Per the CT scan, spouse's appendix is thickened and inflamed. He's going to Santa Fe Friday morning to see the doctor who took out his gallbladder to talk about what to do. One possibility is to see if the antibiotics improve the situation.
Physical therapist in Albuquerque emailed that he has appointments this weekend to get orthotics. They cost $275 for 2 pairs which sounds good to me! Unclear now what will happen with spouse being sick. If spouse is stable but doesn't feel like going to Albuquerque, I could drive down on Saturday for the fitting and drive back another time to pick them up.
I parked at the Ocean this afternoon and walked in the woods alongside Camp May Road up as far as Guardrail Hill and then turned around and walked Paintball Road. Amazing how much harder my 5 lb. Ironwear CoolVest makes it! I hope it really does help to strengthen my bones as advertised. The zipper is really shoddy but, when it breaks, I can replace it with Velcro. I still have 10 more pounds of weight to work up to wearing in it! When you can sweat in it on an autumn afternoon, though, cool it ain't!
Have to get to work now washing celery, carrots, potatoes, peeling onions and slicing them all up in the food processor for tonight's beef stew production. I'm using some of the veggies for a bean stew for me. It will be so good! Daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas and I asked if she would make me a vegan meal one day. She's a great cook! She made grandson lasagna last night. That's his favorite because that's what Garfield, his hero, eats!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Done With Dentist for Another 6 Months!
Dentist appointments went smoothly. Afterwards, looked at Schwinn Airdyne Evolution exercise bike at Home Fitness Warehouse. Including delivery and tax, would be under $1000 but I was reluctant to open my piggy bank. Spouse thinks that even he may use it if we decide eventually to buy one.
Glenn, my PT, gently hinted yesterday that I should walk less. Using the exercise bike a couple of times a week would fit that requirement. Also, I suspect I could improve my cardiovascular performance as the bike is so joint friendly, I would be able to really get some elevated heart rate.
In addition to dentist appointment and Home Fitness Warehouse, we took car to Acura dealer and he confirmed that the exhaust pipe going to the muffler is properly installed but the muffler itself has a small hole. We saved fixing that for another day.
We went to REI and made some returns and an exchange but otherwise bought nothing.
Picked up Key Lime Pie for Thanksgiving and talked two other women at Whole Foods into buying one when I assured them it was delicious (even though I've never tasted it but my family certainly loved it!)
Tomorrow spouse gets abdominal CT scan. He's feeling better with the antibiotics. In the afternoon, we make beef stew for when daughter and family come over on Friday. Busy, busy, busy!
Glenn, my PT, gently hinted yesterday that I should walk less. Using the exercise bike a couple of times a week would fit that requirement. Also, I suspect I could improve my cardiovascular performance as the bike is so joint friendly, I would be able to really get some elevated heart rate.
In addition to dentist appointment and Home Fitness Warehouse, we took car to Acura dealer and he confirmed that the exhaust pipe going to the muffler is properly installed but the muffler itself has a small hole. We saved fixing that for another day.
We went to REI and made some returns and an exchange but otherwise bought nothing.
Picked up Key Lime Pie for Thanksgiving and talked two other women at Whole Foods into buying one when I assured them it was delicious (even though I've never tasted it but my family certainly loved it!)
Tomorrow spouse gets abdominal CT scan. He's feeling better with the antibiotics. In the afternoon, we make beef stew for when daughter and family come over on Friday. Busy, busy, busy!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Spouse's Doctor Visit
Dr. Daly has ordered a CT scan for Wednesday. He suspects either diverticulitis or appendicitis. Spouse had slight fever in doctor's office so Dr. Daly prescribed antibiotics. Spouse not feeling tip top yet.
