So we made it thru another holiday here at Fuzzy Acres. Daughter Tara, son-in-law Joel, and Miss Ellie were here for a quick 27 hour visit before heading west to Alpha for Christmas with his family. They will be stopping thru here again on Wednesday for another quick overnight visit on their way back east to Indiana. Ellie is growing fast and changing almost daily. Of course, Tara and Joel don't see the little changes but they are huge to Mike and me since we only see her every couple of weeks. I can only imagine how different she will be to Joel's parents since they haven't seen her since Thanksgiving!
We got up at our usual time for coffee and homemade cinnamon bread and went thru our stuffed stockings. We still hang our stockings with care and Santa always fills them to overflowing. Even Ellie got some cute things from Santa!
Tara then went upstairs to nurse Ellie while Joel showered and I put the finishing touches on our sausage/kraut bread braids. Then it was gift opening time. Lots of neat and needed items. It was a good time, especially since Busia and Gramps went a bit overboard for Ellie's first Christmas. But in my defense, they were (mostly) practical items. In a couple years I'll be buying stuff that will thrill Ellie but will make Tara roll her eyes and groan. But that's what Busias do - spoil the grand kids!
Mike's family arrived around noon, as well as a dear friend from Bloomington and her boyfriend. Pam hasn't been to one of our Christmas gatherings in several years and the crowd was much larger than the five that sat down to a quiet meal many years ago. We had twelve and a half (Ellie) for an early lunch that lasted over two hours, as all good holiday meals should. We finished it off with my mom's famous homemade cheesecake and a cut-throat game of Crazy 8s - a game that Mike's mom can follow and participate in reasonably well.
The kids left for Alpha about 4pm and Pam and Jim followed shortly after. The rest of the family stayed around until almost 6 and then Mike and I finished cleaning up the kitchen and settled down in the living room - me to put my feet up while Mike played with his favorite new toy - a RC helicopter. He was crashing more than flying but was slowly getting the hang of it while having quite the enjoyable time.
I finished off the day touching base by phone with my friends, Marcia and Lisa. A very nice holiday.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Christmas Ellie
1st Christmas family photo
Aw-w-w!
Too sweet!
Ellie's Christmas sleeper. Such a princess . . .
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Another Year Under My Belt - uh, Ankle
The 2011 fall herding trials are over and I am able to walk without pain! This hasn't always been the case. . .
For the past several (many, many) years, my ankle has had "issues" at this time of year. I can note this time accurately as this is just after both my dog club's National Specialty and then my herding club's fall trials, both of which I usually work (meaning I'm on my feet constantly and walking on rough, uneven ground).
For the past several years, my ankle would be in excruciating pain after all the wear and tear of working these two events. Well, except for one year (2008) and that was when I thought I'd finally fixed it after only two surgeries.
I can remember about when all the Achilles tendon issues started as I was showing my first border collie to her breed championship in the spring of 2003. I noticed a stiffness or tightening of the ankle after a long drive to a dog show. My friend, whose dog I was also showing at the time, was anxious and worried I'd not be able to show the dog when it took a few minutes to warm up my ankle after the long drive to the show site.
The stiffness after rest continued for the rest of the year, but it progressed to discomfort during use in the summer of 2004. I was taking herding lessons every week that summer and wasn't doing to let a little thing like an ouchy tendon put getting that herding title on hold. I had my priorities! But the tendon was getting more and more painful.
Early winter 2004, I finally went to a podiatrist for a diagnosis and help for the now very painful tendon. He said it wasn't a tear in the tendon because I could still rise up on my toes. He did x-rays of the bones but did no soft tissue evaluations (MRI or CT). I assumed he knew what he was doing. He sent me to physical therapy which did ease the pain, but never completely eliminated it. But since I could walk more easily I was happy. I was a dog-walker and as long as I could do my job and compete with my dogs, I was happy.
I finished the herding title in March of 2005. The ankle was still bothering me and I was still seeing the podiatrist. I remember the breaking point of all this on again off again pain and with the doctor who wasn't fixing it. I was walking a client's dog in the chilly rain late spring and something in my ankle snapped. I went down on my knees in the middle of the road, at least a half mile away from anything. I couldn't stand and so I just leaned on the dog and cried. After a while the pain eased to where I could hobble back to the house. I called the podiatrist and he was out of the office for several days (this was a Thursday). I explained the pain I'd had to the receptionist and she said to make an appointment next week. I just hung up.
I babied the tendon for a few days and got the pain back to bearable and the ankle usable. I have a high threshold for pain and so was stoic about the amount of pain I was experiencing. As long as I was able to move and do my job, a 'bit' of pain was tolerable.
In the fall of 2005 my mammogram showed a lump in my right breast. I lost my mother to breast cancer so I now had "a history" of breast cancer in my family. My ankle was really painful by this time but the lump was of higher importance. I had a lumpectomy in late October of 2005, in between my National Specialty show and the fall herding trials.
In 2006 I'd finally had enough of the pain and was no longer to walk without a lot of pain, so in the fall of that year (yes, it took me over a year to have someone look at it again!) I sought out an orthopedic surgeon. I knew there was something seriously wrong with the ankle and I wasn't satisfied with what the podiatrist did. At my first visit, the surgeon did x-rays and an MRI. The followup visit confirmed what I'd suspected all along - a partially ruptured tendon with a lot of scarring due to my continued use of it. (And, yes, I was still able to rise up on my toes, albeit painfully!) Surgery was scheduled for the first Friday of December. He'd wanted to do it just before Thanksgiving but since I host the family dinner I put it off until after.
The surgery went well but my recovery hit a plateau that I was unable to get past. So in May of 2007, just a week after my daughter's wedding, I had a second surgery on the ankle. The doctor found that another piece of the tendon had torn. Once it was repaired, my recovery was swift and easy.
The National Specialty and 2008 fall herding trials were the first I'd experienced without pain in a long time. It was great! But in 2009, the ankle once again flared after working the two events. I sought out another doctor as I only give each doctor two chances to 'get it right'. I heard a radio advertisement for a new podiatrist in town so I thought I'd give her a chance.
Dr. Lockwood was (and still is) a fabulous, caring individual. She listened to my long saga, took x-rays and sent me to PT. We both were hoping that in was just inflammation in the tendon, not another rupture. But by January, the ankle wasn't getting better so off for an MRI, which showed a potential tear. I also had a lot of arthritic build-up in my big toe joint causing me pain and altering my foot's stride so we decided to fix that at the same time. Surgery was scheduled for mid-June, 2010, which was when I figured it would least impact my husband while I was off my feet for 8 weeks.
The surgery went according to plan but once again I couldn't get past a plateau of pain. On November 11, I suddenly found my foot swelling inside my shoe as I was standing the the driveway talking with a client. Upon x-raying the foot, Dr. Lockwood found that the fused joint (where she had taken out the arthritis) had snapped. Apparently there was some sort of stress or torquing in there and it finally snapped under that stress. Once again, the surgery had failed. So in December (Thanksgiving issues again), I underwent another surgery to repair the broken bone.
I'd like to say that I am now 100% back to normal. But I'm not. I have a "new" normal, one I can live with since it is relatively pain-free. I have survived another fall of shows and trials. How long will this last? The rest of my life, I hope, but only time will tell.
For the past several (many, many) years, my ankle has had "issues" at this time of year. I can note this time accurately as this is just after both my dog club's National Specialty and then my herding club's fall trials, both of which I usually work (meaning I'm on my feet constantly and walking on rough, uneven ground).
For the past several years, my ankle would be in excruciating pain after all the wear and tear of working these two events. Well, except for one year (2008) and that was when I thought I'd finally fixed it after only two surgeries.
I can remember about when all the Achilles tendon issues started as I was showing my first border collie to her breed championship in the spring of 2003. I noticed a stiffness or tightening of the ankle after a long drive to a dog show. My friend, whose dog I was also showing at the time, was anxious and worried I'd not be able to show the dog when it took a few minutes to warm up my ankle after the long drive to the show site.
The stiffness after rest continued for the rest of the year, but it progressed to discomfort during use in the summer of 2004. I was taking herding lessons every week that summer and wasn't doing to let a little thing like an ouchy tendon put getting that herding title on hold. I had my priorities! But the tendon was getting more and more painful.
Early winter 2004, I finally went to a podiatrist for a diagnosis and help for the now very painful tendon. He said it wasn't a tear in the tendon because I could still rise up on my toes. He did x-rays of the bones but did no soft tissue evaluations (MRI or CT). I assumed he knew what he was doing. He sent me to physical therapy which did ease the pain, but never completely eliminated it. But since I could walk more easily I was happy. I was a dog-walker and as long as I could do my job and compete with my dogs, I was happy.
I finished the herding title in March of 2005. The ankle was still bothering me and I was still seeing the podiatrist. I remember the breaking point of all this on again off again pain and with the doctor who wasn't fixing it. I was walking a client's dog in the chilly rain late spring and something in my ankle snapped. I went down on my knees in the middle of the road, at least a half mile away from anything. I couldn't stand and so I just leaned on the dog and cried. After a while the pain eased to where I could hobble back to the house. I called the podiatrist and he was out of the office for several days (this was a Thursday). I explained the pain I'd had to the receptionist and she said to make an appointment next week. I just hung up.
I babied the tendon for a few days and got the pain back to bearable and the ankle usable. I have a high threshold for pain and so was stoic about the amount of pain I was experiencing. As long as I was able to move and do my job, a 'bit' of pain was tolerable.
In the fall of 2005 my mammogram showed a lump in my right breast. I lost my mother to breast cancer so I now had "a history" of breast cancer in my family. My ankle was really painful by this time but the lump was of higher importance. I had a lumpectomy in late October of 2005, in between my National Specialty show and the fall herding trials.
In 2006 I'd finally had enough of the pain and was no longer to walk without a lot of pain, so in the fall of that year (yes, it took me over a year to have someone look at it again!) I sought out an orthopedic surgeon. I knew there was something seriously wrong with the ankle and I wasn't satisfied with what the podiatrist did. At my first visit, the surgeon did x-rays and an MRI. The followup visit confirmed what I'd suspected all along - a partially ruptured tendon with a lot of scarring due to my continued use of it. (And, yes, I was still able to rise up on my toes, albeit painfully!) Surgery was scheduled for the first Friday of December. He'd wanted to do it just before Thanksgiving but since I host the family dinner I put it off until after.
The surgery went well but my recovery hit a plateau that I was unable to get past. So in May of 2007, just a week after my daughter's wedding, I had a second surgery on the ankle. The doctor found that another piece of the tendon had torn. Once it was repaired, my recovery was swift and easy.
The National Specialty and 2008 fall herding trials were the first I'd experienced without pain in a long time. It was great! But in 2009, the ankle once again flared after working the two events. I sought out another doctor as I only give each doctor two chances to 'get it right'. I heard a radio advertisement for a new podiatrist in town so I thought I'd give her a chance.
Dr. Lockwood was (and still is) a fabulous, caring individual. She listened to my long saga, took x-rays and sent me to PT. We both were hoping that in was just inflammation in the tendon, not another rupture. But by January, the ankle wasn't getting better so off for an MRI, which showed a potential tear. I also had a lot of arthritic build-up in my big toe joint causing me pain and altering my foot's stride so we decided to fix that at the same time. Surgery was scheduled for mid-June, 2010, which was when I figured it would least impact my husband while I was off my feet for 8 weeks.
The surgery went according to plan but once again I couldn't get past a plateau of pain. On November 11, I suddenly found my foot swelling inside my shoe as I was standing the the driveway talking with a client. Upon x-raying the foot, Dr. Lockwood found that the fused joint (where she had taken out the arthritis) had snapped. Apparently there was some sort of stress or torquing in there and it finally snapped under that stress. Once again, the surgery had failed. So in December (Thanksgiving issues again), I underwent another surgery to repair the broken bone.
I'd like to say that I am now 100% back to normal. But I'm not. I have a "new" normal, one I can live with since it is relatively pain-free. I have survived another fall of shows and trials. How long will this last? The rest of my life, I hope, but only time will tell.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Welcome Ellie Ferne!
At 2:33pm EDT on Thursday November 3, 2011, Ellie Ferne made her long-awaited appearance!
Poor Tara had a rough go of it. Her first "real" contractions started on Tuesday afternoon about 4:30pm EDT. She labored all night and into the next day. She was "not allowed" to go to the hospital until her contractions were at least 5 minutes apart and of at least a minute long, preferably longer.
I talked to her a couple times by email on Wednesday morning. Then at 1:30pm EDT, Joel called and said they were on the way as the contractions were almost 2 minutes long and 5 minutes apart. Sounded like Baby Sage was coming!
I called Mike at work and told him to try to get the next day off so we could go to Indiana to see the newest family member. We got a bit impatient at bedtime when we'd not received a call but still expected to be awakened during the night with good news. When morning arrived (after a restless night's sleep) and still no call, impatience was replaced by concern. But with no phone call we had to assume that things were still progressing. So we continued with our plans to head east.
