready to organize my stuff, and maybe even wield a paint brush.
Daisy is shrinking. And wound looks like it is healing very well - even with its 33 staples. Hopefully that means Daisy will be unstapled and ready for a shrinker (instead of the ace bandages I wrap her with daily) once I see the doc in ten days. And maybe I'll get some news about when we can begin fitting the prosthesis.
Ghost, begone, begone!
Get out of my life right now
I've got things to do.
But it's ghost is haunting me
Begone ghost! Begone!
And other than that, I am doing amazingly well. I'm quite competent in this wheelchair. Tool around the house easily, and out into the yard. Feeling stronger and more secure with walker. Took chair to front door (pushing walker in front of chair), then moved from chair to walker so I could get out on front porch. Sat in rocker on porch and looked at my beautiful front garden for a while. Azaleas and rhodies are still in bloom. Other plants are looking happy. Chives look quite strong. In back yard, peonies are about to bloom.
And besides enjoying my garden, I am enjoying the company that is coming by. Quilting friends, friends from church (First Unitarian), and long time friends keep coming by with food and flowers and good conversation. And a subscription to Netflix. Thank you all!!
This morning daughter took me to church and a quick stop at Qdoba with two grandchildren for lunch. Yesterday, daughter Julie and I took all grandchildren (five of them) to see Robin Hood. Expected to see merry men. It was not a very merry movie - lots of villages being burned, men being beheaded and horses suffering horrible injuries. Probably should have gone to Iron Man Two instead.
Today, since church, I am hanging around keeping leg elevated and seeing if that does anything to minimize pain. Doesn't seem to. So, I might as well keep tooling around. I am back to doc in about ten days - and at that time, if pain is still a problem, I will do some more thinking about alternative treatment. (Current treatment is an occasional pain pill - the occasion being bedtime so the pain doesn't keep me awake). And there is no pain in Daisy - all pain is in the bottom of the ghost foot.
Took my weekly shower today and getting up and down stairs on butt was much easier than last week. I am assuming that means two things - I am smarter about it and stronger about it. And while upstairs, I used walker to check out rest of upstairs, get some other clothes from closet, made a list in my head about work to be done upstairs. Hate to bother son and daughter as both are about to their a--es in alligators with huge life changing stuff in front of them and much to do to be ready. And they do give me their time and their love. Maybe I need to let some of the "to-do" stuff on that list go - and just try to get the minimum done until I am mobile, ready to organize my stuff, and maybe even wield a paint brush.
Daisy is shrinking. And wound looks like it is healing very well - even with its 33 staples. Hopefully that means Daisy will be unstapled and ready for a shrinker (instead of the ace bandages I wrap her with daily) once I see the doc in ten days. And maybe I'll get some news about when we can begin fitting the prosthesis.
Ghost, begone, begone!
Get out of my life right now
I've got things to do.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 12, 2020, Wednesday
I do remember this from the last big ankle surgery. Once the body recovers from the assault of surgery, it feels to me as if it is time to do things and go places. And that's what is happening now. I want to go to the nursery and buy plants and dig in the garden. I want to go to the quilt store and putter around and come home with more fabric that I don't need. The list goes on. Maybe a trip to Whole Foods or Costco is in there someplace. Now, this is not the most reasonable way to be feeling, because if I do any of those things - in the wheelchair with someone helping, I would be exhausted within a short time. This simply has to wait. I suspect that in a couple of weeks such ventures will be more reasonable in the wheelchair.
It's hard for me to remember that I am less than three weeks post-op because most body parts are working really well. Only pain is that damn phantom stuff. I think I need to name the gone part of the leg - something that goes with being there but not there, so that when I talk to it I have something to call it. At the moment the phantom pain is a burning in the middle of the phantom foot. There certainly is less of this pain than there was, even a few days ago and it is less debilitating. But it isn't gone!!
Physical therapist was here yesterday and he had me hopping around using the walker.
Break for a visitor - my friend Johanna, then grandson on way home from school, then son to bring ghee to grandson. So, its a couple of hours later. And I gave son money to buy me chocolate. Nothing sweet left in house. (He did bring me two donuts for breakfast - and that was a real treat).
