Birds, Birds, Brids and more Birds

Thought that I would share some pictures that I managed to snap this afternoon. There were so many that I could not count them all. DH says he has added a little sugar to the food and they must be telling all their long lost cousins that there is food at our house...

AND MORE PT FOR ME...CRAP OLA...This is not what I wanted to hear from the Doctor today. I really thought that he would release me. WRONG ANSWER...I have to wear the brace for another 4 weeks and get this, get in a pool three times a week and do PT...I have no pool nor do I know anyone anywhere close to me that has a pool. I ask if there was another alternative, and he said sure, there are plenty of public facilities in the city that have pools. Well DUH...I live 30 miles from the city. He assured it that I would thank him in the long run, so I will start looking for a swiming pool first of next week. He reminded me that he told me that it was going to be anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks from surgery date. I guess he is right. He assured me again that the repairs that he did to my ankle was very unusual and usually only happens in athletics. So the good ole Doc wins this one. I will do as he says...

NO MORE CRUTCHES...

IT'S ALL OVER WITH EXCEPT THE PAIN FROM THE PT...I never thought this guy could put so much pain on someone. It's for my own good I know, but good grief, I have been soar for two straight weeks now and it seems that there is no end to it...Three days a week of this PT is killing me.

It was 8 weeks ago today that I had surgery, and it has been two days since I used a crutch.

What a huge milestone for me as my PT said yesterday. He says that I have come a long way, but have a long way to go. My injury was very unusual I am told by the doctor and my PT. They have not seen very many cases like mine except in football players. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but oh well. IT'S ALMOST ALL OVER.

I have two more weeks of PT and I sould be good to go. Having more difficulty with trying to get my range of motion back than they anticipated, so it will take just a little longer than most folks take he tells me.

I still have to wear a small brace, but that is not a bad thing at all, as it keeps my foot from going side to side and that is what they don't want me getting in a hurry to do at this point.

8 weeks ago this morning, I was sitting in the hospital waiting room raising all kinds of y ou know what because I was hungry, and today I am back walking. Not walking perfect, but we are working on that.

IT'S A GREAT HOT AS HECK DAY HERE IN THE SOUTH....

FIRST PT SESSION

The Therapist gave me one hell of a work out today just let me tell you.

He says that I am doing good considering what all I had done. I have a long way to go he says. No chance of getting rid of these crutches anytime in the next week or so. I was so looking forward to hearing him say that I was real close to putting them down. He says that maybe by the end of the week next week I just might be on one crutch. He says that he could tell that I was scared that I was putting too much weight on it. I have a hard time of judging how much I was putting, but he says all is good.

The very first thing he did was grab my foot and push it towards me, and I thought he was going to kill me, but he assured me that he would not do anything that would damage the surgery. Gee thanks dude, but you are hurting me I said.

He helped me try to walk on one crutch today, and says sorry, but you are just not ready right now. He had me stand up without anything supporting me, and lord how mercy I felt a sharp pain, but he says that is normal. Apparently I have got to learn how to stand up straight before I can try one crutch, and I could tell after he positioned me that I was standing very slouchy and to the right a lot.

After he gave me one hell of a work out, he sat me down on a pad and came back with an ice pack and a timer. Damm, I thought those 10 minutes would never come to an end. That crap was cold cold cold, but it did the trick.

I had no idea how flabby and useless the botton 1/2 of my leg had been, but he sure knows how to get the muscle back.

I have lots of homework, and he wants to see some progress on Monday when I am scheduled to return. I am off to go soak in a hot tub and relax.

BREAKING NEWS IN UTAH...

They are thanking the State of Mississippi and Governor Barbour for responding in record time and sending a C-17 Globemaster III Tactical Transport Aircraft to Kansas to pick up the truck that was driving to Utah with some hi-tek equipment. It was going to take the truck several days to make the run, and they felt that they did not have that kind of time. They say it has just landed in Kansas, and is loading the truck up and will head out shortly. Mississippi has a wonderful Governor even if I must say so myself.

The very first C-17 Globemaster was delivered to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing, based in Jackson in December 2003. The C-17 was named "The Spirit of the Mississippi Minutemen," shortly after its arrival.

NO MORE CAST...

It's history, but I have to tell you, I feel very uncomfortable without that stupid red thing attached to my leg. I will have to wear a walking cast for several days and after that I will go to the lace up brace. He had me try to walk just on my foot, and I have to tell you, it felt really strange and scary.

I have lots of therapy to go through.

It sure was nice to come home and stick my foot in soapy water.

