Wish us luck

I have overdone it a bit the last couple of days I guess and I am really paying for it tonight in "tailfeather" pain.  DO NOT fall on your tailbone, it just keeps hurtin' I already have compressed vertebra and apparently scoliosos along with my super flat feet that keeps everything out of whack.  It sounds like I have lost about 2 inches in height, but thank God, no osteoporosis.  Yes, I wear orthotics and use hiking shoes for walking most of the time which helps, they have very firm sides to help keep my feet pushed up.  I refuse to sit down and quit, ain't gonna happen! ;D

And poor Sue Anne is in a lot of pain with her frozen shoulder.  I got her in to an ortho specialist at the same office I went to. She has been to our GP and chiropractor, they have not been able to help her.  GP said all that can be done is anesthetize her and break it loose some way.  I don't have a clue.  So tomorrow AM off to the ortho guy.  We would prefer nothing be done till after Thanksgiving, just give her pain pills.  But I told Tom, if they can and she wants to do it we will, if he needs to go to his moms by himself over Thanksgiving that's ok.  If I can get her relief hate to put it off another week, she wanted to wait, so we could go on our trip but don't think she can go like this much longer.

He only sees his mom once or twice a year, his dad passed away 2 years ago and his only brother several before that so he feels like he should go.  I have no problem with that.

So wish us luck with finding something that can help her.  For me all I can do is take pain pills, try not to overdo it and let nature take its slow healing course. Still I think we are so very fortunate, it could be so much worse.

I wish Sue-Anne lots of luck and will pray that she and you will be well enough to go and visit Tom's Mother.

You remind us all to appreciate our health!  I've had that shoulder thing and it is NO FUN. My old age  acts up with arthritis but if I exercise enough it is better. Hope all gets better!

Hope things turn around soon for you and your family.  I think you are making the best choice in taking care of Sue Anne shoulder now instead of waiting.  As you most likely already know pain pills only do so much.

Believe me I can relate to your feet problem as my feet used to be extremely flat.  Wearing orthotics and good walking shoes helped but wasn't enough to take care of my problem.  When your feet hurt everything else follows.

Take care,
Terie

We are supposed to start Sue Anne on therapy 3 times a week, but will have to wait till we get back from Indiana next week  othro doc said that would be fine. The doc prescribed Hydrocone for her up to 4 times a day.  But I am doing 3, morning, noon, and night, she said its much better.  She is dreading going. We are going to try the rehab center not far from the house, we go there for swim rehab so this would work well, going there for it also.

The doc said it will clear up by itself but could take up to 2 years, we don't want to have her wait that long. We will curtail going on a major trip in December, maybe make it to the florida keys for a few days.  It's ok, we need to stash the cash from my income so we can afford to go on our major trips we are wanting to do this year anyway.  I don't get into other funds for our fun money.

I want to go to Hawaii and Tahiti and also in Sept to  Yellowstone and lots of other little trips this year.

I don't know if I will be able to plant a garden this year, have to see how that works out.

Sounds like you have a good plan.  It's good to know that Sue Anne is getting some relief.  I will keep you and your family in my thoughts. 

Had Sue Anne to the ortho doc today.  Her knee is doing fine.  He said if she wants to wear the knee brace and makes her feel more comfortable she can but doesn't need it.  She said she will use it for when we "motorhome".

As far as the shoulder, not good news.  She had been to a different doc who did not xray or anything, just said frozen shoulder and physical therapy.  I combined the 2 problems when I went to this doc as he is close to home.  It is not responding much to therapy so he xrayed it.  He said the joint is gone. I was shocked so likely didn't ask some questions I should have.  I think he called it avascular necrosis, I know necrosis is right not sure about the first.  He said it was really stiff.  Some options are replace the shoulder joint or do nothing if she is not uncomfortable, but she is.  Apparently the blood supply to shoulder joint is gone.  Obviously therapy was stopped today as he said it is just hurting her. They are scheduling an MRI for sometime soon I guess to see the extent of it.  Since Sue Anne has Williams Syndrone I imagine this may be an issue related to that, though he said it is quite common.  I am going to talk with him further and see if we might go to a specialist in the medical center or what since I have now kind of gotten over the shock.  Right now I'm  concerned and I think he to as to whether other joints might be involved.  I have expected issues as she ages but this isn't something I ever thought of.  Sue Anne is only 39.

She also has scoliosis, diverticulosis, she had a colon resection at about age 29. She has not had a flare in some time, but a very real possibility some day she may have to have it all removed, they said it cannot be repaired again. Also she has Chiari Syndrone of the neck.  Chiari causes her to have headaches.  I've found keeping her weight down helps that so I have helped her to lose 10 pounds.  At one time 7 years ago she got up to 185, I got busy on both of us.  She has maintained about 165 for years then went to 169, I have her down to 159 now and we are going lower to maybe 140 if we can. She is cooperating.

