My back surgery...

[The Chairman]

Enjoy your fancy 4W walk & sit toy.

It's a tool. It even costs the same as the one I'm using now. I'm thinking, I'll leave this one in the house and use the four-roller system for when I'm covering lots of ground outside. I just can't bring myself to use those electric carts at the grocery store. I need to exercise, but also need a way to sit when I reach my limit.

That's a real problem at the moment: limits. At the moment, they usually become obvious only when I exceed them. That adds a huge amount of angst as I'm trying to judge things. Having a seat with me really reduces that stress, not only after I reach my limit, but before I even start.

When I taught adaptive Scuba, one of my first realizations, is that we all "adapt" to one degree or another. People with major afflictions need to adapt a lot more, but we all do it. It's true outside of Scuba as well. As I heal, I'm finding that some adaptations I've affected aren't needed anymore. That's cool too. I needed my walker to rise out of my recliner early on, but now I can just stand with little need to push on anything. IOW, I don't suspect that I'll need a walker for more than two or three weeks more, but in the interim, it'll be good to have that flexibility.

 

[Mike Boswell]

It's a tool. It even costs the same as the one I'm using now. I'm thinking, I'll leave this one in the house and use the four-roller system for when I'm covering lots of ground outside. I just can't bring myself to use those electric carts at the grocery store. I need to exercise, but also need a way to sit when I reach my limit.

That's a real problem at the moment: limits. At the moment, they usually become obvious only when I exceed them. That adds a huge amount of angst as I'm trying to judge things. Having a seat with me really reduces that stress, not only after I reach my limit, but before I even start.

When I taught adaptive Scuba, one of my first realizations, is that we all "adapt" to one degree or another. People with major afflictions need to adapt a lot more, but we all do it. It's true outside of Scuba as well. As I heal, I'm finding that some adaptations I've affected aren't needed anymore. That's cool too. I needed my walker to rise out of my recliner early on, but now I can just stand with little need to push on anything. IOW, I don't suspect that I'll need a walker for more than two or three weeks more, but in the interim, it'll be good to have that flexibility.

As I've gotten older I've somehow developed much more sympathy for the afflicted.: "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

 

[The Chairman]

"There, but for the grace of God, go I."

It's more like, I'm going that way along with them now!

But yeah, the less I can do helps me to empathize with those who can do even less. It also makes me think how I can accomplish what I used to do, only a bit differently. Levers, pulleys, and supports, oh my!

 

[chillyinCanada]

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.

Aw, why the long face?

 

[The Chairman]

Leg lifts are pretty easy now. I've started a new exercise where I stand behind my recliner, hold on, and march in place. I don't feel the weakness nearly as much in my right leg as I walk. I also don't have to use the counter to get up from the toilette. I'm still easily winded, and don't feel I have a lot of stamina. That's why I need to walk. We're heading to the river after lunch and/or Scaffs for a good long walkabout.

 

[The Chairman]

I seem to be off oxycontin a second time now. It's been 18 hours, and I'm hoping this time is for real. I'm still feeling tension in the butt and leg, but not really pain. I noticed this afternoon around one-ish, that I got a bit cranky. I was feeling angst which is out of character for me most of the time. I'm guessing that's the withdrawal talking, and if that's the worst, then cool. We'll see how I do. FWIW, we drove to the river and then to Scaffs but I just wasn't feeling it. Again, if that's the worst to come, I'm way OK with that.

I see the surgeon on Monday and find out when I get to swim. I've been scrubbing my back stitches with a loofa this past week when I take a shower. Hoping to polish that skin so that there are no blemishes that would keep me out of the water come Tuesday.

 

[ibj40]

Aw, why the long face?

 

[The Chairman]

I got my new 4-wheeled walker last night. It works well. We went to Leonardo's Pizza where I negotiated a rather steepish ramp, both ways. Brakes rock! I got uncomfortable on their seats (tried 2), but the cushion on the walker allowed me to finish my meal sans pain. I stowed the walker on my own, too. It's a bit heavy and bulky, but doable. I've yet to try driving... maybe tomorrow. Oh yeah, I'm getting better at getting shoes on.

I had to use oxy about 23 hours in. Sigh. However, its interval since is now about 14 hours, and I'm OK with that. It has to be pain, not just discomfort. Marching in place is getting easier. I even did leg lifts while in bed. Only ten as I don't want to eff my back surgery up.

 

[happy-diver]

I've got some relatives about the bosses vintage who have worn their joints out exercising

Obviously what we want from this thread, is optimum recovery, also to responsibly inform
that these prognosis are always more positive, combined with a few pounds of prevention

So it is not always genes, but lifestyle of a lifetime, that interferes with peaceful retirement

Have you returned Bobs fins yet Dude

I'm not here to upset your recovery with what ifs boss as you already have plenty of those

Again best wishes

I want your leg pumping that pottery wheel

 

[The Chairman]

Have you returned Bobs fins yet Dude

Why do I feel passive aggression from your entire post? FWIW, that picture was 6 months after having my first Achilles Tendon surgery. Bob flew to Florida and we invaded Weeki Wachee for me to test out many sets of his fins. The next day we went to 40 Fathom Grotto to continue the fun. It was an incredibly fun time, and it was nice to get to know Bob a lot better. Cool fins, but they really didn't support my frog kick. They all went back home with Bob.

I took my first drive this morning. I drove solo to Scaffs Market and picked up just a couple of things. I'm at the point that I don't need a walker all the time, so I limped to the nearest buggy and went in, using it as my walker. It was a rough night, with lots of pain that seemed to come out of nowhere. I took a 5mg at midnight, which was 14 hours after the last dose. Unfortunately, the pain didn't pass. I ended up taking another 5mg at 4:30 am. It was a fitful sleep at best, so I wasn't feeling all that well during my shopping spree. It was still good to tool down the road and my right leg was able to operate the accelerator and brake with ease. Good stuff, even if I was feeling a bit off.

Oh yeah, getting in and out of the driver's seat is far easier than the passenger side. Why? It's just easier to duck under the roof with my leading foot already in the car. I get to put the right foot in and follow with my body on the left side. I still can't put my left foot in on the right side, without falling, due to weakness in the right leg. It's getting better, but it's not there yet. I have to sit on the right seat first, and then fold myself in.