Limping Wounded

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

So was out with the dogs this morning supervising their early morning romp.  Filled all their holes in this weekend so we're trying to supervise their outside time until Missy get's the "No Dig" stuff.  Well, they decided to go hell bent for leather as the saying goes and I was in their direct line of fire.  I moved to the left at the same time Missy moved to her right and she collided full force with me.  I'm better that if I could have clocked her she was going in excess of 30 mph.  She hit just above my right knee and it moved in a position that it wasn't designed to move into.  I crumpled to the ground instantly and screamed in pain like I've never screamed before.  Could not even move for probably 5 minutes.  Both dogs were all over me as they knew I was hurting and their concern was obvious.  So, I had to scold them so they would back up enough to let me even try to get up.  Finally, I was able to get up.  I can put weight on it.  Hurts like the dickens but I can.  Problem is putting full weight on it or bending or straightening.  So, I'm down for the count, laying on the couch with ice packs and watching old "Dark Shadows" episodes on Hulu.  Bob wants me to go tomorrow if it isn't better but I know that tomorrow is going to be the worst.  I'm holding out for Thursday unless my pain is just astronomical in the morning.

Virginia

[SteveA]

Feel better V - you're on IR for 3 days - ice is the cure but be careful of direct skin contact -  Heal quickly - that's an order -
SA

[brmax]

Sorry Virginia, and get better soon : ) may you see many great shows, yeah! hulu hulu hulu!
Floyd

[kodydog]

I've learned over the years that when a dog is heading straight for you at a full gallop to stand perfectly still. They will weave. I've been tagged a time or two. Hope your okay.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I've learned over the years that when a dog is heading straight for you at a full gallop to stand perfectly still. They will weave. I've been tagged a time or two. Hope your okay.

Next time, I'll force myself to stand perfectly still.  I've spent the entire day and evening on the couch.  Thank goodness we have hulu.  Watched probably 6 Dark Shadows + 2 NYPD Blues, Body of Proof, SVU Special Victims, Hot in Cleveland, 3rd Rock From the Sun and I forget what all else. 

At lunch time, I had a knot almost the size of a softball on the outside of my leg and I could no longer put weight on it or bend it without screaming bloody murder.  Thankfully, we still have his walker from when he broke 3 bones in his left leg so Bob hauled it in the house and I've been using that to help keep weight off my knee.  Bob, of course, wanted to take me to ER.   I had no desire to spend the afternoon + in ER.  Plus I don't think anything is broken as I've poked and prodded around the tibia and patella and I don't have crazy pain at all when I do that.  I torqued my knee badly and it was not designed to go into the position that I did.  It's very PO'd at me and I don't blame it.  So I've pretty much kept ice on it non-stop.  Just got up for a bathroom break.  First thing we noticed is that it's not nearly as swollen.  Still has a knot but just very much smaller.  I was able to put some weight on it.  Not full weight but being able to put some weight on it is a good sign.  I cannot straighten or bend it completely and that's where the pain comes in now.  I was now able to discover a pretty big knot inside my knee and that's what's causing the issues with bending/straightening so I'll be icing that area over night.

I'm on the couch as there is no way I can get into our bed.  I have a step so I can get into it as it is.  Plus, I don't want him rolling over in the night and hitting it with his tree trunk legs.  Being a geezer, Bob gets up multiple times during the night to pee and his instructions are to swap out ice packs even if I'm zonked out which I should be.

Anyway, feel like i'm going to survive this but, man did that hurt.

Tomorrow I expect to hurt like h*ll.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Another day spent "lounging" on the couch with my new BFF, an ice pack.  Bob has to position my leg/foot into a good position so that I can stand up and then, carefully and slowly, I make my way to the bathroom with the help of my other BFF, Bob's old walker. 