I called Joel after we got onto the highway. I was expecting to just get voicemail and to say that we were on our way. But Joel picked up. He sounded beat. He said still no baby due to 'complications' he didn't want to go into over the phone.
Okay, now we were in full panic mode. About 11:30 Tara called to reassure us that she and baby were fine. The complications were that labor had basically stopped. She was following in my childbirth footsteps! They were exploring options, hoping to avoid a C-section. That call eased our worried minds.
When we were about 5 minutes from the hospital, Joel called again to ask where we were. I told him and he said, "Okay, the doctor wants her to start pushing but we will wait for you." Mike was appalled but I was excited that the baby was almost here!
We got up to the third floor and Joel met us at the hospital and took us to Tara. As it turned out, the doctor was delivering another baby so Tara was on hold. So we visited for about 15 minutes before the nurse came in and said that the doctor wanted Tara to get started pushing with the nurse. So Mike and I went to the waiting room. That was about 2:20pm EDT.
What a LONG wait. It really was only about an hour but seemed much, much longer. Just after 3:30, Joel came to get us. He wouldn't tell us what we had, a boy or a girl, so we had to go and find out for ourselves.
Tara looked tired but happy. Baby Ellie was laying on her chest nuzzling and licking Tara's skin. She was absolutely beautiful! We stayed for about another hour and by that time, both Tara and Joel were fading. They hadn't slept, except for fits and starts, since Tuesday morning!
So we kissed everyone goodbye (and pried baby Ellie out of Gramps' arms) and made arrangements to come back for a visit on Veterans Day since Mike is off work that day. Can't wait!
I talked to her a couple times by email on Wednesday morning. Then at 1:30pm EDT, Joel called and said they were on the way as the contractions were almost 2 minutes long and 5 minutes apart. Sounded like Baby Sage was coming!
I called Mike at work and told him to try to get the next day off so we could go to Indiana to see the newest family member. We got a bit impatient at bedtime when we'd not received a call but still expected to be awakened during the night with good news. When morning arrived (after a restless night's sleep) and still no call, impatience was replaced by concern. But with no phone call we had to assume that things were still progressing. So we continued with our plans to head east.
I called Joel after we got onto the highway. I was expecting to just get voicemail and to say that we were on our way. But Joel picked up. He sounded beat. He said still no baby due to 'complications' he didn't want to go into over the phone.
Okay, now we were in full panic mode. About 11:30 Tara called to reassure us that she and baby were fine. The complications were that labor had basically stopped. She was following in my childbirth footsteps! They were exploring options, hoping to avoid a C-section. That call eased our worried minds.
When we were about 5 minutes from the hospital, Joel called again to ask where we were. I told him and he said, "Okay, the doctor wants her to start pushing but we will wait for you." Mike was appalled but I was excited that the baby was almost here!
We got up to the third floor and Joel met us at the hospital and took us to Tara. As it turned out, the doctor was delivering another baby so Tara was on hold. So we visited for about 15 minutes before the nurse came in and said that the doctor wanted Tara to get started pushing with the nurse. So Mike and I went to the waiting room. That was about 2:20pm EDT.
What a LONG wait. It really was only about an hour but seemed much, much longer. Just after 3:30, Joel came to get us. He wouldn't tell us what we had, a boy or a girl, so we had to go and find out for ourselves.
Tara looked tired but happy. Baby Ellie was laying on her chest nuzzling and licking Tara's skin. She was absolutely beautiful! We stayed for about another hour and by that time, both Tara and Joel were fading. They hadn't slept, except for fits and starts, since Tuesday morning!
So we kissed everyone goodbye (and pried baby Ellie out of Gramps' arms) and made arrangements to come back for a visit on Veterans Day since Mike is off work that day. Can't wait!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Still Waiting
Daughter, Tara, was due to have her baby last week Wednesday. Today is Thursday, November 3rd, and we are still waiting for Baby Sage to make his/her appearance. This is more nerve-wracking than having it ourselves and ranks just above waiting for Trey to whelp. But at least with dogs you know that they will whelp 63 days after they ovulate. Tara is a week and a day "late".
We are driving over to Indy today since I will be gone all weekend. Hopefully our visit will shake things up and encourage the Sagelet to make an appearance!
We are driving over to Indy today since I will be gone all weekend. Hopefully our visit will shake things up and encourage the Sagelet to make an appearance!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals Are World Series Champions!
I managed to stay awake for the entire game last night. It wasn't a nail-biter, but then I think all the fans were wrung out by the previous games - especially Game 6 (the one I slept thru the fun parts!).
I am very happy that my Boys of Summer extended the season 'til the very end and that that extension resulted in winning it ALL!
So now the waiting begins for summer once again. Pitchers and catchers report the third week of February to training camp. Can't wait!
GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very happy that my Boys of Summer extended the season 'til the very end and that that extension resulted in winning it ALL!
 |
| Yadiar Molina on his knees as thrilled teammates take to the field after winning the World Series. |
GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Cardinals Take It Long in 11 Innings
"Don't turn out the lights just yet. The 2011 Cardinals live to fight one more day, one last day. As though it could have been any other way." --Matthew Leach
"'We'll see you tomorrow night,' FOX play-by-play man Joe Buck stated. The words were also those of Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, Joe's late father, in 1991 when Kirby Puckett's home run ended Game 6 in Minnesota -- the last time a walk-off shot forced a Game 7. Jack Buck's famous call now has company. So to do Game 6s in 1975, 1986, 1991 and 1993 in the debate of greatest Game 6 ever." --AJ Cassavell
After a difficult-to-watch first seven innings, I was no longer invested in the game. I hadn't given up, not really, but it was hard to watch my favorite team bumble and fumble thru error after unbelievable error - three in all, the most for a Cardinal team in the World Series since like 1943. And they were trailing the series 3-2 and behind the Rangers 7-4. It was U-G-L-Y baseball. I was tired and bummed and my eyes kept closing. In fact I missed the pick off play of Matt Holiday.
10:00 came around and Mike headed upstairs. Since I wasn't really watching the game, I took the dogs out for their last potty-time and headed up, too. I stayed awake long enough to see Craig hit a massive homerun, but wound up sleeping thru a comeback - one the pundits are calling one of the best and most memorable comebacks in World Series history. Sigh.
But Mike did wake me to tell me that my boys of summer had won on a walk-off homerun by Tara's favorite player, David Freese.
So this morning I read all the reports of the game, wishing with each one that I'd been able to stay awake to see it.
"For the Rangers and Cardinals, there is good precedent, there is bad precedent and there is no precedent.
First, the no precedent. Until Thursday, no team in World Series history had rallied to overcome a ninth-inning deficit and an extra-inning deficit in the same game. None.
Only two Fall Classic teams had rallied from a deficit in the eighth inning or later before winning in extras to force a Game 7. The 1986 Mets did it, winning the World Series two days later. The '75 Red Sox did it, ultimately losing Game 7 to the Reds.
One of those two clubs is about to have company in the form of the 2011 Cardinals, who twice rallied on Thursday to tie the Rangers in Game 6, ultimately winning, 10-9, on David Freese's home run in the 11th. Either the Cardinals will join the Mets as the only team to follow such drama with bliss, or they will join the Red Sox as one of history's all-time buzz-kills.
That the Cardinals rallied from behind to make up multiple-run deficits not once, but twice in the ninth inning or later was incredible enough. That they found themselves a strike away from elimination on each occasion was almost incomprehensible.
The Cardinals also became the first team in history to score runs in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th innings of the same World Series game. The Rangers became the first team in history to blow three -- count 'em, three -- saves in the same World Series game." --Anthony DiComo
But this is fitting for Baseball - a game like this coming at the end of the more riveting months in the Game's long history. One month to the day before this Game 7, the regular season ended on a wild Wednesday night in which the final two postseason berths were clinched in extra innings. And my Cardinals were one of the clubs doing the clinching that enchanted evening.
But the important part is that summer continues for another day. And win or lose, Cardinal Nation has done itself proud this year, an improbable year that had the Redbirds out of contention at the end of August right up thru last night where they came back from unbelievable odds to force a Game 7 - the first to go to a Game 7 in the World Series since 2002.
No matter what happens in Friday night's Game 7, this has been a roller-coaster-ride of a World Series. It's only fitting this World Series will be decided in seven games.
"Game 7 -- you have to win or go home." --Texas Ranger Ian Kinsler.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies with in us." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"'We'll see you tomorrow night,' FOX play-by-play man Joe Buck stated. The words were also those of Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, Joe's late father, in 1991 when Kirby Puckett's home run ended Game 6 in Minnesota -- the last time a walk-off shot forced a Game 7. Jack Buck's famous call now has company. So to do Game 6s in 1975, 1986, 1991 and 1993 in the debate of greatest Game 6 ever." --AJ Cassavell
After a difficult-to-watch first seven innings, I was no longer invested in the game. I hadn't given up, not really, but it was hard to watch my favorite team bumble and fumble thru error after unbelievable error - three in all, the most for a Cardinal team in the World Series since like 1943. And they were trailing the series 3-2 and behind the Rangers 7-4. It was U-G-L-Y baseball. I was tired and bummed and my eyes kept closing. In fact I missed the pick off play of Matt Holiday.
10:00 came around and Mike headed upstairs. Since I wasn't really watching the game, I took the dogs out for their last potty-time and headed up, too. I stayed awake long enough to see Craig hit a massive homerun, but wound up sleeping thru a comeback - one the pundits are calling one of the best and most memorable comebacks in World Series history. Sigh.
But Mike did wake me to tell me that my boys of summer had won on a walk-off homerun by Tara's favorite player, David Freese.
So this morning I read all the reports of the game, wishing with each one that I'd been able to stay awake to see it.
"For the Rangers and Cardinals, there is good precedent, there is bad precedent and there is no precedent.
First, the no precedent. Until Thursday, no team in World Series history had rallied to overcome a ninth-inning deficit and an extra-inning deficit in the same game. None.
Only two Fall Classic teams had rallied from a deficit in the eighth inning or later before winning in extras to force a Game 7. The 1986 Mets did it, winning the World Series two days later. The '75 Red Sox did it, ultimately losing Game 7 to the Reds.
One of those two clubs is about to have company in the form of the 2011 Cardinals, who twice rallied on Thursday to tie the Rangers in Game 6, ultimately winning, 10-9, on David Freese's home run in the 11th. Either the Cardinals will join the Mets as the only team to follow such drama with bliss, or they will join the Red Sox as one of history's all-time buzz-kills.
That the Cardinals rallied from behind to make up multiple-run deficits not once, but twice in the ninth inning or later was incredible enough. That they found themselves a strike away from elimination on each occasion was almost incomprehensible.
The Cardinals also became the first team in history to score runs in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th innings of the same World Series game. The Rangers became the first team in history to blow three -- count 'em, three -- saves in the same World Series game." --Anthony DiComo
But this is fitting for Baseball - a game like this coming at the end of the more riveting months in the Game's long history. One month to the day before this Game 7, the regular season ended on a wild Wednesday night in which the final two postseason berths were clinched in extra innings. And my Cardinals were one of the clubs doing the clinching that enchanted evening.
But the important part is that summer continues for another day. And win or lose, Cardinal Nation has done itself proud this year, an improbable year that had the Redbirds out of contention at the end of August right up thru last night where they came back from unbelievable odds to force a Game 7 - the first to go to a Game 7 in the World Series since 2002.
No matter what happens in Friday night's Game 7, this has been a roller-coaster-ride of a World Series. It's only fitting this World Series will be decided in seven games.
"Game 7 -- you have to win or go home." --Texas Ranger Ian Kinsler.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies with in us." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
End of Summer Approaches
So my Cardinals are down 3 games to 2 and the Series resumes tonight back at home. I still have hopes for my boys of summer to win it all but that means they have to win both remaining games. Not terribly likely, or at least according to all the sports pundits, whose blatant favoritism of the Rangers is almost nauseating.
Either way, the end of summer is approaching. I am really hoping that it is postponed until late Thursday night. We need the Series to go the full 7 games in order to hold out hope to clinch it.
The weather is not at all summer-like here in the Midwest. Rain and chilly temperatures are the forecast for the next 48 hours. Yuck. But at least I'll be warm and dry while rooting for and cheering on my boys.
GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Either way, the end of summer is approaching. I am really hoping that it is postponed until late Thursday night. We need the Series to go the full 7 games in order to hold out hope to clinch it.
The weather is not at all summer-like here in the Midwest. Rain and chilly temperatures are the forecast for the next 48 hours. Yuck. But at least I'll be warm and dry while rooting for and cheering on my boys.
GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, October 17, 2011
National League Champions!
Last night, the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NLCS with a resounding win over the Milwaukee Brewers 12-6 at Milwaukee. They came from way out of the race in early September to win the Wild Card spot over the Atlanta Braves in the last game of the regular season. To beat the Brewers at home was an amazing feat, but these guys are focusing on just one game at a time and doing all they can to win each game.