I believe that the hopping using walker is part of getting ready to walk with prosthesis. It is hard work. Certainly builds even more upper body strength. It's much easier to lie on bed and do leg lifts and such.
Johanna brought in two days worth of mail - lots of junk mail but lots of cards with good wishes. Probably time for a bit of a rest and a review of the mail. I think there are more cards than bills and that's good news.
Tomorrow is a busy day - a bit of work (by phone) - physical therapist coming back - and someone coming to my house to deal with pantry moths. I am so tired of trying to get rid of these pests, and now, I have an excuse to get help to do it. Maybe Friday I will try cutting out that quilt.
And mentioning help - the home health care nurse discharged me - said that I didn't need to see her. I discharged the home health aid that I had hired - told her I didn't need her help. So, I am a pretty darn independent new wheel chair user. I like that.
It's hard for me to remember that I am less than three weeks post-op because most body parts are working really well. Only pain is that damn phantom stuff. I think I need to name the gone part of the leg - something that goes with being there but not there, so that when I talk to it I have something to call it. At the moment the phantom pain is a burning in the middle of the phantom foot. There certainly is less of this pain than there was, even a few days ago and it is less debilitating. But it isn't gone!!
Physical therapist was here yesterday and he had me hopping around using the walker.
Break for a visitor - my friend Johanna, then grandson on way home from school, then son to bring ghee to grandson. So, its a couple of hours later. And I gave son money to buy me chocolate. Nothing sweet left in house. (He did bring me two donuts for breakfast - and that was a real treat).
I believe that the hopping using walker is part of getting ready to walk with prosthesis. It is hard work. Certainly builds even more upper body strength. It's much easier to lie on bed and do leg lifts and such.
Johanna brought in two days worth of mail - lots of junk mail but lots of cards with good wishes. Probably time for a bit of a rest and a review of the mail. I think there are more cards than bills and that's good news.
Tomorrow is a busy day - a bit of work (by phone) - physical therapist coming back - and someone coming to my house to deal with pantry moths. I am so tired of trying to get rid of these pests, and now, I have an excuse to get help to do it. Maybe Friday I will try cutting out that quilt.
And mentioning help - the home health care nurse discharged me - said that I didn't need to see her. I discharged the home health aid that I had hired - told her I didn't need her help. So, I am a pretty darn independent new wheel chair user. I like that.
Monday, May 10, 2010
May 10, 2010
It's Monday afternoon. I find myself not as eager to make blog entries as I was a few days ago. I think this is because nothing dramatic is going on in my life at this time. I'm simply into the "waiting is" mode. I am able to roll around the house and do most of what I need to do: answer the door, get a bit of food for myself, put a couple of dishes in the dishwasher, wash my face.
This morning I sat at the dining room table and sorted bills and medical statements and other papers and put most in right files in my portable file boxes. A friend came and brought me lunch. The physical therapist will be here late afternoon, a visiting nurse should be here sometime today, and another friend is coming and delivering lasagna for supper.
But, no big ah-ha's, no substantial new insights, simply learning how to manage life on one level of my house from a wheelchair. I want to get at some of the stuff upstairs, I want to take stuff out to the garage, I want to walk around my garden, pull a few weeds, decide what to move where. All that waits - lives with the "waiting is" too.
I'm going to try to do a brief post every couple of days until life gets more interesting again - like when I am being fitted for the prosthesis. Then interesting stuff is likely to be happening again.
Nothing much happens
My chair rolls back and forth and
Back again. I sit
This morning I sat at the dining room table and sorted bills and medical statements and other papers and put most in right files in my portable file boxes. A friend came and brought me lunch. The physical therapist will be here late afternoon, a visiting nurse should be here sometime today, and another friend is coming and delivering lasagna for supper.
But, no big ah-ha's, no substantial new insights, simply learning how to manage life on one level of my house from a wheelchair. I want to get at some of the stuff upstairs, I want to take stuff out to the garage, I want to walk around my garden, pull a few weeds, decide what to move where. All that waits - lives with the "waiting is" too.
I'm going to try to do a brief post every couple of days until life gets more interesting again - like when I am being fitted for the prosthesis. Then interesting stuff is likely to be happening again.
Nothing much happens
My chair rolls back and forth and
Back again. I sit
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