It still hurts like a big dog and is swollen, just not as bad as yesterday.  At any rate, it's time to get it looked at.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and I'm sure they'll push, prod, make me scream and then finally send me to get x-rays.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

I'm sorry to hear you're banged up. I know what a pita it was when I broke my heel bone a couple of years ago. Instead of ice packs I found bags of frozen peas or corn wrapped in a tea towel conformed to my much swollen ankle alot better and didn't get as uncomfortably cold as ice. ( funny story about that later). Two other products that I got a lot of relief from after the first couple of days were; Blue ice gel (knock off of Ice therapy etc..) and Deep relief sprain and strain relief ( liquid version in a spritz bottle like hair spray).

I am glad to hear you are going to go get it checked out. I hate hospitals etc... more than most but I am glad I went when I thundered in off that ladder. I would never have thought a drop of only 54" when I weigh less than most jockeys would shatter a bone. Granted there was no room between the ladder and the work bench to do the airborne "five points of contact" drill [feet---knees--face,face, face---] (Chris; Shot over, grin). I can't say yet if it saved me grieve later in life, but at least I didn't aggravate things by just "sucking it up".

I don't know if the story is true or urban legend , but buddy tells the story of his friend using the wrong freezer-fill as an ice pack. The guy opts to have a vasectomy. The doctor sends some high octane pain killers home with him but tells him to go easy on them and that they will probably knock him out. As much as possible he should apply a bag of frozen peas etc... to the "tender area". The guy gets home just after lunch and the freezing is wearing off. He goes in the freezer and they have no frozen veg. They do have a pound of frozen hamburger though, and he sees they hadn't taken anything out for supper. He wraps that up, takes one of the pills and ,as warned, zonks out flat on the couch. At 5:commute she gets home and opens the back door. Anybody want to guess where their lab headed (head first) now that the hamburger was thawed out? Typing this makes me cringe LOL.

Speedy recovery my friend !! And if they give you meds--- use the liver up!!!! LOL. Even dogs don't like that stuff!

[Mojo]

I have gotten the hell knocked out of me by our dogs in the past. I took a helluva hit once rough housing with our male GSD. He weighed 135 lbs and knocked the moose crap out of me.

I am a lot careful now. I know my old body wont heal as quickly as it once did.
Hope you feel better soon.

Chris

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I don't know if the story is true or urban legend , but buddy tells the story of his friend using the wrong freezer-fill as an ice pack. The guy opts to have a vasectomy. The doctor sends some high octane pain killers home with him but tells him to go easy on them and that they will probably knock him out. As much as possible he should apply a bag of frozen peas etc... to the "tender area". The guy gets home just after lunch and the freezing is wearing off. He goes in the freezer and they have no frozen veg. They do have a pound of frozen hamburger though, and he sees they hadn't taken anything out for supper. He wraps that up, takes one of the pills and ,as warned, zonks out flat on the couch. At 5:commute she gets home and opens the back door. Anybody want to guess where their lab headed (head first) now that the hamburger was thawed out? Typing this makes me cringe LOL.

Speedy recovery my friend !! And if they give you meds--- use the liver up!!!! LOL. Even dogs don't like that stuff!

Darren, that made even me cringe.  Ouch, reminded me of the time my ex hit some rr tracks at an excessive rate of speed while balancing a steaming cup of hot "C".  I never saw a car stop so fast in my life.  I was just sitting in the passenger seat laughing my butt off while he was trying to fan himself "down there".  Needless to say, he never pulled that little trick again during the time we were together.

I had a boss who went jogging the day after his vasectomy.  He told me that he was addicted to the "runner's high" and that off-set any pain he might have felt.  He was also into the mind over matter stuff, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and told me that if he had his head just right he had actually bent a spoon just by thinking about it.  Never saw him actually do that though so don't know.

I was fused L5/S1 in '07.  Even though I had a "good surgery", enough time has passed and I abuse my back, even though it's unintentional, that I have an assortment of stuff I take every day.  I have pins and needles sensation in my left foot and as the years have progressed, some of the pain has returned, enough that I take anti-inflams every day and have an as needed script for lortab 5.  I used to hang out on a message board for spiney's.  Discussing meds was a big thing - was like every one was trying to outdo each other as far as how much different meds they needed to take to function.  It was pretty crazy.  Anyway, the stuff I take is child's play to what people with "Failed Back Surgery" take every day.  One poster had like 16 different meds.  Lots of them were to offset reactions from other drugs.  Pretty sobering actually.  I try not to forget those posts and also try to not do too much stupid stuff so that I don't screw my back up any more than I already have.