I still plan to do some traveling, they said replacement of that joint isn't like the hip and responds better. What a way to start the new year.

The older lady in the picture lives in Bend, Oregon, she is one of my internet friends.

MRI today, hope to know more this week if that is definitely what is wrong, and what we will do.

GREAT WONDERFUL, JOYOUS NEWS!

We went in to see ortho doc today after MRI.  It turns out she does not have the other problem???  She has bone spurs on the joint and arthritus.  We have a procedure scheduled for the 1st of Feb in the out patient surgery under general anesthesia for them to break this loose and make her mobile again.  I'm sure back to physical therapy after that and that's going to hurt I'm sure.

I told Sue Anne this is what happens to hinges that don't get used enough and finally they rust shut.  Then someone has to break the rust loose to make it work again, that she understands.  So a minor procedure to get it working again.

What a relief.  Doc likes to travel too, so that was no problem for him for us to travel, so we are off to Padre and points south Sunday, armed with lots of Aleve and stuff for her sholder.  She is so excited and relieved as am I.  Man, he had me scared to death.  I think her body looks different as they always seem to have a hard time when looking at her bones, to many things different I guess.

In fact doc has a new motorhome 33 ft I believe and he wife, and 3 kids are going to travel some.  Hope they enjoy it also.  We are sure going to do so as much as possible. 

Man am I relieved.

Good show, Carolyn!  I like your rust explanation.  Easy to understand.  Some days my entire body feels rusty!  : ;D

ArdraF

Good news, feels good to breath easy.
Jim

HOORAY!!!! ;D ;D ;D

Hope you enjoy your trip!  My granddaughter graduates high school in May and will be moving back to Japan with her mom and dad (my son teaches there) and then we hope to be on the road 6 - 9 months of the year.  Maybe we will see you as we travel...especially since I figure we'll be in TX alot during the winter

Your "rust" explanation is right on. I've been telling DW for several years that I sometimes feel as if I need to be oiled, since I'm often stiff after sitting too long.

I'm getting one of the home gyms, not a huge expensive one.  Sears has a sale and this one has all the essentials lat bar, leg, all thats needed for a good work out and an exercycle.  I have a bench and hand weights, treadmill, and elliptical. None of us can use the elliptical, it kills my hip joints and my husbands knees.  It's to wide for Sue Anne to use so my handy man is getting it.  He will probably sell it for a few bucks but that's ok, he isn't working much right now.  It may be hard to get her to do it but as our GP said she has no muscle tone and if she doesn't move more she is going to have even more issues.  I went to a personal trainer couple years back for a few months and loved it.  Everything but the treadmill which I do have and will use but hate it.  but it was just so expensive I just couldn't justify the cost and Sue Anne is to self conscious to go.  I will try to help her use it also but it will be a battle royal. 

Some of my friends on other forums think I should get more opinions since this doc made a wrong diagnosis.  But I looked up his information and it appears he is a very reputable doctor.  And my GP and another ortho doctor made the same diagnosis. I will think about it.

And while we are gone my handyman is painting the kitchen and family room, plus the vestibule to the bedrooms.  Sue Anne hit a lot of corners going to her bedroom through there .  And when the new furnace was put in they had to remove the stair unit and put it back so that is a mess to.  And being gone we won't have to smell the fumes for a week.

Ok, now to get busy, got to finish loading, hook up the toad.  First time driving pulling the toad and I'm nervous.  So I want to drive through Houston while there isn't much traffic and Sundays are perfect for that. 

I have to remember to be careful where I pull in, passing, etc.  Hubby says just remember it will follow you anywhere you go, yeah right.  But I'm still scared, I will get over it hopefully  pretty quick.

Before I get busy, I was just sitting here thinking.  I know Sue Anne has all kinds of health problems but she takes such joy from life she makes it fun to be us.  She loves this motorhome and wants to take it all the time even to the grocery.  (Once in awhile I do), but she makes life a lot of fun and I often think how different things might have been without her in my life.  I know I would have missed a lot of pain,  aggravation and worry, but then think of all the joy she brings to me each day.  Such enthusiasm and seeing new places and things through her eyes makes it worthwhile. She is in the living room singing to the music now.  I would just be an old woman without her, she is our little sweetie.  Well enoughof that syrupy stuff, out to pack in groceries for us two hungry critters, and Miss kitty too.

Hubby got worried about Sue Anne getting in and out of the motorhome so he bought one of those fold out assist bars you see on the newer motorhomes and TT's.  She can now grab it instead of that tiny one by the door.  We think this will help her get in and out. Probably me too.

I got a home gym and exercycle and we made our den into an exercise room.  Need to move the treadmill back in also.  She has osteopenia, the beginnings of osteoporosis from lack of exercise.  In the winter I get pretty stiffened up also.  So the last few weeks we have been using the machines everyother day and she goes to PT for her shoulder and arm on the off days.  She is really improving.  She does the bench press, leg extension, and ab crunch, then 3'4's of a mile on the exercycle.  It has the bars that move back and forth also.  Her knee where she tore the ligament is just fine.  And we are both much more agile in getting around.  We need to keep this up. Now if we can just start dropping weight.

