Archive of Marcia's Musings May 20-26, 2002Sunday, May 26, 2002
Multiple Headers
How about: "Insanity Rules-- No Matter the Hour!" or "Sleep? What's Sleep?". I woke up at 5:15 and went out and turned up the heat-- I came back to bed and Brian decided that he needed to ask what I was doing and, on top of that, decided he was going to tickle me a couple of times. Well, I don't know about you but once I laugh at something-- anything-- I'm awake! I tossed and turned for the next hour and a half and finally decided to get out of bed. 6:15AM in the morning, no less-- on a Sunday!! He doesn't understand why he's in trouble or why I'm yawning or why Sally is already napping-- okay, so Sally would be napping no matter what time we got up!
So between napping and tying knots in the quilt, my day is pretty much set-- I wouldn't look for another post but, you could always check back later.
Have a nice day and afternoon and evening!
Saturday, May 25, 2002Just stopped by to say "Hi" . . .
I've had a nothing-happening kinda day. Slept in a bit late and then, played a computer game (bad habit but not for too much longer). Every now-n-then, I'd go into the living room to ice my knee. Tonight, we've had Myrna and Roger over with Laddie, their Australian Sheep Dog. They're going to be watching Sally on one of our trips in the upcoming months so we want to get Sally and Laddie used to being around each other. Laddie sure likes Sally's toys!! Fun night had by all-- the kids get along great, too!
So, for now, more rest for the weary and have yourself a nice evening, too.
Friday, May 24, 2002Ready!
I am definitely ready for a weekend-- especially a 3-day weekend! It is hot here but supposed to get colder by Sunday or Monday and some rain will come with it. As is Brian's usual, he didn't eat dinner with me but, I made a salad and tried to entice Sally into eating something. It seems that she takes after her father in that regard however and prefers not to eat when she's hot.
We're talking about getting her trimmed up for the summer-- she will look silly but be much more comfortable, that's for sure. When we first got her, she was clipped somewhat and, as hot as she is now, I think she needs something again. We'll do before and after pictures if and when we do anything at all.
Further Progress
Obviously, I'm not going to go backwards, right? At home last night and since I've been home from work, I've not been using any crutches. My knee is stiff so I tend not to limp as much as walk with a stiff knee (and, again, obviously, that makes sense). I'm going to practice walking all weekend without crutches-- I am pretty sure that I'm finished using them. I'm glad, too-- really didn't enjoy it very much and, since I'm such a putz, I'm glad to be rid of them.
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Not much else is happening-- its a long weekend of sleepy days and sleepless nights for so long as the heat keeps up. In the meantime, we'll survive and all have a nice evening!
Thursday, May 23, 2002Better but not right yet . . .
I did get to bed earlier last night-- I didn't get to sleep all that much earlier but I am getting better at it. Tonight I've got a bunch of email that I'm behind on. Not sleeping well leaves me with low mental capacity after working all day, what can I say?
Sally Story
The other night, I was sitting in my chair in the living room. Sally was sitting by the door which I know means that she has to go out but, I was being tired and didn't want to get up until she had to go outside. After waiting about five minutes, she came over and stood by my chair, wagging her tail-- the true indicator that she has to go outside now!! "Okay," I said, "I'll let you out." and I stood up from my chair and took a step forward. She had an expression on her face that I swear said, "You can walk!! I didn't think you could walk anymore and there you are walking without those metal things!!! Who knew?!?!?" She stayed by my chair and watched me walk across the living room to the patio door to let her out. I stood at the door and told her to go out-- she looked at me as though she was afraid to leave me standing. Her expression said, "Are you sure you can do that when I'm not here, too? Does someone need to watch you? You won't fall over, will you" was clearly what she was thinking.
I just love her to pieces!! Dogs are so expressive and Sally did not miss that boat, that's for sure. When she came back in the house, she watched me walk over to my chair and, as I stood by it about to sit in it, she leaned forward and, after sniffing my knee, licked it-- her way of trying to help heal me. What a cutie!! We sure got lucky with her, let me tell ya!!!
Speaking of Names . . .
What's in a name? Well, if you ask Marcia H., there are 462,786 of us on the CompuServe search engine-- us "Marcias", that is. She knows because she went out there looking for all of us with names like hers. I am number 47 on CompuServe's list and, out of the 1,010,000 "Marcia" search responses on Google, I'm number 26. Not bad, eh? Now Marcia stops by on a regular basis and periodically emails me with tidbits of info and other writings. Thanks for coming by, Marcia!! (Yes, I know-- its too bad about all of those other ones who had parents that couldn't spell, isn't it?)
Further Exercise
After my exercise tonight (the bicycling was difficult because it was so hot in the garage area tonight), Brian gave me a massage behind my left knee. The therapist found a tension knot there yesterday and said I should have it massaged after my exercise every day. Man, what I wouldn't give to get the massage on both legs-- that would even out the pain of the tension knot! The nice thing is that my sweetie helps me out-- again-- by giving me the massage without complaint. I think by the weekend, as a payback, I'll be able to start helping around the house again. I fed the dog tonight which is the first time in over two weeks!
Well, on that note, there's still a couple of email to write so I'm gonna sign off for tonight.
Take care and have a nice evening!
Wednesday, May 22, 2002Big Mistake!!