Pajarito Mountain Ridge
Went to PT this morning. The usual - ultrasound, then massage, then electrical stimulation of my right foot. Glenn showed me a stretch for the calf and soleus - the one where you hang your heel over the back edge of a step. He also taped my foot. It feels all right and may make it more stable. The tape felt pretty binding on my heel at first but loosened some. Glenn said that a physical therapist in Albuquerque only charges around $100 cash for orthotics. He doesn't deal with insurance. Hope he contacts me one day to make an appointment.
Drove up to Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. Hiked Cañada Bonita Trail out to the old Baca Location fence. Went out on upper, main XC Ski Trail and back on lower, old Quemazon Road.
As I walked out, I observed how the parking lot is not really the base of Pajarito Mountain but the mountain keeps going downhill beyond the parking lot into Los Alamos Canyon. Also, up close, Pajarito Mountain looks more like a really long ridge than a mountain.
Started out feeling lonely, longing and nostalgia. Stopped in Cañada Bonita meadow to listen to the silence and admire the gray, leafless aspen trees and splendid golden grass of the meadow. So quiet I could hear a raven's wings flap! Felt better at the end. So lucky to have Pajarito Mountain even if it does only look like a ridge!
Drove up to Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. Hiked Cañada Bonita Trail out to the old Baca Location fence. Went out on upper, main XC Ski Trail and back on lower, old Quemazon Road.
As I walked out, I observed how the parking lot is not really the base of Pajarito Mountain but the mountain keeps going downhill beyond the parking lot into Los Alamos Canyon. Also, up close, Pajarito Mountain looks more like a really long ridge than a mountain.
Started out feeling lonely, longing and nostalgia. Stopped in Cañada Bonita meadow to listen to the silence and admire the gray, leafless aspen trees and splendid golden grass of the meadow. So quiet I could hear a raven's wings flap! Felt better at the end. So lucky to have Pajarito Mountain even if it does only look like a ridge!
Early Start to Thanksgiving Vacation
Spouse did go in to work this morning but may not stay as he's still having some stomach discomfort. He sees Dr. Daly this afternoon. He only went in to work to check on a computer run. The colonoscopy he had a few years ago had showed diverticulosis so it's possible that these flu-y, crampy gastric episodes are diverticulitis. I'm sure that tests will be ordered to determine the cause.
Tomorrow is an all-day event in Albuquerque with our dentist appointments (always nice to get those over with!) and a stop at the Acura dealer to have them check the exhaust pipe installed last week by RPM.
I need to dress soon to leave for the PT appointment.
I took a 500 mg niacin capsule this morning and yesterday too. It bothered me not at all yesterday but today was a different story. I started feeling itchy all over and my face got red splotches. Dr. Stephen Sinatra in his book Reverse Heart Disease Now suggests niacin to increase HDL cholesterol. I'll continue to try the niacin but if the extreme reaction doesn't eventually stop happening, I'll return it to Vitamin Cottage.
Tomorrow is an all-day event in Albuquerque with our dentist appointments (always nice to get those over with!) and a stop at the Acura dealer to have them check the exhaust pipe installed last week by RPM.
I need to dress soon to leave for the PT appointment.
I took a 500 mg niacin capsule this morning and yesterday too. It bothered me not at all yesterday but today was a different story. I started feeling itchy all over and my face got red splotches. Dr. Stephen Sinatra in his book Reverse Heart Disease Now suggests niacin to increase HDL cholesterol. I'll continue to try the niacin but if the extreme reaction doesn't eventually stop happening, I'll return it to Vitamin Cottage.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Could Be Worse
Sometime after 9am this morning, an ambulance and fire truck showed up in front of our neighbor's, the Gibson's. I don't know what happened and I hope they are both OK. It's sad to look in their driveway and only see the one car there all day and not know how they are doing. Leaves a hole in the neighborhood.
Spouse is feeling ill. In the past two months, he's had 4 bouts of "food poisoning". We really don't know what it is. He feels flu-y, his lower right abdomen is tender, his stomach feels like someone punched him and he's lost his appetite. He'll go to the doctor tomorrow.