Very nice scar if I have to say so myself. The Doc did a fine job

Got to run. Have to stick my foot in a container full of sand and begin therapy. Not my most favorite feeling at all.

5 MORE DAYS

It is a for sure thing and I am certain of that. Only five more days in this cast, and he is putting me in a brace. I ran into the Doc in a restaurant earlier today and he just made my day. Says that I have been good. Even said that I should start putting just a little bit of weight on it between now and Thursday. Told me to bring my a thick sock, tennis shoe for my good foot and my crutches. He says the knee thingie will be history and I will be on the crutches for two to three weeks, but will be able to put some weight on my foot with the brace on.

He instructed me to have DH get a rubbermaid container and fill it half full with sand so that I can start my theraphy as soon as I get home on Thursday. Not sure about the sand. I have never liked sand inbetween my toes. LOL... He says that I can't just start walking without crutches, that I will have to gradually work up to one crutch and then no crutch at all.

Needless to say, I AM VERY EXCITED. It's a good thing he is my bosses good friend. Not sure that I would be treated this well if I did not have a good connection. He is a great surgeon, and I feel like he treats all his patients this well, but still nice to know that all I have to do get the boss to make the call and I am in there that same day.

I am just a little nervous about putting a little weight on this thing. I would normally say ok, let's try this, but I just don't seem to excited. Maybe I am just a little scared.

ANOTHER OUTSIDE STROLL

I really wanted to make it to the end of the yard, but just could not do it. I wanted to see if I could figure out where I want the flag pole to go, but it will just have to wait until I can get down there on foot.

DH even got the riding mower out to see if I could ride it down there, but the clutch and break are on the left side. Oh well, it won't be much longer. At least I got a few pictures.

7 DAYS AND COUNTING

Yes that is right. At least I think that is how it is going to be. I have 7 days left in this red cast, and next Thursday I return to the Doctor's office to get this thing cut off. Then I will go to a walking cast. Gosh, I won't know how to act.

I sure hope that the Doc does not disappoint me and make me keep this thing on for another week. They will have to wipe up tears if that's the outcome...

P.S. I will post a picture of the best birthday present ever as soon as the project is finished. It will take DH a little time, but it will be well worth it. I have been asking for a real true FLAG POLE (25 feet) for some time now, and guess what...He came through for me. It's huge and I have changed my mind now three times where I want it to be. He is not going to keep digging holes and putting the dirt back in too many more times. I have to make up my mind and soon.

MY FIRST DAY IN THE YARD AND SHOPPING

It was so nice out this morning I decided to venture out the back door and do a little picture taking and this is all I could find by scooting around on my butt on the back deck. LOL...

Then my best friend Carol called and wanted to know if I wanted her to come up and take me to town. Well I was just itching to go buy a few groceries, but somehow never ended up at the grocery store. We hit Academy and the mall and by that time I was give out. I had to make sure I had not forgotten how to spend money. It all came back to me in no time at all. My plan was to find a pair of shoes that had a higher sole on them, and we managed to find two pair, and it definately helps me on the knee thingie.

I am give out, but I will sleep well tonight for sure.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

After being convinced that I had better go and let the doctor cut my cast off and take an x-ray after the fall, I'm now glad that I did. The minute my cast came off, my foot immediately turned in, and when the Doctor took one look, he said we have got to reset it.

It's a good thing that I went in today, because another two weeks of my foot not being in the cast right would not have been good come August 2nd.

I went prepared with the proper toiletries to shave that hairy leg, and the nurse told me that I could not do it, but as soon as the nurse left the room, I began the task, and was finished before he knew what I had done almost. He thought I had lost my mind when I pulled my camera out and started taking pictures. I told him that I had to have pictures of this inconvenienced crap of a mess that I am in.

I let the nurse decide what color of cast to put back on me since I was in trouble with him, and he picked RED, and I mean bright RED.

After three hours in the doctor's office I was off to get me one of these little gadgets...

KNEE THINGIES, KITTIES AND HUMMINGBIRDS

Me and this thing just do not get along. Everybody has been telling me that it was going to happen, and today was the day that I busted it big time. When I says big time, I mean that literally. At least I fell in the office and no one saw it. It took me a few minutes to get back up, and when I finally made it back to the bosses office, he knew that something had happened. He says that he is going to just go ahead and take me to the retirement center and let me pick out one of those walkers with a basket on the front.

It was all I could do to not shed a tear. It hurt like hell. My bad foot caught all my weight, but my arm also got caught on a table and it is already bruised. My foot is very swollen tonight, but I kind of figured that would happen. I will give it until tomorrow afternoon and if it is not better, then back to the doctor I will go.