Chris, that was what torque'd me off the most.  Generally when they start running at an insane rate of speed, I go stand right next to the house so that I'm not in the line of fire.  Not sure where my head was yesterday and why I didn't do that.  I don't think it will be a problem remembering to stand close to the house.  Though if we get Missy remembering that she doesn't need to dig, I can watch their antics from the safety of a window.  They were out unsupervised all day today and Bob said that he couldn't see that they had dug up anything.  I had been working her pretty seriously on that one.

Try to try and zonk out if I can.  Pretty uncomfortable tonight and Missy is laying on my good leg.  Not much room on the couch to begin with. 

Virginia

[Mike]

sorry to hear Virginia.  I hope you feel better to walk soon it shouls be spring soon

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

sorry to hear Virginia.  I hope you feel better to walk soon it shouls be spring soon

Thanks Mike.  Unfortunately, I did break a bone in my leg.  Don't know the name of it.  PA probably said it but it was just kind of a blur to me after that.  I was just in shock that I could be actually walking on a broken leg.  Anyway, I go see the ortho tomorrow.  PA said that she thinks he'll just immobilize it with a brace but non weight bearing for probably 4-6 weeks.

This is a problem since my business is located in my basement.  I'm hoping to be able to find some way to get down the steps after I start feeling better in the next week or so.  Meanwhile, I'm vegging on the couch, spending my time surfing the web. coloring in some adult coloring books we bought at Christmas time and watching a lot of old shows commercial free thanks to hulu and our raque (misspelled horribly I know).

It's a nice vacation but sucks because I don't have anyone who can help me.  Happened to have one irate customer here this morning.  Mr. motorcycle seat who I intended to finish this week.  Weather is turning nice and biker's thoughts are turning to their true love.  I called him after we got back from the doctor and told him I would call him when I get back from the ortho.  He's not going to like it but his stuff is downstairs until I can get back to working on it.  The passenger seat is stashed where only a relatively small person can get to it, thanks to my contractor who hasn't finished the job.  Biker and hubby are too big to wiggle into the space I found to stash that part of the bike.  Everything else is out in S&S.  Anyway, he'll just have to deal with it.  I certainly didn't plan to break my leg.  He said he was mainly upset because I hadn't called him.  I had called him initially when I started work and gave him my anticipated date.  As I explained to him today, if I had called him every week to push it back because of my contractor he would have thought I was giving him a line of bs.  He readily agreed with that today that it does sound like a bad excuse.   I'm just peeved that I screwed up my leg before his seat was ready.  And yes I should have been calling him every week but I just couldn't give him that same line each week.  Seat would have been done in January if my contractor hadn't dropped the ball so I'm taking it on the chin because of Ray.  Oh well.  Such is life and right now all I'm really concerned with is getting my leg out of the cast or brace or whatever i'm put in tomorrow.  The projects will sort themselves out.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

sucks because I don't have anyone who can help me

I wish I lived closer. I'd be there in a heartbeat---and I KNOW  I'd fit in that closet LOL. My old friend Murray from old tyme signs (6' 5", 275 lb) has pictures of me working on the old church that was their home and shop in Kenora. All you can see are my shins and up to about my brisket sticking out of the drywall. I was sitting on a fire brake between two studs (16" centres) working on a frozen pipe above the false ceiling. He threatened to hang another shingle under orthopaedic shoemaker,upholsterer,sign installer etc..."TUNNEL RAT". So I drove the post further into the ground. Checkmate !

This is a problem since my business is located in my basement.  I'm hoping to be able to find some way to get down the steps after I start feeling better in the next week or so.

I did alright with the 13 steps down into my apartment when I was on crutches with the help of a back pack for groceries etc..., but I've had some previous experience. I'd really recommend a hand rail on each side for the left hand and a crutch on the right. Don't try to think left right left. It's left catch up left....going up and wait for it left wait for it ... going down.