So now it is on to the World Series against the Texas Rangers. I was hoping for a repeat series of Cardinals-Tigers but Detroit lost on Saturday night. Ah well.
I am so proud of my team!
So now it is on to the World Series against the Texas Rangers. I was hoping for a repeat series of Cardinals-Tigers but Detroit lost on Saturday night. Ah well.
I am so proud of my team!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Summer Continues
My Cardinals tied up the best of seven series on Monday at 1-1! So that means summer continues for another three games at Busch Stadium.
We do wish that FOX was airing the National League games instead of the American League series, but no, they had to put it on TBS which we cannot get. Sigh. Ah well. At least we don't have to decide between watching the games or watching Survivor and Criminal Minds. See, I can look at the bright side of things!
Good news on the AL front, the Tigers won last night and are now only trailing 2-1 in that best of seven.
So fingers crossed for a repeat World Series of Tigers/Cardinals with the same results - Cardinals win the World Series!!!!
We do wish that FOX was airing the National League games instead of the American League series, but no, they had to put it on TBS which we cannot get. Sigh. Ah well. At least we don't have to decide between watching the games or watching Survivor and Criminal Minds. See, I can look at the bright side of things!
Good news on the AL front, the Tigers won last night and are now only trailing 2-1 in that best of seven.
So fingers crossed for a repeat World Series of Tigers/Cardinals with the same results - Cardinals win the World Series!!!!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Joining the High-Speed Digital Age
Yippee! I finally convinced Mike that a wi-fi hot spot card was the way to go for internet access. It really didn't take much convincing since the price/month was just a bit more than what we were paying for dial-up.
Yes, we've still been on dial-up internet service since we connected back in the summer of 2000. It was an unlimited plan which was a must since everything took so darn long to load. In the beginning it wasn't so bad but as web pages became more and more loaded with graphics and videos and stuff we began having problems viewing things.
Mike's Cardinals website was one of those. That was the first thing he asked about when I approached him with the idea of getting the air card. That's probably what sold him on the idea - well, that and the ability to download music!
I went with a minimum plan - only 3GB/month - but should be okay with that. I've used a lot of bandwith the first couple of days because I had both computers online as I transferred all my internet favorite links from the desk top to my lap top. But now that I'm set up here on the laptop, I should get back to a more normal pattern of usage.
I am really excited to have this kind of access at home as previously I was driving into town to sit at McDonalds and using their free wi-fi for larger files. Not a big deal but sometimes inconvenient. Would have been nice to have this on the laptop last winter when I was laid up with my foot surgeries.
We did have to change our email address, too, since it was attached to the dialup service. I've also discontinued my website and am now using my Wordpress blog as my website. For anyone wanting to get in touch with me, my new email is imaginebordercollies@gmail.com. The @fairpoint.net will be discontinued in a short time.
Yes, we've still been on dial-up internet service since we connected back in the summer of 2000. It was an unlimited plan which was a must since everything took so darn long to load. In the beginning it wasn't so bad but as web pages became more and more loaded with graphics and videos and stuff we began having problems viewing things.
Mike's Cardinals website was one of those. That was the first thing he asked about when I approached him with the idea of getting the air card. That's probably what sold him on the idea - well, that and the ability to download music!
I went with a minimum plan - only 3GB/month - but should be okay with that. I've used a lot of bandwith the first couple of days because I had both computers online as I transferred all my internet favorite links from the desk top to my lap top. But now that I'm set up here on the laptop, I should get back to a more normal pattern of usage.
I am really excited to have this kind of access at home as previously I was driving into town to sit at McDonalds and using their free wi-fi for larger files. Not a big deal but sometimes inconvenient. Would have been nice to have this on the laptop last winter when I was laid up with my foot surgeries.
We did have to change our email address, too, since it was attached to the dialup service. I've also discontinued my website and am now using my Wordpress blog as my website. For anyone wanting to get in touch with me, my new email is imaginebordercollies@gmail.com. The @fairpoint.net will be discontinued in a short time.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Cardinals Did It!
The St. Louis Cardinals, my favorite baseball team ever, clinched the National League Wildcard spot by beating the Houston Astros 8-0 and helped by the Atlanta Braves losing to the Phillies 4-3 in extra innings. So there will be post-season play for my Cards this year!
After a great season start, the Cardinals hit a rough patch after the All-Star break and skidded downward and out of first place. Milwaukee stepped up and into that spot and with some nice play, the Brewers held onto first in the Central Division. Congrats to the Brew Crew!
The low point was when St. Louis trailed Atlanta by 10.5 games on August 25. But then the battle began and the Cards won 23 of their last 31 games to finish the unbelievable finale. The Braves helped along the Cardinals’ surge by losing 18 of their last 27, the last an extra inning (13) loss to Philadelphia.
Who would have thought Chris Carpenter could throw a game as good as he did? Not me. He recorded another complete game shutout, giving the overworked (and somewhat pitiful) bullpen a much-needed rest.
Carp has struggled this year to find himself. At the beginning of the season, he just sucked - no control or placement. Occasionally he'd have a good game, even a great game, but then he's have two or three starts where he'd struggle again. I used to be so confident of a win when Carp was pitching but this year I'd lost that confidence.
So going into last night's game I wasn't hopeful. I just didn't want to be disappointed. I wasn't at the point of reciting the Cub fans' manta of "wait'll next year" but I also wasn't hanging that pennant on my wall either.
Wow, what a game and what a regular season ending!
I fell asleep before the Braves recorded the loss and found out just this morning when I logged onto Yahoo Sports for the final score. YAY!!!
So now I get to listen to more Cardinal baseball starting this Saturday. Of course it is on TV but on cable channels and I don't have cable. So I will listen to Mike and John's call on the radio. They're so much better than the TV announcers anyway.
Go Cardinals!!
Friday, September 16, 2011
This Shouldn't Happen -- EVER!
Last Tuesday I was on my way home from a vet appointment. It was late afternoon, about 4:00, early 'after-work-traffic' time. I have optional routes to take when coming from Bloomington - stay on the interstate or take the county roads. Tuesday I took the county roads since there was construction on the interstate just past the Woodford County line all the way past the El Paso exit.
The county road I take is very narrow and hilly. A couple of the hills are decent-sized, but mostly (since we are in central Illinois) the road just undulates and you really don't notice them when you're driving. This road has a double yellow line down its center for its entire length - maybe two miles - to remind people not to pass and to stay on their side since it is so narrow and undulating. It can be deceiving to us 'flat-landers' - looking like you can see all the road but the small rises and valleys can hide an oncoming car.
Being a 'dog person' and also a 'country person' I keep my attention split between the road ahead of me while watching the ditches and fields alongside the road for anything (deer, dogs, cats, fox, coyote) that might dart out in front of me. This is always a danger, especially now with the corn crop pressing tall and close to the road. My husband has gone "deer hunting" with almost every new vehicle we've had since moving out here 30 years ago. He can attest to how quickly creatures pop out of the fields!
So I was on this narrow county road. There were two cars in front of me and one behind. We were clipping along at a good pace - maybe 55mph. I crested an undulation and saw, all at the same time, a school bus approaching from the opposite direction and a bright spot of red on the shoulder of my side of the road. The shoulder had three mailboxes on it and was very narrow. In order for the cars and bus to pass on the road, each had to hug the shoulder. I eased my speed as I didn't know what the spot of red was, but it was moving so I knew it was a 'creature' of some sort.
As I got close enough to see clearly, I realized it was a child, a toddler! Just then the first car zipped by him and then the second, both squeezing between the child and the school bus. The toddler cringed down against the base of the mailbox that he was near. I had room to get into the other lane as I passed him and as I did, I looked around for a parent or an adult to come and scoop him out of harm's way. I saw no one.
So then I started looking around for a spot to turn around and investigate further, sure that there was a parent around but not sure enough to continue on home in good conscience. I also expected to see the other three cars with me to do the same - or at least one of them. I had to go more than a half mile down the road to the intersection to have a place and room to turn around. The other three cars just continued on their way. I cannot believe they didn't see the child on the shoulder, nor can I believe that they didn't feel the need to stop. Where is their humanity?
By the time I turned around and came back, the toddler was a ways (maybe 200 feet?) down the road walking on the double yellow center line. He was heading away from me and was not visible to oncoming traffic due to the road undulations. My heart was in my throat as I found a safe place to park the car. I called to him as I got out and he turned to me and as he did, he wandered to the edge of the road. Good thing as a car was coming down the road.
This boy was still in diapers, I could feel them under his jeans as I picked him up, and not conversationally verbal so I placed him between 18-24 months of age, but was leaning towards the younger end of that. He was very friendly and not at all afraid. He had a stamped and addressed envelope in his hands and the return address was that of the mailbox where I'd first seen him.
There were four homes in the immediate area - one in the direction he was walking when I got to him, one next to it (and we were in front of it at the time) about 300 feet off the road with kid toys around the house, one back where the mailboxes were clustered, and one well off the road with a gravel lane at least a quarter mile long. This is the house that belonged to the return address on the envelope the boy had. Where did he belong? All the homes I could see clearly were apparently deserted, their owners still at work.
I asked him his name; I asked him where his mommy was; I asked him where he lived. All I got was some random pointing and once a pretty clear "Gramma outside." I pointed to each house and asked him if that was where gramma was and he wasn't real clear, but I got the impression of a negative in each. Clearly the child didn't know where he lived (as if he should at that age!). I decided to go on to the house he was heading towards, but got no answer to my knock. So we walked back to my car. What should I do? Who do I call?
I decided to call the sheriff department since I was out in the county. No luck there as the line was busy. So I called 911 and was patched over to Woodford County (apparently 911 calls go to McLean County and get redirected). The dispatcher took my information and said that she'd send an officer. I was hoping for a county deputy but an El Paso officer arrived instead as he was closest and it wasn't just any officer, it was the El Paso police chief.
Jeff recognized the boy right away. Jeff keeps his horses at the boarding facility that adjoins the toddler's parents' property. Jeff also knows the boy's grandfather. He told me that this wasn't surprising to him since several times the boy's young sibling would wander over to the horse barn with no adult supervision and he'd have to take her back home when he was ready to leave. He said that he never saw anyone looking for the child or expressing any concern over her absence. Now I was thinking, "Why didn't you report this neglect? You're a cop!"
I asked Jeff if this would be reported to DCFS and he said it would be up to the county since I called it in to 911. WTF? I didn't know that child neglect and endangerment reports were optional, but what did I know? Personally, I think I would have reported it, or at least run it by my friend who is a case worker at DCFS (Dept. of Children and Family Services) for her opinion, but that's just me, I guess.
Jeff took the boy and drove him down the at-least-a-quarter-mile-long lane. I couldn't even see the house from the road; it was that long and also took a bend around a corn field. Why was a toddler allowed to wander that far from home? And where were his supervising adults? It would have taken him at least 10 minutes to walk that lane and that would be if he wasn't distracted along the way. From the time I saw him on the shoulder until the time Jeff took him, more than a half an hour had passed. Adding in the time it would have taken him to travel that long lane; the boy was missing for at least 45 minutes!!!!
I headed home, shaking in delayed reaction to what could have happened if I hadn't stopped. Thank God there was construction on I-39 which made me decided to take the back way home. That child would have been split open like a watermelon by some unknowing driver zipping home down that hilly road.
The next day I went to pick up my friend's German shepherd dogs that I was scheduled to bathe. This is the friend who works at DCFS. So of course I told her about what happened, joking that I got her a new client. She told me that I should report it to the Child Abuse hotline because she doubted that Jeff would report it. So taking her advice, I called. They couldn't find a report and the gal at the hotline requested that I call the responding department and find out if they reported it to DCFS and then to call her back and let her know. Just because she couldn't find a report didn't mean it wasn't made, several circumstances, including spelling, could prevent a match. (Ineffective, in my opinion, but this is Illinois who has the dubious distinction of having the most governors in prison!)
I called the El Paso police department and Jeff was the one who answered the phone. I asked him if it had been reported to DCFS as I thought that it was at least child neglect. His story was lame at the best. According to him a county deputy arrived just as he was handing the child over to his grandfather. They had been searching all over for him and were afraid that he had fallen into the farm pond(!!!) since they couldn't find him.
The boy had supposedly been watched by his mother, but apparently she forgot to do that. They had seen my car sitting on the road in the mouth of their lane but didn't go up to investigate. (I could have abducted that child and no one would have even looked at me.) Jeff then left. He said that the deputy contacted him and said that he had given them a stern talking-to and a warning. Jeff also said that the grandfather contacted him also and said that he'd severely berated the boy's mother.
I was seeing red by this time but kept my anger out of my voice when I asked him why it hadn't been reported, shouldn't it be reported. Jeff assured me that the fear of God had been put into the parents and that if it happened again then DCFS would be called. If it happened again!!?!?!!?! The boy would be dead, either in the farm pond, kicked by a horse (not on his property) or splattered all over someone's car and the road. That would then be too late for him.
