My back surgery...

[Mike Boswell]

Olaf came back for pets last night and didn't need another cat to get close. He's so confused, wanting the attention and pets, and yet scared I'm going to do something to hurt him. Fewer bites, but I didn't pet him as long, either. He simply plopped down by my calf and slept.

I made a Home Depot outing yesterday. I exceeded my limit while I was still shopping. I didn't see it coming, and all of a sudden, I'm winded and needing to sit with nowhere to sit. I need to get a walker that I can sit on. In any event, I didn't die and I see a real need.

Pro Tip: HD's have nice comfy patio furniture displays where a guy can sit, and even put his feet up, and watch the people go by while he tries to remember the stuff he came there to get. No store employee will pester you by asking if they can help, because they're all busy flirting with each other, and every once in a while a cute girl walks by, which is a bonus.

 

[DandyDon]

I made a Home Depot outing yesterday. I exceeded my limit while I was still shopping. I didn't see it coming, and all of a sudden, I'm winded and needing to sit with nowhere to sit. I need to get a walker that I can sit on. In any event, I didn't die and I see a real need.

I avoided stores that didn't offer electric carts I could ride for several weeks.

I considered getting one of those, but I outgrew my walker before I did. Do you have canes? If not, get a couple. Adjustable height models cost $6 to $10. I haven't used one in a month, but I keep them handy in different locations including my car.

I have two grab bars in my shower and one outside of it. I hope you have several.

 

[tursiops]

I have two grab bars in my shower and one outside of it. I hope you have several.

 

[Mike Boswell]

Today, I noticed that my right leg is incredibly stiff when I'm not using the walker. It wants to buckle if I try to bend the knee at all. Using the walker hides this as I can put weight on it to compensate for the knee. Not sure how to proceed on that. Work on the limp without the walker, or keep using it until I gain the strength needed. Or is going without the walker for a bit at a time going to strengthen it?

We have a friend who sprained her ankle, so she walked funny for several days, and that put stress on her hip, so now she has a bad hip. Prolly best* to use the walker...

*Disclaimer: I have no medical training and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about ...

 

[Joneill]

We have a friend who sprained her ankle, so she walked funny for several days, and that put stress on her hip, so now she has a bad hip. Prolly best* to use the walker...

*Disclaimer: I have no medical training and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about ...

Walking funny for several days is not long enough to stress your hip and make it bad - It had to be bad already and that might have agrivated it enough to start noticing it … (speaking as someone who just had a hip replacement 9 weeks ago - my hip went from no issues to slight occasional soreness over 3 months and then to super painful to walk any distance over just 3 weeks).

But I agree - use the walker as needed!

 

[Mike Boswell]

Walking funny for several days is not long enough to stress your hip and make it bad - It had to be bad already and that might have agrivated it enough to start noticing it … (speaking as someone who just had a hip replacement 9 weeks ago - my hip went from no issues to slight occasional soreness over 3 months and then to super painful to walk any distance over just 3 weeks).

But I agree - use the walker as needed!

It may have been longer. She's twenty something and very healthy and athletic. Sprained her foot/ankle rock climbing. She favored it for a while, limping. Then the hip started hurting. I'm pretty sure it's temporary.

We often see this phenomenon with horses, where one injury causes stress on another part of the body, leading to injury there.

 

[chillyinCanada]

It may have been longer. She's twenty something and very healthy and athletic. Sprained her foot/ankle rock climbing. She favored it for a while, limping. Then the hip started hurting. I'm pretty sure it's temporary.

We often see this phenomenon with horses, where one injury causes stress on another part of the body, leading to injury there.

Don't call her a horse. I'd imagine that won't go well for you.

 

[The Chairman]

Do you have canes?

I do and am afraid of them. I saw my MIL recovering from a hip replacement, and almost ready to move back home, trip on hers and break the other hip. Sigh. I was almost free of her and had to endure another 2 months of recovery. Her daughter and I are no longer married.

My overland walker will be here tomorrow. 4 wheels and a seat so I can take a break. I really would have loved that in Home Depot on the day before yesterday.

My nephew installed a new pressure switch on my franken-shop compressor just before my surgery. It kept popping the breaker, which turned out to be an attempt to go way, way beyond the stated limit. The breaker popped when she got to 230psi. Yikes. I wanted 140. It's not my nephew's fault, as he has no idea what that black box was supposed to do, much less how to adjust it. So yesterday, I made the epic journey to the other side of my shop to suss it all out. High weeds, obstacles, black ants and more stood in my way. My nephew brought out a stool, cleared the way, and watched me like a hawk as I made my way. So glad I thought of putting the stool out there before I got there. I needed it. A few turns of a screw, and I think we got it. I couldn't stay any longer, so we'll check it out more this morning. Still a huge success as far as I am concerned.

I need it so I can use my plasma cutter. My current mailbox is pretty bland and small. They stuff it so full, that it's sometimes hard to empty it. So, I bought a very large black one, painted it white, and while I was going to paint a dive flag on it, found some large stickers on Amazon that are reflective. This project is over 6 months old... maybe even a year... so it's good to get it going again. I have a bunch of 1.5" angle iron, that I'm going to make a mount with. Here are pics of the mailbox, and my Onshape rendering of the mount. I left the welds and screw holes off the renderings. The 4x4 post is already in place but needs to be cut down 4" or so.

Without the 4x4 post.

 

[Mike Boswell]

Don't call her a horse. I'd imagine that won't go well for you.

Ha Ha - You might not know much about horses or horse people. Allow me to educate you. Horses are beautiful, powerful, intelligent, fun-loving, and loyal. Everything that humans, too often, are not. With us, being called a horse would be the highest compliment imaginable.

 

[DandyDon]

I do and am afraid of them. I saw my MIL recovering from a hip replacement, and almost ready to move back home, trip on hers and break the other hip. Sigh. I was almost free of her and had to endure another 2 months of recovery.

Yeah, don't try to use them too soon. When you think you have outgrown the walker, then use it correctly. Enjoy your fancy 4W walk & sit toy.