Feb 1
Steps 12,000
Right?
Well, I awoke ready to make calls and places were closed on Friday. No one will be open tomorrow. I have another list of calls of people and places that should be open. So, called one and hung up discouraged. Sending me a text so I can fill out my info is not great customer service for me.
We are making progress. Tommy took the bows off the deer. At this rate, I will be done by Labor Day.
Tommy's osteoarthritis is causing him so much pain. For years I have suggested a doctor. He always gets loud and denies anything can be done. He last consulted his family doctor about 20 years ago. Lately, he has quit objecting, so it is time for me to make an appointment. He no longer says he won't have an operation or knee replacement. Wish me luck.
The two airplane crashes have rattled me. I knew all along flying was dangerous. How do you feel about flying?
No flying for either of us here, that is unbelievable! Has Tommy tried the over the counter Voltairen Crème? It used to be by prescription only, but not now. It worked very well for my knee before surgery.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteI have Voltaren cream, prescription. I gave him a tube of it that he used a lot. But, now he refuses to use it. If something does not work immediately or cure him forever, he won't use it again. So, who knows if he is using it. I only have to use Voltaren when occasion arises, so rarely use it.
It does work well for me.
Flying is not my idea of fun. It scares me to death, even more as I get older.
I have flown twice in my 70 years - many years ago. NEVER again. Have no desire or reason.
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
DeleteFlying is magic when all goes well. I still am very uncomfortable, but I would do it again only for certain reasons. I don't look for opportunities.
I'm not afraid of flying. And this crash won't affect my future plans to fly. Incidents like these just aren't predictable.
ReplyDeleteI took a helicopter tour in Hawaii (the big island) not too long after Kobe Bryant and his daughter died in that California copter crash. I was not going to let a fluke incident keep me on the ground.
That copter tour was one of the most magical and beautiful experiences I've ever had! I was lucky enough to be seated up front next to the pilot. Soaring through the canyon where King Kamehameha was raised was glorious. I never felt unsafe for a single moment--it was pure joy.
To forgo that because Kobe Bryant got unlucky? Nah.
Sue,
DeleteI am afraid to fly. However, I have flown in the past and will again. I don't think of all the planes that have crashed. I cannot explain it, I suppose. I am a white-knuckle flyer.
Wife of a retired commercial pilot. We used to fly several times/week. We were never afraid of flying until this past week. He has a thing or two to say about this, none of it good. And yes, it was predictable and it’s only going to get worse.
ReplyDeleteMeg,
DeleteMy best friend was a navigator in jets in Vietnam. He always gave me information that usually was repeated by NTSB. I miss that info.
So how was it predictable?
DeleteI suppose that question is for Meg.
DeleteStaffing in the tower, especially given the time, among other things. Remember, he was a pilot…always plan and staff for the worst..
DeleteMeg, reduced staffing in towers has been the case since deregulation in 1978--nearly 50 years!
DeleteTo say that the DC collision was predictable due to reduced tower staffing is simplistic--and incorrect.
Sue,
DeleteI agree with you.
Yes, we never recovered from Reagan’s air traffic controller mess did we? Honestly, so much of what we face now on a national scale can be traced back to Reagan. Back to the crash: Yes, it was predictable, a crash was bound to happen in those conditions, and my husband has plenty to say, no it’s not simple. But yes, recent events played a role. He was both a military pilot and commercial pilot. (And sometimes my eyes glaze over when he expounds, so I shall spare you. Those poor souls.) And on another point: It is incontrovertible that F47’s response was deplorable.
DeleteI have had osteoarthritis since I was a teen. One of my knees is very bad (and hip, and hands, and feet, and it's in my spine). It's painful all the time (worse in cold weather, and with rapid weather changes). But, I have (fortunately) had docs that never pushed for replacement surgery.
ReplyDeleteI was told, years ago, to give up any sodas, because the phosphorus in them is really bad for your bones and joints. I was told "DRINK WATER". Soft drinks and knee pain have been linked in many studies.
I was also told to watch my diet (use olive oil/eat lots of fruit and veggies, etc)-- which meant to give up fast foods.
And, highly stressed was: "use it or lose it"... meaning regular exercise, weight lifting, and don't sit for more than 30 minutes at a time (without standing up and moving around).
There ARE things to help -- such as offloader/unloader braces (which are an appliance that gives the joint more stability and transfers weight to the less-worn side of the knee) that are fantastic combined with custom insoles, that can relieve stresses on the the knee and hip joints.
Then, he should push to get physical therapy, or do daily exercises, especially stretching of tight tendons that can cause more stress on the joints.
Sleeping in a chair, prolonged sitting can cause more pain and stiffness in joints of the hips, knees, and neck. Nothing causes further pain more than "resting". The real problems shortening of the tendons causing tight hips, calves, and hamstrings -- that all cause leg instability.
If I woke up without pain -- I'd know I was dead. But, the more I move, the better I feel, and the more I can do.
meetsy,
DeleteHe drinks at least four Diet Pepsi every day! He often drinks the rest of my Diet Coke CF. If I only want a fourth of a drink, I quit after that much and waste it.
He does sleep in a chair, but he cannot sleep flat on a bed.
The doctor said the hips and knees need replacing.
Does Glucosamine Chondroitin help you?
I get glucosamine/condroitin from bone broth. (It also adds calcium to my diet.) I do take the supplement Reuteri Probiotic (Lactobacillus reuteri) that has been shown to reduce inflammation in joints -- in several studies. Along with that I take Akermansia Muciniphila supplements, which helps the whole gut to reset, and work better. And, finally, I take magnesium threonate, which some people swear by. I find it, along with L-theanine, helps me sleep better. (Joint pain can really interfere with sleep.)
ReplyDeleteHip and knee replacement surgery are both very rough surgeries with a great deal of post=operative recovery. For me it is the last resort (but remember, I've had this pain since I was a teen, different than if I could actually remember a time "before".)
I have been talked into the steroid injections in the joint (bad idea, and only works as a placebo for me), and the goo they try and "lubricate" the joint with. I am not a fan of most interventions, although I am trying to get in for a new treatment that has a lot of good studies, and is very promising. It's called geniculate artery embolization (GAE) and it's done by an interventional radiologist. It involves blocking flow to the inflamed knee lining, which reduces pain. Minimally invasive, out-patient. (My problem, the closest location is a 3-hour drive away, and I need to find a way to get there-and-back, without driving myself. )
I find that physical activity helps the MOST -- I work to keep my muscles around my joints strong. Stretching helps a lot, as does yoga and tai chi.
Getting motivated is really the thing to overcome, and then staying motivated. High/low pressure weather systems and extreme cold/wet weather really play havoc with how I feel. (and it's wet and cold here!)
You might tell him that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can trigger an inflammatory response in the body and may worsen joint pain, and sugary sodas, are even worse for knees (there are multiple studies of this). The phosphorus acid in soda can interfere with calcium in the bones, and decrease bone density.
They're treats. Never designed to be part of the daily diet.
Meetsy.
DeleteThanks for all the info. I have had the injections in my knee. It works. But, getting to the dr sixty miles away was a problem. I just don't do them anymore. I learned how to walk so as not to continue to injure my knee. I will write all this down. Thanks, again.
For your chin--there are exercises that tighten up muscles in that area which helps prevent sagging. You might google or research for the exercises.
ReplyDeleteI will. But, I will wonder which work, really work.
DeleteI am saddened to hear about Mr. Tommy being in pain. I hope something can be done for him.
ReplyDeleteWe will get to a doctor and see what can be done.
Delete