Tag Archives: health

A Long Walk Today

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Today’s walk was my longest one yet. Stef said she kept looking across the street, thinking, maybe, that I’d stopped in to visit with Joanie & Eldon, but I had not – I will go over and see them later on today.

So, I went up the hill, then, down the hill, hung a right and headed down Aunt Debby & Uncle Steve’s street (they sometimes babysit with Toby.) Then, I hung a left and went another block, took another left and then another left on the street beside our house. However, rather than just walking the 3 blocks home, I walked a couple of blocks and turned left onto Ethelyn’s street, down her street, then a right for a block and then, another right onto our street. All in all, this incorporated 12/20 second blasts and 9 sets of 20 side crunches at almost every street corner. Phew. Glad I had those corn chips earlier or I’d be out of steam right now.

So, in other news, Vladimir Putin still seems to be in charge of our government because Donald and the Republicans still think it’s more important for Oleg Deripaska to get his money than our own government workers who have already missed one paycheck and are now headed for another one. What a great group of folks! MAGA, YEAH, BUDDY! JS

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Toby and I walking by ourselves

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Stef has gone to Canada and will be back tomorrow evening. Sam and his two gigantic dogs arrived and we are keeping them back in the family room so Toby doesn’t get frantic and I don’t have to figure out how to break up a ruckuts, if there is one. For the moment, this feels safer for us all.

I took Toby for a walk by myself earlier today – first time I’ve done that since knee replacement – and my knee and my stamina held up okay. Bit by tiny bit, my new bionic knee is feeling more like it actually belongs to me, that it’s not something I have only rented for a long weekend, and it’s not as achy or sore today, for which I am grateful.

I am so impatient when it comes to healing, wanting to throw down my cane and run the 440 which, come to think of it, truly would be a Christmas miracle. I am not a runner, except when chased by something big and mean. Oh well. Bit by bit, on this slow-motion healing journey, I go. JS

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Physical Therapy… ohhhh, I needed that

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My PT worked me REALLY HARD yesterday and I was worried I’d be pretty sore this morning, but it’s not the case, which is a big relief. I’m thinking I might get back behind the wheel of my car today and cruise slowly around the neighborhood, maybe even go to the grocery store.

Being incapacitated and dependent upon other people is so boring to me that I can hardly stand it. I remember when I had my other knee replaced and had been unable to drive for about 3 weeks. One day, I was at home by myself and thought: I’M SICK OF THIS. Grabbed my cane, toddled out to the car, wedged myself in and drove to Blockbuster and to Safeway. Came home with 3 movies and some broccoli – which, I’m fairly certain, I didn’t even need – BUT, I felt like I’d just vaulted over the prison wall! It was so empowering!

Stef’s not so sure I’m ready to do this, but she might not get a vote. She’s shooting a wedding today and my adventure might happen while she is gone. Stay tuned. JS

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Shower time – nice

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Took my first shower today (that wasn’t a sit-on-the-edge-of-the-tub-and-pour-water-over-myself-from-a-cup kind of spit bath) since Nov. 19th. Oooooh, baby!

Wanted to make sure I could bend my leg enough to get in and out of the tub without help and without dragging the shower curtain rod out of the wall and suffocating myself in the bottom of the tub. I’m guessing it worked because here I sit, all clean and shined up, freshly-scrubbed and waiting for Life to give me some new instructions. Time to pay attention. JS

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It takes a village

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First out-patient PT session this afternoon, so I’m very excited about this. I have been quite diligent about doing my exercises, icing my leg, and riding the passive/aggressive machine to break up scar tissue.However, I am bored with this already and anxious to kick this healing process up to a new level.

Stef Neyhart has been a remarkable caregiver and so, so kind to run errands for me, bring home dinner and set up appointments (not to mention, taking time off from her very stressful job to help me get things done, things I could not have gotten done without her help.) It takes a village and we are a village of two. Well, FOUR, if you count Toby and Bennie; FIVE, if you count Eldon, and we do. JS

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The book, “WILD”, and then there was me

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Cheryl Strayed walked a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Her new hiking boots, which were too small, ripped most of her toenails off. After her mother’s death, she had taken a look at her life, didn’t like what she saw, and said, “I’m going to walk myself back to the woman my mother thought I was.” So, she did. Her book about this journey is called WILD and it is FABULOUS. They made it into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon, which is also EXCELLENT – as raw and real as Cheryl’s life must have felt during that whole time.

Last Friday, I had my right knee replaced, which has been needing to happen for many years. At home now, EVERYTHING I try to do seems to take YEARS for me to do, and, then, I am exhausted. Parts of my body other than my knee now hurt, too – aching and throbbing from being called upon to get to work doing jobs I’ve never asked of them before, or, just from simply lying in bed for hours in weird positions just to get comfortable.

I emptied the dishwasher earlier, which seemed to take hours. Of course, then I was exhausted and grumpy. My leg was throbbing like a sump pump. I thought, as I often do, I’M SCREWED. Sometimes, I am right; other times, I am wrong about that. Then, without preamble, Cheryl Strayed and her journey wafted across my mind and then I thought: WELL, AT LEAST, YOU’VE STILL GOT ALL YOUR TOENAILS.

I hobbled in here to the living room, clicked on the TV, and there was Reese Witherspoon starring in WILD, right there for me to see. Again. Writers have a way of saving each other, even when they don’t know it; ESPECIALLY when they don’t know it. I hope words I have written over the years have offered hope or comfort or insight to someone right at a time when they were needed most, even if it just allows someone to think: WELL, AT LEAST MY LIFE ISN’T AS BIG A MESS AS HERS.