When you first joined us you mentioned a garage and we talked about heating/using it. I know it's the end of February in Nebraska too. With the weather we have been having though, it may be a thought. Just saying ; 3 steps and no dust.

BTW learning to sew "left footed"  wasn't too bad as long as I remembered to rest my immobilized right ankle against the rod the treadle turns on so I didn't tweak it if I got over focused and forgot what foot I was using. wink.

Again; speedy recovery. You'll be just fine troop!

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Yeah, I did ask doc about going down stairs.  He said it was ok so long as I keep weight off my right leg.  I'll lay low for a couple of weeks (he suggested 2 weeks).  I've never been adept at crutches but that is what he suggested as opposed to the walker so I guess I'll try to learn.  I talked to my physical therapist about steps today and he said definitely no walker on the steps.  I've already figured that out with the three steps.  I get on my butt and slide down them or pull myself up them.  When I get to the bottom, Bob hooks his arms under my armpits and lifts me up to the walker and off I go.  Great fun -- NOT but I get them done that way.

Garage would work for everything but sewing.  I'm thinking that I'll have Bob or George bring my sewing machine and thread caddy upstairs and I'll learn to sew left footed.

I suspect the 6 weeks will go pretty fast.  I was in a back brace for 6 weeks after I was fused.  That was a fun one - no driving and no BLT's - bending, lifting, twisting, no lifting anything heavier than a gallon container of milk, blah, blah, blah.  Went back to work after 2 weeks and had no issues.  Working made the time go so much faster.  I was so glad that I went back to work.

So, I'll just play it by ear.  Have Bob get me some crutches and I'll make another attempt to learn to use them.  Andrew (PT) said to call or come by his office if I need any step help so we'll see how it goes.

Anyway, it is what it is.  I'll enjoy the extra down time as much as possible until I'm ready to pull hair out and then see what I can get done.  Wish you lived closer too.  Think you would be a total trip in person and you would absolutely have me in stitches.  I am positive of that.

Gotta shift positions which is not easy to do.  My butt is feeling like lead.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

So, Bob went to Walgreen's today and bought me a pair of crutches as well as some comfort food.  Hate to think what I'm blimping out to between the crap food and no exercise.  UGH.

First order of business was to fit them to me which wasn't too hard to do.   So, I latched onto those babies and tooled around the house like an old pro.  I emailed my physical therapist and he told me how to use them to do stairs so, of course, I immediately had to go down the small flight of steps.  That was easy.  Got down all three of the steps slicker than a whistle.  Turned around and tried to get up the first step and realized that I didn't know what to do with the crutches.  Somehow got up the first step without putting weight on my right leg.  Tried 2 or 3 times to get up the next step and said no way, Jose.  So, I sat on my butt and scooched up the steps and Bob pulled me up from there.  Emailed Andrew and he told me crutches stay on the step I'm leaving.  Intended to try again this afternoon but had two other adventures.

Hopped into the bathroom with them and don't know what I did but next thing I knew I was going down.  Grabbed either the sink or door handle and kept from nose diving but did put a fair amount of weight on my leg.  Had the brace on so I don't think it did any harm.  Doesn't hurt any more than it did before.  Bob did fly into the bathroom when I screamed bloody murder as I was falling so that was nice that he responded so quickly.

So, returning from the bathroom and navigating slowly, I was just turning into the living room and started to lose my balance.  At least this time, I was able to grab onto the living room wall and kept from myself from falling over.  I think what I did was not pick up the crutch completely so the rubber tip kind of grabs onto the flooring and that causes the loss of balance. 

So, I'm being much more cautious and careful as I navigate around the house.

Man, this is so much fun!

Seriously though, I am really glad I'm on crutches now, versus the walker.  Much easier to move around.  I'm much speedier and working on the steps makes me feel like I'm progressing.  WHO HOO!

Virginia

[kodydog]

Glad your getting around Virginia. But really, what some people will do to get out of work.  ;) Hope your back at it real soon.