Since I can't get up and go outside to take the pictures of the hummingbirds, these will have to do. The kitty has not left the chest that is under the window in over two hours now. You can hear her making all kinds of noises, and her little mouth just quivers everytime she see a hummingbird. Little does she know, she will never be fast enough to get one of these little critters.

IT CAN ACTUALLY GET BETTER

Eight days later and gosh knows how many stitches the nurse cut and pulled out, that stung and hurt at times. I think I freaked out when he took the cast off today and I looked down to see the scar that is all of six to seven inches long. Starting from the middle of my foot on the side and going just under the bone and up my leg. And to think that I had just some little half inch cut. Boy was I wrong.

Each day is a better day. I tried going back to work on Tuesday and only lasted for a couple of hours. I did much better today. Even made it into the office before my Dr.'s appointment and was able to return after the new cast was put on. It has been great to have someone there to be my legs.

My boss sent me home at 3:00 and I was actually ready and did not put up a fuss. Even managed to get my hair trimmed on my way home as she was finishing enough the bottom fell out of the sky. Would not have done me a bit of good to have an umbella handy as I could not have held it and managed the crutches at the same time. So I opted to stick around for a few until it slacked up, and I finally made it home around 5:00 pm.

I got on the couch/recliner as soon as I got home, and I have just woke up. I was extremely tired I guess, and still am. Just can't do what I used to be able to do.

I HAVE GOT TO GET BACK TO WORK

I have surfed the web, I have worked puzzles and I have read all I care to frecking read. It is a must that I try to work tomorrow for my own sanity. Not sure that I can last very long, but I have made my mind up that I will at least give it my best shot. I am not cut out to stay at home and just sit around twiddling my thumbs or laying around watching TV. My butt hurts and my back is killing me from just sitting/laying so much. Our electricity has gone out during the heat of the day yesterday and today for a couple of hours each time.

I have always had one speed, which is fast, so this is going to be very frustrating for me to not be able to just hop up and rush to where ever in warp speed. This will teach me hopefully to slow down some.

Last week as I was begging the Doc. to let me return to work today, he kindly said, if you are so adament about returing to work, then give it a try, but trust me when I say you need to rest for at least a good week and keep that leg elevated above your heart as much as possible. Apparently he knew what he was talking about.

I decided to call the Nurse today to see if he could tell me what to do about the cast rubbing, and he tells me that I need to "chill" and keep my leg up so that the swelling will go down, then the cast won't be rubbing against that bone on my ankle. Nurse says that is right where the incision is also. I have taken all the oxycotton I can stand. Hubby started cutting them in half hoping that would help, but I am just not cut out to take this type of drug. So I am just gritting my teeth and bearing with it. The pain should not be much longer, but the cast is what is going to absolutely drive me nuts. Maybe if I do good, he will cut my three months down some. I would love to have a boot cast, but he made it perfectly clear before I left the hospital that it was a must that when I returned to see his nurse to have the stitches taken out that I leave his office in another hard cast. Maybe he thinks that I will abuse the boot cast. LOL...

I am still waiting on a knee mobility thingy. They are telling me that UPS will deliver it tomorrow, so we will see. It will help me get around so much easier, as all I will have to do is bend my knee and put it on the platform and I can just wheel around. The crutches and I are not getting along to well. I have tripped twice, fell outside on the porch once and no telling how many times I have just hopped and done whatever to keep myself from busting my butt. All the animals are terrified of the crutches, and I am sure that I have not helped them adjust at all. My hands are soar from just the little bit I have used the crutches in the last five days. Not sure anything would please me at this point. Five days down, with 79 more to go.

I must have been on some type of drugs when I thought that this would be a peice of cake. LOL...I was so wrong.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Sure hope I can do this. I would love to be able to go and pick up the little peices of leaves that I see on the carpet that has been tracked in and is driving me crazy. OK, I have ranted and raved enough, need to save some for tomorrow...

P.S. The last Arixtra (Cummidin) shot in my stomach is tonight.

THIS IS FOR THE BIRDS...

The anesthesia has worn off and the oxycotton is making me crazy I think.

This crap is for the birds. I am not use to having to have someone to depend on. The MRI only showed one tear, but when he got in there there were 3 tendons that had to be repaired. Six weeks in a hard cast and then six weeks in a boot cast. This is not how I wanted to spend my summer. THIS SUCKS...

(Everybody is asking how, well I fell down last November 7, 2006, and did not think that I had done this much damage to it, but after walking for 4 days in DC on it I realized I had to get something done.)