I thanked Jeff for the information and called back Mary at the Abuse hotline. She thanked me for reporting it and said that DCFS had been contacted.
Not five minutes later a case worker (not my friend) called to follow up. She took my story and said that she would be visiting the child's home within 24 hours and that any appropriate action would be taken. I hope so because that boy was neglected at the very least and more likely endangered in my opinion. Endangerment has a specific definition in Illinois law so I don't know if this falls within those parameters, but hopefully something will be done to protect that boy before . . . splat.
Of course the case worker spoke to Jeff and Jeff knows that I'm the only one who knew about this besides him (I strongly doubt that a county deputy showed up - that was just a fabrication to cover his ass, in my opinion, and even if it's true, according to Jeff the deputy said he wasn't going to report it) so it'll be obvious that I'm the one who reported it.
El Paso is a small, tight-knit community and, even after 30 years living here, I'm still considered an outsider. I'm going to have to be sure that I follow every traffic rule and that my vehicle's lights are all in working order because I'm not sure that Jeff won't pull me over for something minor in retaliation because I embarrassed him by calling DCFS when he didn't - something he is mandated by law to do.
Am I paranoid? You bet!
The county road I take is very narrow and hilly. A couple of the hills are decent-sized, but mostly (since we are in central Illinois) the road just undulates and you really don't notice them when you're driving. This road has a double yellow line down its center for its entire length - maybe two miles - to remind people not to pass and to stay on their side since it is so narrow and undulating. It can be deceiving to us 'flat-landers' - looking like you can see all the road but the small rises and valleys can hide an oncoming car.
Being a 'dog person' and also a 'country person' I keep my attention split between the road ahead of me while watching the ditches and fields alongside the road for anything (deer, dogs, cats, fox, coyote) that might dart out in front of me. This is always a danger, especially now with the corn crop pressing tall and close to the road. My husband has gone "deer hunting" with almost every new vehicle we've had since moving out here 30 years ago. He can attest to how quickly creatures pop out of the fields!
So I was on this narrow county road. There were two cars in front of me and one behind. We were clipping along at a good pace - maybe 55mph. I crested an undulation and saw, all at the same time, a school bus approaching from the opposite direction and a bright spot of red on the shoulder of my side of the road. The shoulder had three mailboxes on it and was very narrow. In order for the cars and bus to pass on the road, each had to hug the shoulder. I eased my speed as I didn't know what the spot of red was, but it was moving so I knew it was a 'creature' of some sort.
As I got close enough to see clearly, I realized it was a child, a toddler! Just then the first car zipped by him and then the second, both squeezing between the child and the school bus. The toddler cringed down against the base of the mailbox that he was near. I had room to get into the other lane as I passed him and as I did, I looked around for a parent or an adult to come and scoop him out of harm's way. I saw no one.
So then I started looking around for a spot to turn around and investigate further, sure that there was a parent around but not sure enough to continue on home in good conscience. I also expected to see the other three cars with me to do the same - or at least one of them. I had to go more than a half mile down the road to the intersection to have a place and room to turn around. The other three cars just continued on their way. I cannot believe they didn't see the child on the shoulder, nor can I believe that they didn't feel the need to stop. Where is their humanity?
By the time I turned around and came back, the toddler was a ways (maybe 200 feet?) down the road walking on the double yellow center line. He was heading away from me and was not visible to oncoming traffic due to the road undulations. My heart was in my throat as I found a safe place to park the car. I called to him as I got out and he turned to me and as he did, he wandered to the edge of the road. Good thing as a car was coming down the road.
This boy was still in diapers, I could feel them under his jeans as I picked him up, and not conversationally verbal so I placed him between 18-24 months of age, but was leaning towards the younger end of that. He was very friendly and not at all afraid. He had a stamped and addressed envelope in his hands and the return address was that of the mailbox where I'd first seen him.
There were four homes in the immediate area - one in the direction he was walking when I got to him, one next to it (and we were in front of it at the time) about 300 feet off the road with kid toys around the house, one back where the mailboxes were clustered, and one well off the road with a gravel lane at least a quarter mile long. This is the house that belonged to the return address on the envelope the boy had. Where did he belong? All the homes I could see clearly were apparently deserted, their owners still at work.
I asked him his name; I asked him where his mommy was; I asked him where he lived. All I got was some random pointing and once a pretty clear "Gramma outside." I pointed to each house and asked him if that was where gramma was and he wasn't real clear, but I got the impression of a negative in each. Clearly the child didn't know where he lived (as if he should at that age!). I decided to go on to the house he was heading towards, but got no answer to my knock. So we walked back to my car. What should I do? Who do I call?
I decided to call the sheriff department since I was out in the county. No luck there as the line was busy. So I called 911 and was patched over to Woodford County (apparently 911 calls go to McLean County and get redirected). The dispatcher took my information and said that she'd send an officer. I was hoping for a county deputy but an El Paso officer arrived instead as he was closest and it wasn't just any officer, it was the El Paso police chief.
Jeff recognized the boy right away. Jeff keeps his horses at the boarding facility that adjoins the toddler's parents' property. Jeff also knows the boy's grandfather. He told me that this wasn't surprising to him since several times the boy's young sibling would wander over to the horse barn with no adult supervision and he'd have to take her back home when he was ready to leave. He said that he never saw anyone looking for the child or expressing any concern over her absence. Now I was thinking, "Why didn't you report this neglect? You're a cop!"
I asked Jeff if this would be reported to DCFS and he said it would be up to the county since I called it in to 911. WTF? I didn't know that child neglect and endangerment reports were optional, but what did I know? Personally, I think I would have reported it, or at least run it by my friend who is a case worker at DCFS (Dept. of Children and Family Services) for her opinion, but that's just me, I guess.
Jeff took the boy and drove him down the at-least-a-quarter-mile-long lane. I couldn't even see the house from the road; it was that long and also took a bend around a corn field. Why was a toddler allowed to wander that far from home? And where were his supervising adults? It would have taken him at least 10 minutes to walk that lane and that would be if he wasn't distracted along the way. From the time I saw him on the shoulder until the time Jeff took him, more than a half an hour had passed. Adding in the time it would have taken him to travel that long lane; the boy was missing for at least 45 minutes!!!!
I headed home, shaking in delayed reaction to what could have happened if I hadn't stopped. Thank God there was construction on I-39 which made me decided to take the back way home. That child would have been split open like a watermelon by some unknowing driver zipping home down that hilly road.
The next day I went to pick up my friend's German shepherd dogs that I was scheduled to bathe. This is the friend who works at DCFS. So of course I told her about what happened, joking that I got her a new client. She told me that I should report it to the Child Abuse hotline because she doubted that Jeff would report it. So taking her advice, I called. They couldn't find a report and the gal at the hotline requested that I call the responding department and find out if they reported it to DCFS and then to call her back and let her know. Just because she couldn't find a report didn't mean it wasn't made, several circumstances, including spelling, could prevent a match. (Ineffective, in my opinion, but this is Illinois who has the dubious distinction of having the most governors in prison!)
I called the El Paso police department and Jeff was the one who answered the phone. I asked him if it had been reported to DCFS as I thought that it was at least child neglect. His story was lame at the best. According to him a county deputy arrived just as he was handing the child over to his grandfather. They had been searching all over for him and were afraid that he had fallen into the farm pond(!!!) since they couldn't find him.
The boy had supposedly been watched by his mother, but apparently she forgot to do that. They had seen my car sitting on the road in the mouth of their lane but didn't go up to investigate. (I could have abducted that child and no one would have even looked at me.) Jeff then left. He said that the deputy contacted him and said that he had given them a stern talking-to and a warning. Jeff also said that the grandfather contacted him also and said that he'd severely berated the boy's mother.
I was seeing red by this time but kept my anger out of my voice when I asked him why it hadn't been reported, shouldn't it be reported. Jeff assured me that the fear of God had been put into the parents and that if it happened again then DCFS would be called. If it happened again!!?!?!!?! The boy would be dead, either in the farm pond, kicked by a horse (not on his property) or splattered all over someone's car and the road. That would then be too late for him.
I thanked Jeff for the information and called back Mary at the Abuse hotline. She thanked me for reporting it and said that DCFS had been contacted.
Not five minutes later a case worker (not my friend) called to follow up. She took my story and said that she would be visiting the child's home within 24 hours and that any appropriate action would be taken. I hope so because that boy was neglected at the very least and more likely endangered in my opinion. Endangerment has a specific definition in Illinois law so I don't know if this falls within those parameters, but hopefully something will be done to protect that boy before . . . splat.
Of course the case worker spoke to Jeff and Jeff knows that I'm the only one who knew about this besides him (I strongly doubt that a county deputy showed up - that was just a fabrication to cover his ass, in my opinion, and even if it's true, according to Jeff the deputy said he wasn't going to report it) so it'll be obvious that I'm the one who reported it.
El Paso is a small, tight-knit community and, even after 30 years living here, I'm still considered an outsider. I'm going to have to be sure that I follow every traffic rule and that my vehicle's lights are all in working order because I'm not sure that Jeff won't pull me over for something minor in retaliation because I embarrassed him by calling DCFS when he didn't - something he is mandated by law to do.
Am I paranoid? You bet!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Hammer Toe
Went to see the foot doctor two weeks ago. I was having a burning 'sensation' in my second toe after being on my feet all day.
Looking at it I could tell it was beginning to be a hammer toe. I was really hoping Dr. Melissa would have a solution for me that wouldn't require surgery (which I am not ever having again!). Luckily she did and the gel pad is working great for the toe. It's a bit uncomfortable since I don't have a lot of room in my shoe due to the swelling I'm carrying in that foot from the bone fusion, but it does help my second toe to not burn and hurt.
On the family front, my daughter is 32 weeks along in her pregnancy. That means she's in the home stretch! She's feeling well and the baby is growing and doing well, too. She's due the end of October, near her own birthday. Can't wait to meet the newest little Ferruzza/Sage baby!
Looking at it I could tell it was beginning to be a hammer toe. I was really hoping Dr. Melissa would have a solution for me that wouldn't require surgery (which I am not ever having again!). Luckily she did and the gel pad is working great for the toe. It's a bit uncomfortable since I don't have a lot of room in my shoe due to the swelling I'm carrying in that foot from the bone fusion, but it does help my second toe to not burn and hurt.
On the family front, my daughter is 32 weeks along in her pregnancy. That means she's in the home stretch! She's feeling well and the baby is growing and doing well, too. She's due the end of October, near her own birthday. Can't wait to meet the newest little Ferruzza/Sage baby!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Biopsy Results
The biopsy came back as a fibous something or other with no abnomalities. This is good, I'm told, as it is benign. Have a lot of bruising on the breast and it is still extremely tender. Looks like there are no stitches under the Steristrips. Must have used glue. Fine with me as then there is no removal work.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Went Fine
The biopsy surgery went fine. Only took two nurses to get the IV needle in me this time. The record is three nurses and an anesthesiologist, so it was better -- painful, but better.
Difficult to move my arm this morning as I feel bruised, sore, and tender under the arm and of course in the breast. The incision bled quite a bit yesterday, soaking thru my shirt twice before I noticed and changed. Mike added a thick padding of gauze and that helped, but leaked thru overnight. More difficult for me to change it since I only have the one hand. Oh well, it'll get done.
Just hope that I can use my arm tomorrow, even on a limited basis, since I have a dog to groom.
Pathology results back Thursday or Friday.
Difficult to move my arm this morning as I feel bruised, sore, and tender under the arm and of course in the breast. The incision bled quite a bit yesterday, soaking thru my shirt twice before I noticed and changed. Mike added a thick padding of gauze and that helped, but leaked thru overnight. More difficult for me to change it since I only have the one hand. Oh well, it'll get done.
Just hope that I can use my arm tomorrow, even on a limited basis, since I have a dog to groom.
Pathology results back Thursday or Friday.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Surgery for Biopsy
I met with the surgeon yesterday and found that there is a 'lump' but it is so small that a needle biopsy is impractical. He said that the needle would be bigger than the lump and if he missed it and if there was any bleeding in there then he wouldn't be able to see it by ultrasound.
So we will do a guide-wire biopsy. Goody. That's the same procedure I had on my right breast several years ago. Not fun.
While my boob is squished in the mammography machine they insert a wire and make sure it is touching the lump. Then the surgeon follows the wire and cuts out a 1" by 2" cylinder of flesh (which should include the lump) to biopsy. They will also examine the surrounding flesh to see, in the case of cancer, if the cancer was contained in that cylinder or extends to the edges which would mean that a more radical surgery would be required to remove the cancer. That's what happened with my mom. The cancer cells went clear to the edge of the cylinder of flesh which meant it went beyond it in her breast.
The procedure is scheduled for next Tuesday morning. I was pretty depressed yesterday, not getting anything on my to-do list done and breaking into tears randomly.
I hate my boobs.
So we will do a guide-wire biopsy. Goody. That's the same procedure I had on my right breast several years ago. Not fun.
