Getting Better All The Time

Spent half of last month in the hospital because of yet another bladder infection. IV fluids and antibiotics did the trick. Back to home PT for a while, Best news is no catheter, which greatly reduces the risk of bladder infection.

Which I'm all for. Two is enough.

(In other news, I decided the site needed a change, so a new look.)

I Am A Neurological Mess...

...according to one medical professional familiar with what I've been through in the last three months.

The short version is thus:

• Total knee replacement
• Go home
• Start falling down
• Fall down hard enough to squish the dressing hard enough to make Hitchcockian spatter
• Get re-admitted
• Surgery to repair the open wound (looked like a watermelon with a big wedge cut out of it - I have pictures!)
• Go to the nursing home I think fondly of as Bedlam
• Develop a UTI and sepsis - hold at a LaGrange point for about 5 days (no memory except 3 little snippets) until getting back to low-Earth orbit, then touching down five days later.
• Lost 25 pounds
• After a month at Bedlam, off to the surgery center to release pressure on my cervical spinal cord.
• Weakness, numbness, and lack of range of motion, endurance, strength, and sense of touch slowly returning with physical and occupational therapy. 
• Lots and lots of physical and occupational therapy. 

Three surgeries in two months. 

Neurosurgeon says 18 months of healing. And I may not get everything back, but we stopped the continuing damage.

It wasa scary to wake up every morning, wondering what I won't be able to do today.  Now, it's kinda fun to wake up and find out what I can do today.

Friends remark that I seem  to be in good spirits in the middle of all this. I try not to worry about the things I can't do.

I also think about the man I saw in therapy, who was re-learning to correctly say the names of a fork and a spoon.

I got no problems.

World Covid Map

From Johns Hopkins University, the Covid dashboard. Click the image to open a new window:

(Amazes the heck out of me that China has so few cases!)

Link List: Wuhan Virus Articles

(Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

This is a collection of links to articles on the various aspects of the Wuhan Lab leak issues (newest at the top).

I'll pin this, and update it as I find new stories.

6.7.2021:

Daily Mail, Genome Sequencing Proves Virus Man-made 

Hudson Institute, A Just Response

As of 6.6.2021:

Daily Mail. Patient Zero

New York Post, Fed Money for Bat Study  

Vanity Fair, Lab Leak Theory

The Bulletin, Virus Origin, People or Nature 

Quick Note...

I picked up the new glasses on Sunday. The scales fell from my eyes, and I could see!

I suspect most of the problem was with the totally scratched lenses.

And, I  have an appointment with the opthamologist in August, for a consult about possible surgery.

The right eye, BTW, is doing fine. Slight tweak to the old prescription, nothing as catastrophic (my word) with what's going on with the left. I was watching the laptop reboot, and I noticed that  the row of dots Mint displays were reasonably clear for both eyes, with glasses. Without, the dots looked more like a row of half daisies. Actually, a pretty cool little pattern.

If I can duplicate it, I'll try and sketch it.

Back Aches and Fuzziness...

...aka "Encroaching Decrepitude."

The back has become troublesome again, in a slightly different place since the surgery. Occasional sciatica, fairly constant ache. Discussed it w/ the doc, and we agreed that  a couple of pics were in order.

 Result? Some disk degeneration, nothing to do about it.

Eye exam Monday. Vision in left eye continues to deteriorate. (I refer to that as "crashing".) Going to see an opthamologist in a couple of months for a consult. Cause is most likely cataracts, but is it time for surgery? Everyone I know who has had it done is enthusiastically positive about their results.

Not really worried about the repair, but disheartened by the incontroveritble evidence of age and mortality.

The black Dog has even paid some visits, when I've not started the day with the appropriate medications. When I don't, and he visits, it takes a good chunk of the day from me before the meds kick in and he is persuaded to leave. I know how that sounds almost "victim-y". My training in practical Christian metaphysics informs me that "I am in control", but it seems not of the Dog.

I am getting 'pings' from the Universe lately, on seeking help, and on courage. I haven't gone looking for them, they have found me. Bob Owens' sudden and apparent suicide Monday has prompted posts on getting help or finding someone to talk with. Most interestingly, a co-worker recently shared the story of some of his troubles with me, and was supportive when I told him about my crashing eye.

Found at Madam Scherzo's

My own Introversion and the practical Christian metaphysics I have learned leave me hesitant to find and join a church. I occasionally noodle with the idea of showing up a the local Catholic establishment, hearing a Mass, and most importantly, listening to a sermon or two to get a sense if I could be comfortable talking with one of the priests. (That was one part of Lent that never happened. I also resumed drinking after about three weeks. I did stay off Twitter the whole time, so there's that.)

Since there's no neat denouement to this post, I guess it just stops, for now.

More, later.

Advancing Decrepitude

As of today, I am Officially Enrolled in Medicare!

I clearly remember this!

That is all.

(BD in two weeks...)

TEK RMD

This is cool! I gather from the site that it's still in development, but I want to share!

A user transitioning from a standard wheelchair to the TEK RMD

Link to one of their videos.  (Warning - it may auto-start!)

(I can't seem to embed it.  Sorry!)

I Am Now Free To Roam About The Planet! Updated!

Update - moving this thread to the Window on Red Lion blog.  Too much crazy shit going on to mix my health issues in with 'em.

Well, that was fun...