It is important, especially for those of us who tend to “awfulize,” to realize that pain, even in all its rawness and thrashing about, doesn’t last forever. Wounds heal. Movement returns. Things change, shift, and life goes on. Sometimes, Life, with arms spread wide and grinning at us like we just won the decathlon, even forgives us. Today, I needed reminding of that and Cheryl Strayed showed up. Right when I needed her most. Thanks, Cheryl. JS

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Chopp’n out my knee – oh my!

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Heading to Portland today for my pre-game warm-up with Dr. Dub @ 1:45 (or so…they are always running late.)

We will spend the night at a friend’s house tonight (thanks, Mary!) then my knee will be chopped out of me tomorrow and replaced with something smooth and dynamic, although they have not yet told me the time. If all goes well, they will discharge me on Sat. and we will drive back down to Roseburg.

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes. I am feeling stronger today, ready to git-r-done and get busy with my rehab. I ain’t afraid of stationary bikes, big rubber bands or mean Physical Therapists. I am still afraid of snakes, but they won’t be entering into this equation. JS

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Like Chester’s on GUNSMOKE?

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Going through my fears this morning. I have had many, many knee surgeries over the years, mostly cartilage repairs, debridements, stuff like that, after the first major knee surgery in 1975 which left me crippled. However, in searching for the golden nugget in it all one time, I realized that, without having had my entire leg lock up like Chester’s on GUNSMOKE from that rebuilding of my right knee, I might never have discovered Rolfing which not only changed my leg, but my life, as well. Given that, it’s difficult to be anything other than grateful for however it all worked out.

My left knee was replaced 12 yrs. ago. It was an intense process, although not as painful as I’d anticipated, which was weeks and weeks of unending, tooth-grinding, gut-wrenching pain. It just wasn’t that at all, so I’m not really sure what it is I’m so afraid of today, except being incapacitated, something I can’t stand being. I’m not afraid of the pain; there is medicine to help with all of that, if I need it. Oh. I just figured it out. Nothing like doing therapy with all your FB friends and acquaintances early in the day.

I’m afraid I’m not strong enough anymore to do the rehab I will need to do to make it work the best that it can. THAT’S my big, fat fear this morning. In 2003, I rehabbed the daylights out of my left leg. I had a great PT who knew I was an old jock and would challenge me, really push me, making me do stuff with my new knee I don’t think I would ever have done, even if my knees had ever been good (which they weren’t.) Well, thanks, everybody for the therapy session. Clearly, I have to go now and do some exercises. Hugs. JS

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Inspiration coming in on all fronts

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It is early Monday morning and I’ve been up early, thinking, as usual, and reading parts of an excellent book by Nicholas Kristoff and his wife, Cheryl WuDunn called A PATH APPEARS. This book is about programs emerging all over the world to help address the dual crises of extreme poverty and hunger, what works and what doesn’t and how we all can help. I’m feeling some inspiration coming on… don’t know how that will present itself to me, but I’m trusting that A PATH WILL APPEAR.

Today is my last day in Lubbock for this trip and I fly back to Oregon tomorrow, so I’ve got 3 rolfing session to do today before I begin packing. My thanks to Melody Ogletree and Cheryl of PforymWELL for hosting me to do rolfing here in Lubbock. They do wonderful work with their company, focusing on personal, as well as corporate, wellness programs, and I don’t think I’ve run across two people who do as much research into supplements as these two women do. I trust what they have to say about it all. So, if that’s something you are interested in, too, or, if you are interested in scheduling rolfing sessions with me when I return next to Lubbock, give them a call @ (806) 784-0506.

I won’t be back to either Lubbock or to Tulsa for awhile. The time has finally come to replace my other knee with something smooth and bionic, which will be done by my favorite bone guy, Dr. Ira Weintraub (Dr. Dub) in Portland on 11/20. (“We have the technology. We can make her stronger, faster, cuter, more able to handle small-talk at parties…”)

I am only mildly apprehensive about this since I know what to expect and I love my doc, who, in addition to being a great surgeon, is also a wonderful man. Still, it’s a big surgery, what with bones being sliced up, chopped off, and spikey things being whammed down into the marrow. (I’ve watched YouTube videos just to see what is actually done and, also, to scare the bejabbers out of myself, like the fascination of a bird to a snake. I know, I’m a dumbass sometimes.)

Anyway, my next rolfing trip to Tulsa will be in the new year, 1/15-1/20/16. Call Stephen Saunders to schedule rolfing sessions there @ (918) 605-6508.

I’ll be back in Lubbock 1/22-1/25/16. Contact PforymWELL @ (806) 784-0506.

I will spend the holidays rehabbing my leg and, chances are, not cooking as much as I usually do during those days. I hope all of you have a delightful Thanksgiving with family and friends and that your Merry Christmas is truly that. We all deserve the love we have to share with each other, let’s try to remember that one. So long for now and remember this, too: You are all deep in my heart, from Texas (and Oregon.) JS

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Birthday 2015

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How nice to awaken to so many sweet birthday greetings! Another trip around the sun has only scorched me a little, but, then, the natural collagen layer in our skin tends to diminish as we age. That, I know.

My birthday, as far as I can tell at this moment, will consist of errands to be run and packing to be done since I am flying out on Thursday to Tulsa and then on to Lubbock to do some rolfing in both places.

I am having my right knee replaced on 11/20/15 in Portland, so I won’t be making a rolfing trip in December since I will be rehabbing the bejabbers out of my leg during that time. Experience has shown me that the harder I work at that the better my new knee will work in the long run.

Went to meet my new PCP doc yesterday for my clearance physical and we hit it off great, not the least of which is because SHE’S FROM DALLAS! She pronounced my EKG as “stellar” for a geezer of my age. I told her that, deep down, I have a good heart. It’s the surface Jody who gets me in trouble. Thanks, everyone. JS

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