While my boob is squished in the mammography machine they insert a wire and make sure it is touching the lump. Then the surgeon follows the wire and cuts out a 1" by 2" cylinder of flesh (which should include the lump) to biopsy. They will also examine the surrounding flesh to see, in the case of cancer, if the cancer was contained in that cylinder or extends to the edges which would mean that a more radical surgery would be required to remove the cancer. That's what happened with my mom. The cancer cells went clear to the edge of the cylinder of flesh which meant it went beyond it in her breast.
The procedure is scheduled for next Tuesday morning. I was pretty depressed yesterday, not getting anything on my to-do list done and breaking into tears randomly.
I hate my boobs.
Friday, August 5, 2011
"Family History"
How I hate those words.
For any of my male readers this post will be about my boobs so you may want to stop reading. (Of course the mere mention of boobs may get those male readers to stay tuned, who knows?)
I lost my mother to breast cancer back on August 11, 1999. That fact now gives me a 'family history' of breast cancer. So each year when I get my mammogram they mention my 'family history.'
Now I carry a good amount of extra fat along with being 'well-endowed' to begin with, so my annual mammograms are very uncomfortable (i.e. painful). Add to that the ongoing fear of 'family history' and my annuals become extremely stressful.
So a couple weeks ago, after my annual mammogram I received a phone call from my GYN's office telling me that the radiologist saw 'something' in my left breast, most likely just thick tissue but with my 'family history' . . .
I went thru this scare about six years ago when they found a lump in my right breast. I had a lumpectomy and it was benign but it was a very worrisome experience. So I know the drill.
I had my second, more specific mammogram on Tuesday and then was sent to the basement for an ultrasound of the area of my left breast that was in question. The ultrasound tech wasn't sure what she was looking for as she couldn't find anything to take a picture of. Guess she was looking for a lump and this is an entire area of concern. My boob is bruised from her searching for a lump . . .
Anyway, yesterday I received another call from my GYN's office - I need to see a surgeon again. Whether we do a biopsy or a full surgery to assess what is in my boob will be up to him and I'll find that out on Monday morning after he looks at my mammogram and ultrasound. I do know that I'll be having the procedure fairly quickly as that is how surgeons work - get them in and cut them asap.
Am I nervous? Hell yes. Scared out of my wits. This 'family history' stuff is scary business. Right now I really hate my boobs.
I'll post what will happen when I find out.
Sigh.
For any of my male readers this post will be about my boobs so you may want to stop reading. (Of course the mere mention of boobs may get those male readers to stay tuned, who knows?)
I lost my mother to breast cancer back on August 11, 1999. That fact now gives me a 'family history' of breast cancer. So each year when I get my mammogram they mention my 'family history.'
Now I carry a good amount of extra fat along with being 'well-endowed' to begin with, so my annual mammograms are very uncomfortable (i.e. painful). Add to that the ongoing fear of 'family history' and my annuals become extremely stressful.
So a couple weeks ago, after my annual mammogram I received a phone call from my GYN's office telling me that the radiologist saw 'something' in my left breast, most likely just thick tissue but with my 'family history' . . .
I went thru this scare about six years ago when they found a lump in my right breast. I had a lumpectomy and it was benign but it was a very worrisome experience. So I know the drill.
I had my second, more specific mammogram on Tuesday and then was sent to the basement for an ultrasound of the area of my left breast that was in question. The ultrasound tech wasn't sure what she was looking for as she couldn't find anything to take a picture of. Guess she was looking for a lump and this is an entire area of concern. My boob is bruised from her searching for a lump . . .
Anyway, yesterday I received another call from my GYN's office - I need to see a surgeon again. Whether we do a biopsy or a full surgery to assess what is in my boob will be up to him and I'll find that out on Monday morning after he looks at my mammogram and ultrasound. I do know that I'll be having the procedure fairly quickly as that is how surgeons work - get them in and cut them asap.
Am I nervous? Hell yes. Scared out of my wits. This 'family history' stuff is scary business. Right now I really hate my boobs.
I'll post what will happen when I find out.
Sigh.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
A Sad Goodbye
Yesterday at about 11:30am, my beautiful niece, Johnna Jolene, lost her battle with her rare muscle cancer. Her dad (my brother Kyle), mom, twin sister Kara, and brother Daniel were all with her when she eased from this world into God's embrace.
She was a beautiful young woman, 30 years old, and in the prime of her life. One has to wonder what plan God had for her to die so young and of such a horrible disease.
I will remember her laugh - loud and infectious. I will remember her hugs - warm and all-encompassing. Her smile lit up a room and her compassion for others overrode her need for her own comfort while she was coping with her disease, her pain, her fear. She had unlimited faith and I know that that faith helped her these last few weeks of her life.
She will be missed. I love you, Johnna!
Johnna and her mom, Carla
She was a beautiful young woman, 30 years old, and in the prime of her life. One has to wonder what plan God had for her to die so young and of such a horrible disease.
I will remember her laugh - loud and infectious. I will remember her hugs - warm and all-encompassing. Her smile lit up a room and her compassion for others overrode her need for her own comfort while she was coping with her disease, her pain, her fear. She had unlimited faith and I know that that faith helped her these last few weeks of her life.
She will be missed. I love you, Johnna!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tired & Disappointed
So it's been about two months since I was released from doctor's care following my surgeries. In that time, I raised a litter of eight border collie puppies and now have a new puppy of my own that I kept from that litter. That's the tired part. Eight puppies is a LOT of work and I lost a lot of sleep and general "down time" which my body needs. Still not getting much down time but at least I'm getting a full-night's sleep once again.
The disappointed part is in regards to my foot.
The fused joint is fine - stiff but not painful, and that is what the goal of the surgery was.
But I am disappointed that the toe and foot is still swollen and looks to remain that way.
I am disappointed that the big toe curls sideways which does inhibit somewhat my walking mechanics. I believe that the curl is a result of the tendon not being long enough with the angle the doctor put on the fused joint. But that angle is what is giving me pain-free walking. The curled toe is an inconvenience at this time - annoying and sometimes a bit uncomfortable but not terribly painful.
I am terribly disappointed that two surgeries and nine months of recovery didn't fix my Achilles tendon issues. I am back to having an extremely tight tendon when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and also in the mornings. It is not yet painful during the day because as I use it, it warms up and stretches out and as long as I continue to move it stays limber and loose. But as soon as I take a break, the tendon tightens up. I am back to having to rotate and stretch it after a moderate-length road trip (2 hours) just so that I can walk.
I continue to do my stretching exercises and would be content if I was sure this would continue to be the status quo. But I've been here before. After my first two surgeries I got 18 months of lovely walking and then the tendon got tight and inflamed and I wound up unable to walk and experiencing extreme pain. I'm afraid I am heading back that way again only this time the tendon didn't give me any 'good' time. It's not painful, but it is so tight that walking down stairs normally is impossible.
I am just disappointed that no one seems to be able to fix my foot so that I can function normally. That's all I want. Sigh.
The disappointed part is in regards to my foot.
The fused joint is fine - stiff but not painful, and that is what the goal of the surgery was.
But I am disappointed that the toe and foot is still swollen and looks to remain that way.
I am disappointed that the big toe curls sideways which does inhibit somewhat my walking mechanics. I believe that the curl is a result of the tendon not being long enough with the angle the doctor put on the fused joint. But that angle is what is giving me pain-free walking. The curled toe is an inconvenience at this time - annoying and sometimes a bit uncomfortable but not terribly painful.
I am terribly disappointed that two surgeries and nine months of recovery didn't fix my Achilles tendon issues. I am back to having an extremely tight tendon when I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and also in the mornings. It is not yet painful during the day because as I use it, it warms up and stretches out and as long as I continue to move it stays limber and loose. But as soon as I take a break, the tendon tightens up. I am back to having to rotate and stretch it after a moderate-length road trip (2 hours) just so that I can walk.
I continue to do my stretching exercises and would be content if I was sure this would continue to be the status quo. But I've been here before. After my first two surgeries I got 18 months of lovely walking and then the tendon got tight and inflamed and I wound up unable to walk and experiencing extreme pain. I'm afraid I am heading back that way again only this time the tendon didn't give me any 'good' time. It's not painful, but it is so tight that walking down stairs normally is impossible.
I am just disappointed that no one seems to be able to fix my foot so that I can function normally. That's all I want. Sigh.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Happy Birthday, Baby Brother
48 years ago today, my baby brother was born.
8 years ago today, my baby brother ended his life.
I miss him so much.
I love you, Keith Alan. Happy Birthday.
8 years ago today, my baby brother ended his life.
I miss him so much.
I love you, Keith Alan. Happy Birthday.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Released!
Last Thursday I saw the doctor for the last time!
It has been a long 18 months with this foot issue --two surgeries, innumerable hours of physical therapy, hundreds of dollars (probably thousands but I really don't want to add it up), and tons of lost time from my business.
Was it worth it? I have to believe so.
The doctor agreed that the perpetually swollen toe and thickened ball of my foot are going to be my "new normal". I have already accepted that. I may not be happy with it, but can accept it.
The worse part is that none, absolute none of my shoes fit anymore - the shoes I had pre-surgery. That includes the shoes I only wear for dog shows. The only thing I can comfortable wear are athletic running shoes. That's okay until I want to wear a skirt (doesn't happen often but does happen).
I tried wearing my slip-on deck shoes. I can get the foot in the shoe with some work, but somehow the shoe is now too short - my toe, which is now bent sideways so shouldn't be a problem, doesn't have room at the top of the shoe. I only wear those deck shoes to run out to the barn or down the lane to get the mail in the summertime - they're my 'convenience' shoes. But they're not convenient any more if it takes several minutes to get my foot in them.
I also tried flip-flops. Nope. Altho easier & quicker to get on than the deck shoes, it doesn't stay positioned on my foot. It keeps working off from between the toes. Again, how can it work off with that big toe so drastically bent over? I don't know but I had to keep stopping and working it back on last night as I walked from the house to the barn while putting the ducks away. Hm-m, not good.
I don't mind wearing athletic shoes except in the summer. I am a barefoot-type of gal and so the deck shoes and the flip-flops are a compromise for me in the summer. And unfortunately money is too tight right now (it is non-existent) for me to buy new shoes, even if I could find something summery that would work on this foot.
But all this grousing aside -- I am good with where my foot is right now physically. The most important thing is that I can now walk without pain in the joint. I still have some occasional bouts of discomfort, especially when I'm on it too long or walk a lot, but the chronic pain is gone. The tendon has hit its limit of stretch somewhere short of full length but is usable as long as I warm it up with ankle rotations and stretching. It's not 100% but then the rest of me isn't either!
So unless or until this thing re-flares, I'm free! Could it be better? Of course. Am I disappointed with how it turned out? A little. Would I do the surgery again? I'm not sure. To be free of the pain - yes. But all of it is colored by the repeat surgery and the pain I endured, so it's not clear-cut.
But I am able to function again and that is the most important part.
It has been a long 18 months with this foot issue --two surgeries, innumerable hours of physical therapy, hundreds of dollars (probably thousands but I really don't want to add it up), and tons of lost time from my business.
Was it worth it? I have to believe so.
The doctor agreed that the perpetually swollen toe and thickened ball of my foot are going to be my "new normal". I have already accepted that. I may not be happy with it, but can accept it.
The worse part is that none, absolute none of my shoes fit anymore - the shoes I had pre-surgery. That includes the shoes I only wear for dog shows. The only thing I can comfortable wear are athletic running shoes. That's okay until I want to wear a skirt (doesn't happen often but does happen).
I tried wearing my slip-on deck shoes. I can get the foot in the shoe with some work, but somehow the shoe is now too short - my toe, which is now bent sideways so shouldn't be a problem, doesn't have room at the top of the shoe. I only wear those deck shoes to run out to the barn or down the lane to get the mail in the summertime - they're my 'convenience' shoes. But they're not convenient any more if it takes several minutes to get my foot in them.
I also tried flip-flops. Nope. Altho easier & quicker to get on than the deck shoes, it doesn't stay positioned on my foot. It keeps working off from between the toes. Again, how can it work off with that big toe so drastically bent over? I don't know but I had to keep stopping and working it back on last night as I walked from the house to the barn while putting the ducks away. Hm-m, not good.
I don't mind wearing athletic shoes except in the summer. I am a barefoot-type of gal and so the deck shoes and the flip-flops are a compromise for me in the summer. And unfortunately money is too tight right now (it is non-existent) for me to buy new shoes, even if I could find something summery that would work on this foot.
But all this grousing aside -- I am good with where my foot is right now physically. The most important thing is that I can now walk without pain in the joint. I still have some occasional bouts of discomfort, especially when I'm on it too long or walk a lot, but the chronic pain is gone. The tendon has hit its limit of stretch somewhere short of full length but is usable as long as I warm it up with ankle rotations and stretching. It's not 100% but then the rest of me isn't either!
