Fasteddy in hospital...

[fasteddy]

Trey,

The first time I looked at the table I looked down to see where the fold up sides were. Nope. Yikes!

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Well it was not April Fools Day at the doctors today. Walks in and pulls my pant leg up and the nurse swabs the knee with a cleaning solution and out comes the needle. Sample time. With a 1,2,3 he shoves all 4" of the needle into my knee. NO anesthetic!

This might be a good time to mention once again that I'm needle phobic to the extreme.

Pass out or throw up or both? The options both passed by as I fought to stay focused. Nothing is coming out just like last time. They had an interesting time stopping the blood running down my leg though from the puncture wound.

I know what's coming. Has anybody seen a marinading needle that you see on the end of really good basters? Yep, that's the size of the next needle. Same thing all over again but with success this time. My brother, the ever helpful guy he is, asks me through the pain fog if that hurt. The doctor was not amused. Come to think of it neither was I at the moment.

This time the blood stream is closer to a river.

Bottom line at the moment is that after the operations to remove and then replace the knee and the nursing home stay I should be in good shape by next December with luck. I'll know more in another week.

There are 1% of the people who have knee replacements who get an infection in them. I don't remember jumping up and down saying pick me, pick me but they did.

Bastards.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Ah, man...
Not the best day for sure. December? What an ordeal you have ahead of you. After the ordeal you've already been through. Any idea yet for when they will do the surgery?
SB

 

[fasteddy]

No idea when all this joy starts. I'll hear next week. Kinda guessing about December but by the time they open it up and then close it up and then do it again before it really heals up the first time it will most likely be December before it heals completely and I can walk normally, hopefully. Walking normally may or not be an option. Think Lon Chaney in the original Frankenstein.

It could be worse. I'm not facing a life threatening disease or dementia. Just another journey in life and I'm packed for the trip.

Steve

 

[curtisfox]

Wish you luck Steve.
My friend Clem had good luck with his replacement and was happy with it and said he would do it again if he had to. He was a die hard wood worker and spent every day in his shop. Till his hart gave up last December.................Curt

 

[fasteddy]

I would say if your faced with the need do it. As usual a great surgeon makes the difference and this doctor I have a feeling is going to be the person to put the end to the problem once and for all. He has been as thorough as anyone could be searching for the problem.

Steve.

 

[Trey]

"I'm packed for the trip"

That's the proper attitude my friend.

Who knows what it's gonna be, but go into it like you know it's a thing you can put boot-to-ass to.
Slow and steady, it's a process man. Your surgeon matters.

Let us know Steve, we're interested.

Trey

 

[fasteddy]

Trey,

One of my greatest joys in life has been poking angry bears in the backside simply to see who was better, the bear or myself. I'm willing to bet on myself with this one as well.

I just can't run as quickly as before.

Steve.

 

[Trey]

Trey,

One of my greatest joys in life has been poking angry bears in the backside simply to see who was better, the bear or myself. I'm willing to bet on myself with this one as well.

I just can't run as quickly as before.

Steve.

Well ****, you ain't gotta out-run the bear Steve, just me!

Wait... I need to go jogging... lol

 

[fasteddy]

Trey,

Years ago I worked with a bunch of much younger fellas and one wise a** said to me "You don't move to fast old man". I told him the day he sees me moving fast he better be running and not look back because if he didn't see me he was in a world of problems.

Steve.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Not the best doctor's visit to have Steve, but at least it's over now. So they are saying December for your surgery? I will continue to pray and send good wishes your way.

 

[silverbear]

I just woke up. What's this about poking bears in the but? Was that you??? What'd I do?
SB

 

[Ludwig II]

On a purely practical note, walking until then is going to be difficult. Is there any point in suggesting a modern day velocipede, consisting of one of these micro scooters and a saddle on a post?

Having used sticks, they're ok until you meet a slippery surface, then one of them goes flying, and after that, you remember the Short Words. Some of them are Very Short Words.

 

[silverbear]

A fasteddy version of a mobility scooter sounds like a good plan. I mean for real, not doing wheelies with fantasy gas motors and all that. Even just a used mobility scooter like real geezers use. You're going to need to get around safely and be able to tinker out in the garage. Any chance of setting up a bed or cot in the garage/shop so you don't need to go upstairs? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of making lemons into lemonade... some strategy to deal with your situation so that between now and December isn't just waiting. We're too old to wait. There isn't enough time left to be waiting. My opinion anyway. I keep thinking of Burt Munro in his home/workshop happily working on his Indian. I've seen you lose track of time making sparks with the welder, off in private visions of metal flowing into itself and morphing into a motorbike, trike, cyclecar, velocipede. Then flipping the helmet up to give the work a good stare and accepting a cold beer from an appreciative friend. Make some sparks, Steve.

You got dealt a tough hand, for sure. I think you need some new and better cards, Bud. (Cheating is not only accepted, but encouraged.)
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Anne,

I think that they will operate with in the next couple of weeks or so. I should be back to where I was before all this started by December given what the recovery time has been with the last couple of operations. I hope to be back at the tri car in the fall even if I'm dragging myself around.

I'll hear from the doctors office on Wednesday as to what the next move is.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Mr. Bear,

That was Angry Bears, not sleepy ones. You can open the blinds now. Your safe.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Ludwig,

That does sound like advice from personal experience. I can feel that moment when you realize that traction has been lost and you have that so brief millisecond to wonder how bad the landing and damage is going to be when you do stop the downward spiral.

I have looked at at the well described saddle on a stick as of late. I'm going to look into rental now that you've brought it to mind again. It's practical really since a bad landing could cause everything to become undone again. My mind boggles at what that would entail.

I have a very impressive list of very short words myself. Amazing how you remember them all as the pain goes through you like a lance as you lay there.

Also you get to ponder why every one feels the need to say "Are you alright"? Then there are the helpful people who feel the need to grab you and try to lift you up as your taking stock of any parts that are jutting out at an angle that they weren't meant to be.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Silverbear,

A mobility Scooter (their words brother, not mine. I prefer Old Fart Kart.) with out slicks and a decent engine would be so unfasteddy like it causes my mind to slow down even more. I would prefer to channel Mr. Munroe in the build.

Reality however demands that I get an old fart kart if need be. They may not spring me from the hospital unless they are darned sure that I can function fully. Our local hospital is famous for that and if that is where the operation is done I'm sure that is what will happen. They have a floor in the hospital devoted to get people back on their feet and moving properly. It's tied tightly to the geriatric ward where I might add they dumped me rather unceremoniously and against better judgement. Not a young person to be seen other than the nurses.

The garage regrettably looks like someone packed 10 pounds of taters in a 5 pound sack and a kart would never make it. No electric door either so it's through the garage no matter what.

You of course noticed how fast the welding stopped when the magic beer can popped into view of the visor on the welding helmet didn't you. Creative staring did accompany the work pause though and an in depth discussion followed.

Somehow this will all work out to our best interests though I'm not sure just yet how.

Steve.

 

[Ludwig II]

 

[Ludwig II]

And yes, I was on sticks following my broken leg, I walked under a tree where it still hadn't dried properly, long after the rain. Right stick let go, I went down, and it was all My Word!, Bother! and Oh Dear!