I was released from the therapy hospital last Wednesday, and stopped off to see the surgeon on the way home.  He pulled some of the staples, and I have another appointment next Wednesday for the rest of them.  Healing well, take it easy, no strain, etc, etc, etc.

So, why 2 weeks instead of 2 - 3 days??  I'll tell ya.

Apparently, Oxycodone and I do not get along.  As you know, I went to college during the late 60s and early 70s.  The oxy took me to places that were a) weirder, b) not really fun, and c) where I have no wish to return.  It also (apparently) caused my bladder to go off line, so I got to get yet another catheter.  I slept most of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, sleeping and detoxing in a military-industrial Alice in Wonderland sort of world.  Seemingly very real, so when I awoke, I would have to remind myself that none of it could have happened, because I was in a hospital room, and had been for a few days.

I got transferred to a rehab hospital for physical and occupational therapies.  The night before I left (Monday) as I was taking my evening constitutional around the nurses' station, I saw two people in wheel chairs w/ IVs, and heard someone in the room next to me discussing how people are treated with dignity after death.  I then saw the two people in wheel chairs, and one in a hospital bed being moved out.  I have a feeling that there was some donor/transplant stuff going on.  Next morning, I awoke to a conversation amongst several women just outside my door.  It seemed to be about the three individuals, but it had the tone and quality of a Seal Team debriefing.  Someone said three words, someone else responded with three words, done.

I wondered a) if they had rappelled into the OR from a Black Hawk, b) if they knew I was in the next room hearing all of this, and c) what my current life expectancy was due to b.

Obviously, I hadn't completely dried out.

Rehab was mostly about making sure I could do things like manage stairs, do all of the things one needs to do in a bathroom, cook, do laundry, and some basic strength and stretch work, within the limited weight and motion restrictions I'm under.  And walking.  Lots of walking.

So.  I seem to be healing up nicely.  I've over done a bit here, since I left the house thinking I'd be back in 2 - 3 days, not two weeks.  Laundry is done, dishwasher emptied and partially re-loaded.  Not expecting company, so not worried about the rest of it.

I'm rejoicing in an almost complete lack of pain for the first time in almost 40 years!  The incision itches, the back muscles are sore and achy, but I can walk unaided (I use a cane for assist in balance when necessary, or going up and down stairs).  Took the dogs for a walk yesterday, first time in ages (don't ask).

I'm scheduled for out-patient PT starting next week.  I have a feeling that this will more about strength, endurance, and range of motion.  I tire easily, and that's a bit frustrating.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers and good wishes and thoughts for me.  I know that has supported me through this "interesting" time.

I am comfortable, all news is good, and I'm figuring out how I want to live in a house with a basement and three stories.

Thank you all.  Blessings upon you and those you hold dear!

Hello, World!

I'm using Jen's emails as the basis for a short post.

Dad's doctor just called and said everything went A+.  Took care of the fact that everything was "horribly compressed" by drilling out everything they could while keeping the integrity of the joints intact. They also removed a cyst growing out of one of the joints.  Extremely minimal loss of blood, a teaspoon maybe, and no spinal fluid leakage. All in all it went well.  He's in recovery now.

Update:

My Dad is going to be in the hospital past Friday (yesterday's plan) due to the need for observation and physical therapy.  He's in pain understandably and trying to sleep as much as possible right now.  So, he will reach out to chat when he's ready. I will share more as I know more.

I will share more information but I expect my Dad will be making calls and sending emails directly as soon as he can.

Well, here it is, Thursday morning, un-godly early, and I thought I'd check in.  Jen actually knows more about it that I do, since I sort of wasn't there at the time.  I was doing OK thru Wednesday morning,  until the Oxycodone took a sharp turn South, with me along for the ride.   Sadly, it caused my bladder to think that it could go offline.  After about 24 hrs of futzing, I got a new catheter, and by Monday I was in low-earth orbit.   Tuesday, I was transferred to a physical therapy/rehab center.  Goal is to get me able to magnage both the Shibas and the stairs at the house.  Wound is healing well (photos below the fold, for the squeamish).  Did I mention he took a cyst out, as well??  Good times!

Thank you all for your encouragement, support and prayers!

Lee

We Can Repair Him...

...we have the technology!

Had my consult with the neurosurgeon yesterday.  He did a bit of poking and pushing on his own, and confirmed what I was pretty sure of - surgery is indicated.  Both L1 - L2 and L4 - L5 are pretty well munged, and L2  -L3 is also degraded.  (My numbering may be off a bit - it's the whole lumbar part of the spine.)  I could get away with letting the L2 -L3 go, but on the other hand, we both agreed that going back in later was something neither of us wanted.  So the entire lumbar section of my spine will be "decompressed".  Basically, that means re-opening the foramen (the hole) that the nerves pass thru, to alleviate the pressure, and thus the pain and weakness.  (I did a quick look on spine-health.com. which goes into some detail and apparently has videos.  I only take umbrage at the comment "A condition that primarily afflicts elderly patients, spinal stenosis is caused by degenerative changes that result in enlargement of the facet joints."  Elderly my tuchus!)

He expects the procedure to last about 2 1/2 hours.  He's not sure if there's any interesting disk degeneration, but will tend to that if need be.  He doesn't want to do a fusion at this point.  Based on my recovery, I'll be in the hospital one to five days.  My personal goal is one day only.

I go in on the 16th of this month.

Prayer in any denomination is appreciated.