So unless or until this thing re-flares, I'm free! Could it be better? Of course. Am I disappointed with how it turned out? A little. Would I do the surgery again? I'm not sure. To be free of the pain - yes. But all of it is colored by the repeat surgery and the pain I endured, so it's not clear-cut.
But I am able to function again and that is the most important part.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
My New Normal
Well, it's been over five months since my last surgery on my foot. It's time to evaluate where I'm at with this foot issue.
The pain is GONE which was the most important part. Walking is still a work in progress. I still find myself walking the 'old' way at times - avoiding putting weight on the ball of the foot - but that is happening less and less. The tendon is still not as flexible as it should be but then I'm not either. It's hell to get old.
The tendon tightens up a bit overnight, but if I take the time to rotate it and warm it up before my feet hit the floor I'm better. Still can't come down the stairs two-footed first thing in the morning or during the night. Partially it's my knees from lack of use (still), but part of it is the tight tendon not letting me flex enough to come down the stairs. But when I do stairs in the middle of the day, after I've been up and about and warmed thoroughly, no problems doing them two-footed.
I can still flex the tendon/ankle as much as the other foot non-weightbearing. With weight both lose some of that stretch. I doubt that it will come back all the way since I've been doing these darn stretches for more than five months and still not getting any more flexibility. The new normal I guess.
I am taking 800mg of ibuprofen three times a day. That's a lot in my book. And it also makes me wonder what it is hiding so that I can function during the day. I really don't want to be on drugs the rest of my life. There has to be a way to function, if not painlessly, at least comfortably without massive doses of drugs. Taking some because I overdid it is one thing and acceptable, but dosing myself constantly just to function does not set well with me.
My big toe curves to the right a lot. It started doing that after the June surgery and continued after the last one. It looks ugly but doesn't cause me pain or anything. More new normal.
The swelling in the toe has not changed since the dressing came off after the surgery. The ball of the foot is thicker than my good foot, too. I've been told that it may take six months for the swelling to go down. Well, we're only a couple weeks from that and it ain't goin' anywhere.
I am unable to wear any of my shoes other than my athletic shoes due to the thickness of the foot/toe. Good thing I have a pair of black ones to wear with dress clothes. Got a wedding on the 21st. Guess I'll be wearing black pants to hide my inappropriate footwear! Not sure I like this new normal. I'm not into shoes like a lot of women, but I'd like to wear the ones I own. Probably not going to happen, huh?
So an ugly foot is now my new normal. I guess I can live with that. I'd like to get off the daily drugs as that isn't something I want to live with for the next 15 or 20 years, but that may not be possible. Just depends on how much discomfort I can live with and from my history, that would be a lot.
I see the doctor in a couple weeks. We'll see what's up then . . .
 |
| May 9, 2011 The new normal |
The tendon tightens up a bit overnight, but if I take the time to rotate it and warm it up before my feet hit the floor I'm better. Still can't come down the stairs two-footed first thing in the morning or during the night. Partially it's my knees from lack of use (still), but part of it is the tight tendon not letting me flex enough to come down the stairs. But when I do stairs in the middle of the day, after I've been up and about and warmed thoroughly, no problems doing them two-footed.
I can still flex the tendon/ankle as much as the other foot non-weightbearing. With weight both lose some of that stretch. I doubt that it will come back all the way since I've been doing these darn stretches for more than five months and still not getting any more flexibility. The new normal I guess.
I am taking 800mg of ibuprofen three times a day. That's a lot in my book. And it also makes me wonder what it is hiding so that I can function during the day. I really don't want to be on drugs the rest of my life. There has to be a way to function, if not painlessly, at least comfortably without massive doses of drugs. Taking some because I overdid it is one thing and acceptable, but dosing myself constantly just to function does not set well with me.
My big toe curves to the right a lot. It started doing that after the June surgery and continued after the last one. It looks ugly but doesn't cause me pain or anything. More new normal.
The swelling in the toe has not changed since the dressing came off after the surgery. The ball of the foot is thicker than my good foot, too. I've been told that it may take six months for the swelling to go down. Well, we're only a couple weeks from that and it ain't goin' anywhere.
I am unable to wear any of my shoes other than my athletic shoes due to the thickness of the foot/toe. Good thing I have a pair of black ones to wear with dress clothes. Got a wedding on the 21st. Guess I'll be wearing black pants to hide my inappropriate footwear! Not sure I like this new normal. I'm not into shoes like a lot of women, but I'd like to wear the ones I own. Probably not going to happen, huh?
So an ugly foot is now my new normal. I guess I can live with that. I'd like to get off the daily drugs as that isn't something I want to live with for the next 15 or 20 years, but that may not be possible. Just depends on how much discomfort I can live with and from my history, that would be a lot.
I see the doctor in a couple weeks. We'll see what's up then . . .
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Klutz
So yesterday I took a header down some steps. Luckily, it was only two.
I landed hard on my knee and hand and my recently repaired toe. Of course!
Took a bit to get to where I could put weight on either foot. The knee really took most of my considerable weight. The toe (not the repaired/fused joint) was hyper-flexed and the tendon that runs along the back of the toe and across the ball of the foot (which is what allows the toe to be curled) is stretched and burns. The toe has some bruising and is tender.
But it's not broken. No swelling.
So I iced it last night and am already taking prescription-strength Motrin due to my Achilles tendon re-flaring. I am unable to roll over the toe when I walk but am not terribly worried now that it's 24 hours later.
It feels like a badly stubbed toe but I'm sure it'll get better. I did call the doctor so that she didn't panic when she reads this. She said we'd probably x-ray it when I go in to pick up my orthotic next week.
I am such a klutz!
I landed hard on my knee and hand and my recently repaired toe. Of course!
Took a bit to get to where I could put weight on either foot. The knee really took most of my considerable weight. The toe (not the repaired/fused joint) was hyper-flexed and the tendon that runs along the back of the toe and across the ball of the foot (which is what allows the toe to be curled) is stretched and burns. The toe has some bruising and is tender.
 |
| Note the bruise at the tip of the toe & under the nail. |
But it's not broken. No swelling.
So I iced it last night and am already taking prescription-strength Motrin due to my Achilles tendon re-flaring. I am unable to roll over the toe when I walk but am not terribly worried now that it's 24 hours later.
It feels like a badly stubbed toe but I'm sure it'll get better. I did call the doctor so that she didn't panic when she reads this. She said we'd probably x-ray it when I go in to pick up my orthotic next week.
I am such a klutz!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Exciting News!
Daughter Tara is going to have a baby! She and hubby, Joel, are very happy as you can imagine.
We've known about a week, but they've known for over two and a half months. She is just past 12 weeks. She wanted to get thru the first trimester before telling anyone as she has a cousin who has miscarried twice now. So Tara wanted to be sure that her pregnancy was going to 'take' and also to have the time to tell this particular cousin as it is hard on her to hear about other pregnancies. Not that she's not supportive and excited for her cousin, but it's a reminder of the babies she lost.
So Tara and Joel are expecting their family to grow by one in late October. Due date is the 26th. Tara's birthday is the 30th. So Tara is hoping the baby is late by four day. She won't be thinking that in a few months! She'll just want it out!
They're not going to find out the sex of the baby, they want to be surprised. Me, too.
So Busia (me) and Gramps (Mike) are very happy for them and excited about the new addition.
We've known about a week, but they've known for over two and a half months. She is just past 12 weeks. She wanted to get thru the first trimester before telling anyone as she has a cousin who has miscarried twice now. So Tara wanted to be sure that her pregnancy was going to 'take' and also to have the time to tell this particular cousin as it is hard on her to hear about other pregnancies. Not that she's not supportive and excited for her cousin, but it's a reminder of the babies she lost.
So Tara and Joel are expecting their family to grow by one in late October. Due date is the 26th. Tara's birthday is the 30th. So Tara is hoping the baby is late by four day. She won't be thinking that in a few months! She'll just want it out!
They're not going to find out the sex of the baby, they want to be surprised. Me, too.
So Busia (me) and Gramps (Mike) are very happy for them and excited about the new addition.
Monday, April 4, 2011
My Foot Held Up!
Yesterday my foot and I made our debut into the show ring - first time since my second (actually 4th) surgery on it.
It was obedience weekend but one dog is lame and the other is possibly pregnant so had no dog to do obedience with! So I entered a breed show instead with the pregnant one (breed shows are the 'beauty contests' like Westminster you may see on TV).
I had to run around the ring with my dog (and a friend's dog) at least seven times and the foot felt great! I was actually concentrating on my mechanics to be sure I was striding right and not compensating. I really didn't think I had any chance to win with my girl so I was really focused on my foot during the show.
No pain. No compensating. It felt GREAT!
Plus we won the points which is a huge big deal in terms of my girl getting her championship. But the second best news was that my foot felt and acted perfect.
Whew!
It was obedience weekend but one dog is lame and the other is possibly pregnant so had no dog to do obedience with! So I entered a breed show instead with the pregnant one (breed shows are the 'beauty contests' like Westminster you may see on TV).
I had to run around the ring with my dog (and a friend's dog) at least seven times and the foot felt great! I was actually concentrating on my mechanics to be sure I was striding right and not compensating. I really didn't think I had any chance to win with my girl so I was really focused on my foot during the show.
No pain. No compensating. It felt GREAT!
Plus we won the points which is a huge big deal in terms of my girl getting her championship. But the second best news was that my foot felt and acted perfect.
Whew!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
And So It Begins
Today is heaven on earth. Today is Opening Day for baseball!
My long winter's sleep is over and I can look forward to a game almost every day. LOVE IT!
This is the day when all is possible - even the World Series for Cubs fans (not that it'll happen).
The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, Mike Shannon's voice on the radio. I get all this all summer and into the fall. And if the baseball gods are with us - I'll get it into October.
And if all goes right then by the first of May, Cubs fans will be saying "wait'll next year!"
But right now I'm happy to be able to have my baseball back on the radio. All is good.
My long winter's sleep is over and I can look forward to a game almost every day. LOVE IT!
This is the day when all is possible - even the World Series for Cubs fans (not that it'll happen).
The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, Mike Shannon's voice on the radio. I get all this all summer and into the fall. And if the baseball gods are with us - I'll get it into October.
And if all goes right then by the first of May, Cubs fans will be saying "wait'll next year!"
But right now I'm happy to be able to have my baseball back on the radio. All is good.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Quick Foot Update
So I did some obedience work with the dogs yesterday. Everyone had a fun time.
I'm pleased to report that my foot and ankle held up, even during the 'fast' part of our heeling. I'll be honest, I doubt that I used proper walking mechanics thru the fast as I wasn't thinking about mechanics out there and I know that the habit to protect the foot probably took over. But even tho I felt like an elephant out there, I did do a fast nicely. Yay!
I've stopped taking photos of the foot as it doesn't look any different than the last few weeks. It swells with too much use but then subsides to the 'regular' swelling that is my new normal. Hopefully in a few months that, too, will subside and my foot will look more like a regular foot.
The joint feels fine. I know it's fused as it is stiff and sometimes awkward, but it was like that before the surgeries. The change is that there is no pain with the stiffness. Just what we wanted.
The other toes are still painful during and after use. how much pain depends on how much use and whether or not I remember to use proper mechanics when walking. If I 'compensate' then they don't hurt as much, If I walk properly, then they hurt some during the walk but more afterwards in the evening.
The tendon still stiffens up - pretty tight at the top, somewhat tight at the ankle. Still have a bit of soreness in the tendon when I massage it - just above where it inserts into the bursa. The spots where the soft tissue connectors are screwed in to hold the tendon in place aren't nearly as sensitive as they had been. I can still find them, but definitely better.
I see the doctor tomorrow. It should be my last appointment, I would think.
I'm pleased to report that my foot and ankle held up, even during the 'fast' part of our heeling. I'll be honest, I doubt that I used proper walking mechanics thru the fast as I wasn't thinking about mechanics out there and I know that the habit to protect the foot probably took over. But even tho I felt like an elephant out there, I did do a fast nicely. Yay!
I've stopped taking photos of the foot as it doesn't look any different than the last few weeks. It swells with too much use but then subsides to the 'regular' swelling that is my new normal. Hopefully in a few months that, too, will subside and my foot will look more like a regular foot.
The joint feels fine. I know it's fused as it is stiff and sometimes awkward, but it was like that before the surgeries. The change is that there is no pain with the stiffness. Just what we wanted.
The other toes are still painful during and after use. how much pain depends on how much use and whether or not I remember to use proper mechanics when walking. If I 'compensate' then they don't hurt as much, If I walk properly, then they hurt some during the walk but more afterwards in the evening.
The tendon still stiffens up - pretty tight at the top, somewhat tight at the ankle. Still have a bit of soreness in the tendon when I massage it - just above where it inserts into the bursa. The spots where the soft tissue connectors are screwed in to hold the tendon in place aren't nearly as sensitive as they had been. I can still find them, but definitely better.
I see the doctor tomorrow. It should be my last appointment, I would think.