Now if we can just start dropping weight.

Click to expand...

Carolyn, I have one hint that is relatively easy to do and should help.  If you normally use large dinner plates on which to serve food, start using smaller so-called luncheon plates to "trick" yourself visually.  That means you might serve 3/4 of a cup of food rather than 1 cup and cutting back just a bit on Quantity can help a lot.  Another thing is to eliminate sodas (now related to both osteoporosis AND obesity) and salty, sugary, high fat snacks.  If you can cut just 100 calories a day from food and then another 100 calories with exercise, that should help immensely.  By the way, I don't believe in diets per se, just adding portion control and controlling food Quality.

ArdraF

We each need to lose about 20 pounds.

But my BP is 114/68 and pulse 68. I had a bone density, its excellent for me but I do a lot of weight bearing in just working physically, though not as much in the winter.  Also had a complete blood panel, everything good, triglycerides, cholesterol, all that stuff is perfect.  I just, as my doc says, have some quality of life issues, like some arthritus, flat flat feet, though I have orthotics, and allergies.  So for 65 I'm in pretty good shape. All the meds I take are arthrotec and tramadol for arthritus and premarin, that's it.

Hers is a bit higher but not bad. If I can get her moving more, which she is willingly doing so far I think that will help her a lot.

Tom will be 65 this year he is also about 20 over, he takes absolutely no meds.  Good bloodpressure, pretty healthy guy.  I know we are beyond blessed and hope it stays that way.

About 10 years ago I lost 40 pounds and she lost 20, she has kept most of hers off and has already lost 10 but needs more.  I regained 20 and need to lose it again!!  Will do, as spring is a comin'! I don't like diets either, we had changed our eating habits, then slowly drifted back.  We did pretty good for about 7 years.

Tom got lime and fertilizer for my garden today.  I got 8 tomato plants, 12 cabbages, 4 pepper plants, and seed potatoes.  I have seeds for bush beans, carrots, beets, got 200 onion sets, will buy more tomatoes later, I like to plant at least 20.  Will plant some other goodies.  I  am pulled between motorhoming and gardening, I like both.  He is going to plow and disk it for me so exercise is coming.  I may shrink it down this year as it is about a 3000 sq ft garden.

Dear old Tom sure fertilized the garden, the stuff is starting to come out my ears   I picked one 5 gallon bucket of beans that I fixed and we have eaten on for a week.  Picked the second 5 gallon bucket off 1 row yesterday and am canning the rest of them today, got 7 quarts yesterday and 7 this morning with some left, not many.  Plan on picking the rest a 3/4 length row of beans.  Once I hit 40 quarts or so for this year I will stop, I have some left from last year, I will give the rest away and we will also eat off them till I pull them.  With him home we eat a lot he really likes them.  I canned 5 pints of pickled beets, basically thinning them, I sure hope to get 10 more.  I love them, noone else here will eat them, can you imagine??

Sue Anne and I are going to Canton Trade Days leaving the 27th or 28th and staying over Sunday.  We were going to stay gone for a week but if all those tomatoes start ripening, w e l l, I can tell you where I will be.  They are looking good, we shall see if they produce.  We also went to the duplex where we have an acre, only the front half or 1/3 is used so we mow the back.  We  have talked about putting a garden back there for years.  So he plowed and disked up a section of it.  Then he planted 3 80 ft rows of sweet corn, a few weeks later we planted 3 more, also watermelon and cantaloupe.  We will share with the tenants and our 87 year old neighbor up there.  But I plan to put tons of corn in the freezer.  It is so dry here I'm watering everyother day at our house. we have been going there and watering 2 hours per section once a week but I'm not sure that will be enough.  I need to go up tomorrow, this drought is brutal.

The next place we want to go is Inks Lake, I was going to drive over there and be gone a week or two but we changed our mind, don't want to lose those tomatoes.

Tom took off our old satellite dish off and put on a Winegard Dome.  He has got it working, that saved about $350 for installation cost.  He also bought a trickle battery charger.  It says you can fasten it directly to the battery or plug in the DC and plug into electric.  He is taking the receiver, an older TV, and a dish to the rent house so he can hear the news. He loves current events and can't hear all that much when out of the country.

Tom said he can't go this time but he will later if he is home.  He might have another project to go to with his company, we shall know in the next couple of weeks??  He is over working on the rental we closed on about 3 weeks ago.  But its only 6 years old somainly cosmetics, we are replacing all the vinyl and most carpet with tile.

Oh, Carolyn, your garden sounds wonderful!  Corn, tomatoes, beans, melons.  Yummmy!

ArdraF