Hippster Goes Old School

Well its now November in Michigan and all the leaves are down, except our trees.  Vic is snow blowing the driveway today, and our snow blower is now a combination leaf blower, snow blower.  Snow came early, and we were not ready.  Got to Love Michigan!  Vic said I'm going to go to Home Depot and "get some ice".  That's Vic talk for "get some stuff for the Ice" or the common name, "Salt".

I have surgery tomorrow for my left hip.  Its been on the fritz for a long time, and finally getting it done.  I'm not to worried, and I've done my research.  The "Anterior" approach seems to be the best bet for me, and I'm having it done in Holland Michigan. 

 I've never been to Hip, but this time, this old guy is getting hip old school.  With all the replacement hardware I've had done this year, between my back, and my hip, I just wonder what will happen when I go through the airport?  Will see, and I'm sure that could be another blog post for the future.

Jamie Stole My Soul

Jamie is my occupational therapists.  That's where the rubber meets the road in regards to getting me functional in life.  All the nurses will do anything to get dressed and out the door but Jamie basically tells you get it, do it, whatever fill in the blank yourself. 

I've had to learn how to re-dress myself with shoes and  and basically function with my injury.  The first day it took me a half hour to put one shoe on.  Jamie is an  young man because he solves problems just like I do in my engineering group.

His tough love demonstrates that you can learn how to redo and retrain yourself.  The first day out of the hospital they fitted me for an orthotic foot drop mechanism.  See attached picture....

In getting this within my ugly tennis shoes, that Vic brought from home,  he had to take the sole of my shoe.  I've been walking with out the orthotic.for 2 days now and I need my soul back in my shoe and no one can find it.  So I've been blaming him or for losing my soul and no one can find it and then all the sudden...

Vic goes oh I have that at home I'll bring it in tomorrow.  gezzz Vic....

Jamie is one funny guy and his mission is to replace lost souls with hope and independence that we all want.

Attched is my first selfie with Jamie.  My first walk outside with a walker!

I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC

Lana DeRay is a very interesting singer.  She is eclectic in her style and her voice.  I think Vic and I heard her voice in the "The Great Gatsby" movie and I have enjoyed her music through my recovery from the injury we have talked about in prevous posts.   The title Of this post is a title to one of her songs.

I'm always learning about things, and the function of the body is just one thing that I've never paid that much attention to in my days on this earth.   God I wish I would have listened more on Bio 105 at Ferris  and maybe that goofy kinsiology class in College .  My instructor was a goof and most of the classmates were from the PGM golf program, so he dumbed down the material so he didn't have to  repeat students who cared not to learn but just get past the credit.  Also we had to go see cadavers and my gut wasnt up to it since it was summer and it was right after lunch.

Well what I've learned about the spine is it is like a electric raceway where little signals running every which way and to and fro.....

I have a T-1 line coming out of my head, and somewhere in the back (t10-11) trunk the system slows down to a 300 baud modem.  Your remember the dia-up modems with the screech and hiss noise.  Well that's what my back is below the injury.  That connection is "still under construction mode" until I heal.  It takes time and the jailers here at mary free bed say 3-4 more weeks.


I do sing my body electric and since its tone deaf "just ask 
Shel Vic or Ash."  mine is kind of screaming right now.  
We are told to make a joyfull noise until the Lord, mine just needs a lot of auto tuning right now
!!  Until next time.....

Dr Sam Ho? Dr. Who?

Dr Ho as i found out as the head of spinal cord is my consulting physician for me with my T10_11 lama......I dont know his story.  He has a great bed side manner that i find refreshing and honest.

My left hip seems to be hirting more these days since the lama_lama.  I ask him about Cordazone and he say....

"NO" in Chineese accent.  You go make  touchdown and earn1 million dollors. Me give you shot....You shoot hoops, and earn 1 million dollars me give you shot.

You no look like that kind of guy so no shot for you.

I had question about my diet, and he said "in my 30 years of experience no one has starved to death at Mary Free Bed."  Eat but  don't get fat...

other comments....

We were joking and he says,  "don't look at me I was janitor last week....."


"Me dont know computers, 4th grader teach me this stuff-
"

Mary "Freedom" from the Bed

From previous posts by now you should be up to speed on my location and lot in life.  When they say check  dignity at the door boy do they really mean it.....I go  a fully functional adult to a 2 year old without control in a matter of 1 week.  My son Ron has worked with the nursing industry  before and knows what I'm going through.  My comment to him was this, "Now its a race for me to get out of diapers berfore the triplets". 

I never had much respect for the health care professional  before this, but now a have had a change of heart and mind.  Remember  that hole molding thing?   Professionals doing  their jobs just like nothing  phases them with pure love and dignity.  I am a man.  Men are islands, and we can do it on our own.  Yea yea that hole man thing.  I know your are laughing and saying. What a Guy. 

I have learned that I can't do this on my own.  The professionals that work with me on a day to day today basis are kind, considerate helpfully and fully focused on getting me better.  I can't count the times the only attitude I get from everyone here is "How Can I Help?".

I'm old and not that wise but I can learn.  We need each other on this earth until we are conformed to his likeness...for me is is deep and profound truth that I I'm just trying to understand.  H IS FOR HUMILITY and now a have a little smaller glimpses of what we are really here for....

Ps plan on winning that diaper race Ron....(Didn't say a wasn't competitive...)  next post next project....

What the "Really, Really, Really"

What happened?  I go from a normal (ya right) person living the dream, and then boom.  From 3 days skiing in Breckenridge, Golf 3 days in California for spring break to a broken man.  Broken in the sense that my back decided to alter my life.  People ask how long has this been going on, and I said bad hip for 3 years looking  seriously at hip replacement to a life altering event.   I was fine 3 weeks ago Really....  T 10-11 thoracic lama.  Mark,  my spine surgeon wrote this on my left forearm. And my Dr. In Grand Rapids said he should have at least put this on my back.  Maybe is should get a tatoo... look out Tom 3.0 is going to be a better version.  Medical upgrades, new clear perspective on things, better focused.....

God did mold us in his image, and he is comforming us daily.  My mold just need a little  re-adjustment and re-tooling.  More to come.......