Friday, March 18, 2011
15 Weeks and Counting!
So after having a long day in Louisville on Wednesday my foot was pretty pudgy-feeling on the drive home. By the time we got home (1am) I just took my shoes and socks off and fell into bed. I really didn't care at that point what my foot looked like! Lisa stayed and caught a 3.5 hour "nap" and then drove home in time to do chores and go to work. I was glad as I didn't want her falling asleep at the wheel.
Thursday was a 'sleep in' morning, except that Trey didn't want to be alone in her crate downstairs and started yipping about 6:30. So I got up and slugged back a pot of coffee. Didn't do much to clear the cobwebs but did taste good. Thursday afternoon I met with one of Judy's students to help her fix some training issues as she is entered at Springfield in two weeks. Not sure she's ready but it will be a great learning opportunity for her and her dog. It was fun to be back out thinking about obedience and talking about Judy.
By the time I got home the foot and ankle were very tired. So I made supper and then put my feet up -- and promptly fell asleep! I was tired! Today I am at McDonald's using their free wi-fi to update my laptop and get some online work done that is quicker with something other than the dial up service I have at home. I hope my battery holds out until the updates all download. We'll see I guess.
My foot is still more swollen over all than it had been a couple weeks ago. The tendon tends to be stiffer in the morning but does work itself loose as I move around and use it. The fused joint feels about the same, too, pretty good over all. The pain in the foot from the other toes has subsided but does flare with increased use. I've still not taken the girls for a walk in about a week. The weather just hasn't been cooperative and I'm not motivated enough to walk in cold, wind, or rain. Today will be a walk day as the girls and I are all a bit sluggish and could use the exercise.
I do believe as I get more active doing stuff, especially yard work now that it's spring, and daily dog walks that the foot and ankle will improve and get stronger. My knees, too, will benefit from increased activity. Right now it is an effort to get around (it doesn't help that I'm carting about 50# more than I had last year at this time!) and I find myself huffing and puffing if I do much more than a modest stroll. I am really working on getting back into shape. I'm there mentally, just need to commit to the time to be more active. I think today I will go out and clean the yard of a winter's worth of dog poop. Walking on uneven ground will be good therapy for the ankle.
I see the doctor next Tuesday and will be released. I think I am generally satisfied with the foot and how it feels. Could it be better? Absolutely. But a lot of that depends on my efforts and I'll be honest, I've not been as consistent with my PT exercises as I had been. But life and work gets in the way and doing them three times a day just takes too much time. I still stretch the tendon at random times during the day. I was even doing some heel raises and tendon stretching in Louisville as I watch the dogs in the breed ring. (BTW the sire of my litter, Brodie, won the Herding titled Champions class and an Award of Merit on Wednesday, and an Award of Merit on Thursday!)
So, hey, spring is almost here and my foot feels much, much better. Life is good!
Thursday was a 'sleep in' morning, except that Trey didn't want to be alone in her crate downstairs and started yipping about 6:30. So I got up and slugged back a pot of coffee. Didn't do much to clear the cobwebs but did taste good. Thursday afternoon I met with one of Judy's students to help her fix some training issues as she is entered at Springfield in two weeks. Not sure she's ready but it will be a great learning opportunity for her and her dog. It was fun to be back out thinking about obedience and talking about Judy.
By the time I got home the foot and ankle were very tired. So I made supper and then put my feet up -- and promptly fell asleep! I was tired! Today I am at McDonald's using their free wi-fi to update my laptop and get some online work done that is quicker with something other than the dial up service I have at home. I hope my battery holds out until the updates all download. We'll see I guess.
My foot is still more swollen over all than it had been a couple weeks ago. The tendon tends to be stiffer in the morning but does work itself loose as I move around and use it. The fused joint feels about the same, too, pretty good over all. The pain in the foot from the other toes has subsided but does flare with increased use. I've still not taken the girls for a walk in about a week. The weather just hasn't been cooperative and I'm not motivated enough to walk in cold, wind, or rain. Today will be a walk day as the girls and I are all a bit sluggish and could use the exercise.
I do believe as I get more active doing stuff, especially yard work now that it's spring, and daily dog walks that the foot and ankle will improve and get stronger. My knees, too, will benefit from increased activity. Right now it is an effort to get around (it doesn't help that I'm carting about 50# more than I had last year at this time!) and I find myself huffing and puffing if I do much more than a modest stroll. I am really working on getting back into shape. I'm there mentally, just need to commit to the time to be more active. I think today I will go out and clean the yard of a winter's worth of dog poop. Walking on uneven ground will be good therapy for the ankle.
I see the doctor next Tuesday and will be released. I think I am generally satisfied with the foot and how it feels. Could it be better? Absolutely. But a lot of that depends on my efforts and I'll be honest, I've not been as consistent with my PT exercises as I had been. But life and work gets in the way and doing them three times a day just takes too much time. I still stretch the tendon at random times during the day. I was even doing some heel raises and tendon stretching in Louisville as I watch the dogs in the breed ring. (BTW the sire of my litter, Brodie, won the Herding titled Champions class and an Award of Merit on Wednesday, and an Award of Merit on Thursday!)
So, hey, spring is almost here and my foot feels much, much better. Life is good!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Busy Busy
Over the weekend I went to help some friends go thru all the stuff in Judy's garage. Judy was a collector or maybe a pack rat, but either way she had a bunch of stuff in her garage. Boxes and boxes of books, both fiction in paperback and hardback and textbooks. Judy had earned several degrees in business management and economics and apparently kept every book she ever bought while earning her degrees.
Her childhood friend, who is executor of the estate, said it looked like the boxes hadn't been touched since Judy had moved from Massachusetts, which was two moves before she bought this house. The books had either suffered damage from wetness or mice and most wound up being tossed in the dumpster.
Of course we found tons (literally) of dog-related stuff. Four huge Rubbermaid bins of dog treats and that was after we threw out the ones that were sorely out of date. We quit counting at 13 the number of training bags she had stored - most of like size and configuration. I brought home 6 crates of various sizes and materials to sell for the estate. Also I brought home four ex-pens of various heights and materials. I'm keeping them until after I'm done with the upcoming litter of puppies. One can never have too many ex-pens with puppies around!
There were obedience jumps, agility chutes and tunnels, a multitude of training collars and leashes. And clickers - many, many clickers. Judy taught obedience classes and so stocked up on various things to sell to her students if it was necessary. Apparently clickers, pinch collars, and Halti head collars weren't in great demand because she had a lot of those. Don't know if I'll be able to sell all of them. Oh, and traffic cones. There has to be at least 4 dozen traffic cones. Some of them are part of her Rally course set but the rest? Wow.
I have to go thru and catalog what I have and get it listed on line so I can sell it. Judy's mom (93) is not very well set and any extra money we can raise for her would be appreciated, I'm sure.
Monday I had the rough collie to bathe and comb out and today the two German shepherds. Foot feels okay. Tendon a bit stiff but the toes feel better. But then I haven't taken any walks since last week.
Tomorrow I'm off to Louisville with a friend to watch her show her dogs. I've never been to this venue before. Tomorrow is a border collie supported entry with puppy sweepstakes so that'll be fun to watch. It'll be a late night getting back - after 10pm and my friend will still have to drive two more hours home since she has to work the next day. Glad it's not me!
Her childhood friend, who is executor of the estate, said it looked like the boxes hadn't been touched since Judy had moved from Massachusetts, which was two moves before she bought this house. The books had either suffered damage from wetness or mice and most wound up being tossed in the dumpster.
Of course we found tons (literally) of dog-related stuff. Four huge Rubbermaid bins of dog treats and that was after we threw out the ones that were sorely out of date. We quit counting at 13 the number of training bags she had stored - most of like size and configuration. I brought home 6 crates of various sizes and materials to sell for the estate. Also I brought home four ex-pens of various heights and materials. I'm keeping them until after I'm done with the upcoming litter of puppies. One can never have too many ex-pens with puppies around!
There were obedience jumps, agility chutes and tunnels, a multitude of training collars and leashes. And clickers - many, many clickers. Judy taught obedience classes and so stocked up on various things to sell to her students if it was necessary. Apparently clickers, pinch collars, and Halti head collars weren't in great demand because she had a lot of those. Don't know if I'll be able to sell all of them. Oh, and traffic cones. There has to be at least 4 dozen traffic cones. Some of them are part of her Rally course set but the rest? Wow.
I have to go thru and catalog what I have and get it listed on line so I can sell it. Judy's mom (93) is not very well set and any extra money we can raise for her would be appreciated, I'm sure.
Monday I had the rough collie to bathe and comb out and today the two German shepherds. Foot feels okay. Tendon a bit stiff but the toes feel better. But then I haven't taken any walks since last week.
Tomorrow I'm off to Louisville with a friend to watch her show her dogs. I've never been to this venue before. Tomorrow is a border collie supported entry with puppy sweepstakes so that'll be fun to watch. It'll be a late night getting back - after 10pm and my friend will still have to drive two more hours home since she has to work the next day. Glad it's not me!
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Step (or Two?) Backwards
My foot was very puffy this morning - so puffy I had to loosen the laces on my shoe quite a bit to get the foot inside it. Sigh.
Yesterday was a pretty active day, but then I've been pretty active for the past couple weeks. I've been gradually increasing the amount of time I'm on my feet and decreasing the 'foot in the air' time during the day. At night, you'll still find me in my recliner with my feet elevated (and me snoring!).
I started taking walks with the girls again. Short walks. About 1/4 mile out and back. Twenty minutes total. But the rain and generally icky weather put a halt to those the last couple days. Until yesterday.
Yesterday I cleaned house and also spot cleaned the living room carpet. Then decided to take a walk when the sun peeked out later in the afternoon. My foot was feeling great so a walk was a good idea. I'm trying to lose the 50+ pounds I've put on since last June's surgery and walking is a good way to start.
So I got to my 1/4 mile mark and decided to go farther. The wind was cold but was at my back (I forgot it would be in my face on the way home) and I was dressed in wind pants and jacket so it wasn't too bad. Trey is hopefully pregnant and needs to get in better shape for whelping after her long layoff while I was laid up. Beckett is walking on leash as she, too, has a bum foot right now.
All total, I probably walked almost a mile, taking about 35 minutes to do it, and my foot and ankle felt great! Yippee! Trey was tired and ready to settle and not be a pain when Mike came home. Beckett's walk was easy on her foot and she wasn't favoring it much.
So I made homemade pizza crust for the first time in months and we enjoyed our dinner. I put my feet up at 7:00 and noticed then some stiffness in the ankle - not in the tendon, but at the front of the ankle above the instep. So I took off my sock and massaged it. I noticed that the foot was quite swollen, as was the ankle - most noticeably in front near the instep and on the outer side near the ankle bone. Not bad but not good. I also had an ouchiness (bruised feeling) in the middle two toes which I've been fighting since I started walking. After my walk and busy day it was more pronounced. I also found a very tender spot on the tendon during my massage, but the tendon was not stiff or tight.
In the middle of the night I had to get up to visit the bathroom. Normally I have to 'warm up' the foot/ankle but by the time I'm down the stairs and on my way back up, I am able to walk normally. This holds true in the mornings, too, a bit of warm up when my feet first hit the floor. Last night it wasn't so. I had to hobble to and from the bathroom. It wasn't the fused joint or the tendon. It was still the front of the ankle and the middle two toes of the foot.
Now I've had some discomfort in those two toes from the moment I started walking after both surgeries. Being that I never did walk normally after the first surgery I was never able to 'work them out' of this discomfort. So when it happened again this time I assumed it was just lack of use. And it probably is. So I've continued to plug forward, making sure I'm using the correct foot mechanics when I walk.
This week I've noticed that the toes weren't hurting as much, or maybe I should say that they warmed up quicker and were less uncomfortable when they were warmed up. But last night, OMG. Definite bruised feeling overall in those toes. Not so much the actual toes themselves. I guess I should be clear. The toes never hurt but the long bones in the foot were what was causing me discomfort and that is what is feeling very bruised right now. The pain radiates up the two long bones to the front of my ankle.
After getting my foot in my shoe this morning, the foot felt better but not good. I mean that the support of the shoe made the toe bones feel better but the overall ouchiness of the ankle (in the front) is still very apparent. So I decided to take the shoe off and take some photos of it.
So I don't know what's going on with the foot. I am still doing my PT exercises without much difficulty. The tender spot on the tendon last night was a surprise, but not unexpected since I did up the amount of use yesterday. So when you read this, Dr. Lockwood, give it some thought and we'll see where I am on the 22nd when I come to see you.
I am not entering any obedience trials since Trey may be pregnant and Beckett is lame, but I do have Trey entered at the DeWitt dog show on Sunday, April 3rd, just so I can have something to do now that I'm up and about!
Yesterday was a pretty active day, but then I've been pretty active for the past couple weeks. I've been gradually increasing the amount of time I'm on my feet and decreasing the 'foot in the air' time during the day. At night, you'll still find me in my recliner with my feet elevated (and me snoring!).
I started taking walks with the girls again. Short walks. About 1/4 mile out and back. Twenty minutes total. But the rain and generally icky weather put a halt to those the last couple days. Until yesterday.