I have a tendancy to get hooked on computer games-- the simpler, the better and the easier that I get hooked. I think it has something to do with needing mindless drivel after I get home from work. Well, I've managed to find two new ones and am completely hooked on both of them. In fact, instead of going to bed as early as I'd hoped, I started playing last night and couldn't stop!! I finally ended up in bed around 9:30 but, since I didn't fall asleep until nearly 11, it didn't do me a lot of good.
Needless to say, I'm exhausted tonight and, I'm going to try the same thing-- going to bed early. I doubt that I'll succeed since tonight's episode of "This Old House" is a wrap on the Manchester mansion. When we were at the OSH Home Fair a few months back, we talked with Steve Thomas about the house: $1.7M budget!! Oh, yeah, everyone can relate to that budget, can't they?
PT Continues
I had another physical therapy session tonight-- it went well again. It helps to be an over-achiever, don't you think? ;>) The therapist doesn't have or want a website or I'd link you to her but, if you need a
goodexcellent physical therapist and you're in Santa Clara County, let me know-- I'll give you a referral, indeed!!No tests tonight but a lot of amazement at my limberness-- Brian's gonna start giving me a massage after my work-outs, though. I'm getting a tension knot in the back of my leg which isn't good for therapy, needless to say.
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"How To" awaits-- have a great evening!
Tuesday, May 21, 2002Sleep, Glorious Sleep!!
For the first times since I hurt my knee, I'm sleeping through the night without the assistance of pain medications or sleeping aids. Man, does that feel good! However, so I don't push it, I need to go to sleep early tonight so we had a snack night and I'll be turning in at 9pm. No particular reason-- I'm just tired!
Better, Thanks!
I am walking almost without a limp on the one crutch now-- when I don't limp anymore, I can stop using the crutch entirely. I have virtually no pain but my knee still feels... thick. Brian doesn't like my adjectives-- he says that they don't sound right. At one point, I was using the word "disconnected" but Brian suggested that that sounded like I wasn't walking on both feet but, instead, dragging one foot behind me because it was "disconnected". Well, that wasn't quite right. The more I think about it, the more I think it is a matter of being slightly numb in the nerve endings and thus, "thick"
is more accurate. I did my exercises and rode my bicycle tonight and tomorrow, I'm back for another round of PT-- my therapist, Kristin, is very nice and is not at all the predicted "Physical Terrorist". If anything, as I said before, I'm an over-achiever and, as a result, I'm pushing myself harder than she is-- of course, I'm the one who wants to get my knee "back"!!********
Need a little more R-n-R before I turn in tonight so I'm gonna go. Thanks for stopping by and have a nice evening!
Monday, May 20, 2002Thanks for the Venting . . .
And thanks for the emails of support-- I needed it and the support has helped someone else in the process. Your kindness and concern will be passed on-- next week, its my turn to call on Sunday and I'll be sure to relay your thoughts and prayers. Thanks again . . .
Stitches Do Not Have to Hurt
Did you know that it doesn't have to hurt to have stitches pulled out? I was again fearing this procedure-- which could explain myl ack of sleep last night-- but, again, it was for naught. This guy (the doctor) is good at everything, including removal of stitches!! Of course, he proceeded to talk our ear off... my friend that had referred me to him said he was a bit on the reserved side but, I haven't seen any reservations with him in awhile! He's quite talkative now-- in fact, he extended our appointment to tell us a story of his youth this afternoon. What a card!!
After that, he proceeded to check on the measurement of my range of motion-- I went from 106 degrees to 125 in his office!! I was really surprised and pleased, needless to say. I put my knee up for him to measure it and he was surprised, as well, given the expression on his face!!
More Therapy
From the doctor's office and stitch removal, I went on to my physical therapy appointment. First of all, when I walked in, everyone immediately commented on the fact that I was walking with hardly any limp and a lot more confidence. I'm feeling a bit more strength in my knee so that I do have more confidence in my stride-- makes a huge difference!!
The funny part is that they didn't notice that Brian didn't come with me-- I've been upgraded to allow for me to drive!! YEAH!!! Independence is back!! Once again, as well, the physical therapist has changed my exercises so that I'm only doing them once a day and I'm doing nothing as I originally did it when assigned by the doctor. That's because I'm making . . . strides, if you'll pardon the pun! When the therapist measured my range of motion after physical therapy, I was up to 132 degrees!! Yes, I'm going to get this back!!
I'm to continue the exercises as she and I did them today (using the resistance of a huge rubberband she gave me) and bicycling for 15 minutes a day. She had me do two sets of leg extensions (on my back, pushing with my legs and releasing to ride back on the slide) in whatever quantity that I chose. I chose "40" which she was also amazed at, citing that 15 wouldn't have been a sufficient amount so she was glad she hadn't "assigned" a number to me. Yeah, well, that's that overachiever in me again!!
Contributing Editor
My friend, Pat, is a content editor at a shopping portal site (I don't think it would do any good to link you since it has been bought out and I don't know the new link). Today, she sent me a news article that was on the ABCNews website-- I found it to be a good read and think you will, too. That makes her a contributing editor in addition to a content editor. A new nickname for Pat: ConEd . . . that has a familiar ring, doesn't it?
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And, with that, I am outta here-- I've had a hard day and, as I said, I didn't sleep very well so I'm pretty tired. Have a good night!
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