Yesterday I cleaned house and also spot cleaned the living room carpet. Then decided to take a walk when the sun peeked out later in the afternoon. My foot was feeling great so a walk was a good idea. I'm trying to lose the 50+ pounds I've put on since last June's surgery and walking is a good way to start.
So I got to my 1/4 mile mark and decided to go farther. The wind was cold but was at my back (I forgot it would be in my face on the way home) and I was dressed in wind pants and jacket so it wasn't too bad. Trey is hopefully pregnant and needs to get in better shape for whelping after her long layoff while I was laid up. Beckett is walking on leash as she, too, has a bum foot right now.
All total, I probably walked almost a mile, taking about 35 minutes to do it, and my foot and ankle felt great! Yippee! Trey was tired and ready to settle and not be a pain when Mike came home. Beckett's walk was easy on her foot and she wasn't favoring it much.
So I made homemade pizza crust for the first time in months and we enjoyed our dinner. I put my feet up at 7:00 and noticed then some stiffness in the ankle - not in the tendon, but at the front of the ankle above the instep. So I took off my sock and massaged it. I noticed that the foot was quite swollen, as was the ankle - most noticeably in front near the instep and on the outer side near the ankle bone. Not bad but not good. I also had an ouchiness (bruised feeling) in the middle two toes which I've been fighting since I started walking. After my walk and busy day it was more pronounced. I also found a very tender spot on the tendon during my massage, but the tendon was not stiff or tight.
In the middle of the night I had to get up to visit the bathroom. Normally I have to 'warm up' the foot/ankle but by the time I'm down the stairs and on my way back up, I am able to walk normally. This holds true in the mornings, too, a bit of warm up when my feet first hit the floor. Last night it wasn't so. I had to hobble to and from the bathroom. It wasn't the fused joint or the tendon. It was still the front of the ankle and the middle two toes of the foot.
Now I've had some discomfort in those two toes from the moment I started walking after both surgeries. Being that I never did walk normally after the first surgery I was never able to 'work them out' of this discomfort. So when it happened again this time I assumed it was just lack of use. And it probably is. So I've continued to plug forward, making sure I'm using the correct foot mechanics when I walk.
This week I've noticed that the toes weren't hurting as much, or maybe I should say that they warmed up quicker and were less uncomfortable when they were warmed up. But last night, OMG. Definite bruised feeling overall in those toes. Not so much the actual toes themselves. I guess I should be clear. The toes never hurt but the long bones in the foot were what was causing me discomfort and that is what is feeling very bruised right now. The pain radiates up the two long bones to the front of my ankle.
After getting my foot in my shoe this morning, the foot felt better but not good. I mean that the support of the shoe made the toe bones feel better but the overall ouchiness of the ankle (in the front) is still very apparent. So I decided to take the shoe off and take some photos of it.
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| Lines from my shoe compression |
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| The swelling at the outside of the ankle bone |
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| Not much change in the overall appearance of the fused joint |
I am not entering any obedience trials since Trey may be pregnant and Beckett is lame, but I do have Trey entered at the DeWitt dog show on Sunday, April 3rd, just so I can have something to do now that I'm up and about!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Week 13 Uh-oh!
So I started back to walking with the dogs on Wednesday. It was lovely! Trey got to run loose but Beckett had to stay on leash as she is still sore in a foot. Sigh.
The foot and ankle felt great during and after the walk, even into the evening. This is good news.
On Thursday, I was on my feet for most of the day preparing for a trip out of town with the dogs. I had a lot to do to get the ducks and chickens situated to where they could be left for a couple days without becoming a meal for a hawk or four-legged varmint.
When I came inside to shower at about 2pm, I took off my shoe and sock and found this . . .
Yes, this is the same toenail that was ingrown after my previous surgery. The doctor removed the side of the nail so as to prevent any further ingrowing or infections. But this looks like the festering of an infection to me.
So I quick sent off an email to my doctor as I was leaving in just a couple of hours for Virginia. After following her instructions, I headed east.
At some point during my two-day whirlwind trip, the white spot ruptured and oozed onto the bandage I applied. I've continued to soak it in warm water and Epsom salts but it has not refilled nor is it sore or painful.
I just hope it's gone. I don't want any more 'issues' with this foot!
The foot and ankle felt great during and after the walk, even into the evening. This is good news.
On Thursday, I was on my feet for most of the day preparing for a trip out of town with the dogs. I had a lot to do to get the ducks and chickens situated to where they could be left for a couple days without becoming a meal for a hawk or four-legged varmint.
When I came inside to shower at about 2pm, I took off my shoe and sock and found this . . .
 |
| Uh-oh! |
So I quick sent off an email to my doctor as I was leaving in just a couple of hours for Virginia. After following her instructions, I headed east.
At some point during my two-day whirlwind trip, the white spot ruptured and oozed onto the bandage I applied. I've continued to soak it in warm water and Epsom salts but it has not refilled nor is it sore or painful.
I just hope it's gone. I don't want any more 'issues' with this foot!
Friday, February 25, 2011
12 Weeks
So it has been a full twelve weeks since my second surgery on this foot and I have to say that overall I am THRILLED with the results.
The first time around I was still complaining about the constant pain in the foot, both the ankle and the fused joint. Not this time. Things are feeling much better - not perfect yet but much better.
This was taken first thing this morning at 5:30am. I am still experiencing swelling in the large toe, especially the longer I am up on it. When it swells a line forms in the skin at the base of the toe right where the toe attaches to the foot and that line actually cuts into my toe and causes some discomfort - like a rubber band is tight around the toe and cutting in. I've been using a large silicone toe spacer to put a bit of compression on that spot and it keeps the line from forming.
The toes are no longer requiring a 'warming up' period to function so they've adjusted to walking again. The fused joint gets 'ache-y' occasionally and I'm still having some difficulty rolling over on it without a bit of mild pain. I think I need to tweak my orthotic with some moleskin. Gonna have to pick that up at Walmart and give it a try.
The ankle is getting stronger - slowly. No more 'sprained ankle' pain. So good news there, but it is filling a bit now that I'm on it a lot more. Guess I'm not surprised, just wish it wasn't so. The tendon is occasionally tightening up on me, mostly feel it in the middle of the night. It stretches out easily with some rotation and gentle stretching and I am continuing to do my stretching exercises. I am being ultra careful about adding any weight-bearing exercises on days that I'm up on it a lot as that is enough weight-bearing!
I've developed a bit of a blister/sore spot on the back of my heel, right on the incision, from my Muckers boots. It's odd as I've worn those boots for a couple years and not had a problem but assume the new incision has something to do with the blister. I've stuck a bandage on my heel to protect it as it is tender enough for it to be irritated by my shoe now also.
So pretty much all good news. Happy days!
The first time around I was still complaining about the constant pain in the foot, both the ankle and the fused joint. Not this time. Things are feeling much better - not perfect yet but much better.
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| Looking good! Not so pink either. |
The toes are no longer requiring a 'warming up' period to function so they've adjusted to walking again. The fused joint gets 'ache-y' occasionally and I'm still having some difficulty rolling over on it without a bit of mild pain. I think I need to tweak my orthotic with some moleskin. Gonna have to pick that up at Walmart and give it a try.
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| Puffiness a bit more constant with use |
I've developed a bit of a blister/sore spot on the back of my heel, right on the incision, from my Muckers boots. It's odd as I've worn those boots for a couple years and not had a problem but assume the new incision has something to do with the blister. I've stuck a bandage on my heel to protect it as it is tender enough for it to be irritated by my shoe now also.
So pretty much all good news. Happy days!
Friday, February 18, 2011
11 Weeks
I saw the doctor yesterday. It was so funny. She came into the exam room and started asking me questions. She had been reading my blog and keeping up on how my foot was doing. I am so glad I started blogging this foot journey. First of all, it gives me someplace to look back and remember clearly. Secondly, it's a good way for the doctor to know what's happening on a daily or weekly basis. I think she should require all her patients to blog so that she has that extra bit of information and communication.
As you can see, the huge bump I had on the side of the joint since the first surgery is no longer there. The foot feels SO much better overall. Yes, it's still weak and has some tender spots but that should resolve with use. What I'm hoping doesn't happen is for the tendon to re-inflame with use. I am being ultra-careful with it, making sure I do my stretches and quitting when it feels tired. I tend to overdo a lot.
We did discuss my other foot and the pain that I experienced last Friday night and several times during the week. When I first felt the ripping, tearing, sharp pain in my left tendon as I was stepping down the stairs, I thought "Oh God, not this one!" There is now a nagging, low-grade discomfort in the tendon of my left foot. I have been stretching it along with the right tendon and hoping to stop in its tracks any further damage. I really don't want to have to have a surgery on that foot down the road!
I've been released to my athletic shoes! She told me not to throw away my boot as that may jinx something. Good to know she's as worried about me as I am! So I think this weekend I'll move back to sleeping upstairs.
I plan on adding a hour's worth of walking around the house to my daily exercises - probably in 15 minute doses. I'd love to take Trey for a walk down the road but it's too soon. Walking down the road is much more work than putzing about the house. Don't know why but it's harder on my ankle.
I also need to get rid of the discomfort my four other toes are feeling after not being used for 11 weeks. They are what are causing me the most difficulty in walking. They hurt from dis-use and so then I limp again. Gonna ramp up my mechanics exercises to really get those toes back into shape. But the fused joint and big toe both feel great. Just have to wait for the swelling to go down with time.
As far as the tendon, I'm still going to ease into things. I'll start some weight-bearing stretching this week but not on the slant board. I think I just plain over-do when I use that. I'll start out doing wall stretches and then progress to the slant board. The 'sprained-ankle' pain hasn't recurred in several days. I do believe it was just due to weakness in the ankle. Flexibility is still excellent.
Strength in the ankle is almost non-existent so will also start adding some balancing on that foot, first on the floor and then eventually on the wobble board.
Core strength is also still an issue but not as bad as before. Being upright and walking will help a lot, but I do love to sit on my stabilizing ball and do my leg lifts and other exercises. Just wish I still had horses as riding bareback was the best for core strengthening. Ah well, those were my younger days.
Things are looking optimistic now. The ducks come home Sunday so that will add a bit of work to the beginning and end of my day but I'll be glad to have them home. Once it dries out a bit, I'll have my friend bring her new puppy (now 14 weeks old) out to see the ducks and to see what herding instinct he has at this point. It should be fun to watch.
I see the doctor again in 4+ weeks.
This past week was my second full week of (part-time) grooming. I had two dogs a day every day except Thursday. The foot handled it okay except for Wednesday when I did the two big German shepherd dogs. The foot was really swollen after I bathed and combed out those two huge dogs for more than 5 hours. (And I was picking GSD hair out of my mouth for hours after I was done!)
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| Back of ankle/tendon looks pretty good |
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| Foot & front of ankle VERY puffy after grooming for 5 hours! |
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| Side-by-side comparison at ~11 weeks |
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| This was August 23rd (10 wks) |
We did discuss my other foot and the pain that I experienced last Friday night and several times during the week. When I first felt the ripping, tearing, sharp pain in my left tendon as I was stepping down the stairs, I thought "Oh God, not this one!" There is now a nagging, low-grade discomfort in the tendon of my left foot. I have been stretching it along with the right tendon and hoping to stop in its tracks any further damage. I really don't want to have to have a surgery on that foot down the road!
I've been released to my athletic shoes! She told me not to throw away my boot as that may jinx something. Good to know she's as worried about me as I am! So I think this weekend I'll move back to sleeping upstairs.
 |
| Taken this morning at 11 weeks post-op |
I also need to get rid of the discomfort my four other toes are feeling after not being used for 11 weeks. They are what are causing me the most difficulty in walking. They hurt from dis-use and so then I limp again. Gonna ramp up my mechanics exercises to really get those toes back into shape. But the fused joint and big toe both feel great. Just have to wait for the swelling to go down with time.
As far as the tendon, I'm still going to ease into things. I'll start some weight-bearing stretching this week but not on the slant board. I think I just plain over-do when I use that. I'll start out doing wall stretches and then progress to the slant board. The 'sprained-ankle' pain hasn't recurred in several days. I do believe it was just due to weakness in the ankle. Flexibility is still excellent.
Strength in the ankle is almost non-existent so will also start adding some balancing on that foot, first on the floor and then eventually on the wobble board.
Core strength is also still an issue but not as bad as before. Being upright and walking will help a lot, but I do love to sit on my stabilizing ball and do my leg lifts and other exercises. Just wish I still had horses as riding bareback was the best for core strengthening. Ah well, those were my younger days.
Things are looking optimistic now. The ducks come home Sunday so that will add a bit of work to the beginning and end of my day but I'll be glad to have them home. Once it dries out a bit, I'll have my friend bring her new puppy (now 14 weeks old) out to see the ducks and to see what herding instinct he has at this point. It should be fun to watch.
I see the doctor again in 4+ weeks.
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