Went to the Turkey Trot today on North Mesa. Daughter did too. She came in 34th and I came in 84th. My foot did amazingly well. First, I predicted 47 minutes and 47 seconds for my finish time and then I crossed that out and wrote in 50 minutes. I don't know what my finish time was. I left before the prize drawings to see if spouse was OK. He's stable for now.
Spouse is feeling ill. In the past two months, he's had 4 bouts of "food poisoning". We really don't know what it is. He feels flu-y, his lower right abdomen is tender, his stomach feels like someone punched him and he's lost his appetite. He'll go to the doctor tomorrow.
Went to the Turkey Trot today on North Mesa. Daughter did too. She came in 34th and I came in 84th. My foot did amazingly well. First, I predicted 47 minutes and 47 seconds for my finish time and then I crossed that out and wrote in 50 minutes. I don't know what my finish time was. I left before the prize drawings to see if spouse was OK. He's stable for now.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Indian Summer Lingers On
I thought sure I'd wake up to snow today but it was sunny and around 40 degrees. We hiked with the White Rock Senior Center group on the Perimeter Trail South, off West Jemez Road, that starts at the Pajarito Canyon Trailhead. The group surprised me and went all the way to FR181. I think they only did it because they kept thinking they could loop back and didn't have to go back the way they came. It was a small group. One regular hiker didn't come because his hip was bothering him and several others opted to eat Thanksgiving dinner at the Betty Ehart Senior Center.
I talked some with Dagne about genealogy research. She had tried it once but hit a wall of misinformation in censuses. I told her about the Latter Day Saint's Family History Centers in Los Alamos and White Rock. Dagne's Mom is 99 years old and married to an 85 year old man. I told Dagne that he's what keeps her Mom going!
I'm very tired today and was yesterday too. Yesterday, I had to wake up at 6am for the Dorothy hike and today at 7am for the senior hike. I didn't sleep well last night because my legs started cramping.
My foot did OK on the hike but I'm not sure about the Keen midcut hiking boots. So far, they are more comfortable than the Vasque's.
Thoughts on yesterday: The point of taking the forest ranger's up to the north rim of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) was so Dorothy could lobby them not to close off certain logging access roads under their Travel Management Plan. She and Ed are hoping that in the future, a deal could be struck between the VCNP management and the USFS to allow people to look into the world-class beautiful Valles Caldera from the north rim, through some official "holes in the fence". People could drive in on the forest service logging roads and legally hike across the VCNP fence at several selected viewpoints.
Truthfully, I'll get little use out of these proposed north rim viewpoints but it may, as Dorothy and Ed believe, create a lot of goodwill for the VCNP in northern New Mexico. The forest rangers admitted that the north rim area off FR144 only gets light use. Dorothy and Ed are both amazing people to do all the legwork and research to promote the north rim viewpoints proposal.
I should have waited until the rangers weren't present to tell Ed that I thought some of the maze of roads were superfluous and it wouldn't hurt to close some, leaving only main trunk open for access to the viewpoints. In fairness to myself, though, I never saw the attachments he sent me that included a map and his comments on the Travel Management Plan because TextEdit opened them up as blank pages. I wish that PC's and Mac's could communicate better!
Some info on the rangers: Sandy formerly worked in Oregon as a ranger. He started out in firefighting. He's been in northern New Mexico for 6 years now. He really likes the mix of 3 cultures here - Indian, Hispanic and Anglo. Annie is a mother of two. She lives on a ranch in Pecos and commutes everyday to Española which is a long way to drive. She's been with the Española Ranger District since 1999 and before that worked for the BLM in Taos and the Tesuque Ranger District in Santa Fe.
I talked some with Dagne about genealogy research. She had tried it once but hit a wall of misinformation in censuses. I told her about the Latter Day Saint's Family History Centers in Los Alamos and White Rock. Dagne's Mom is 99 years old and married to an 85 year old man. I told Dagne that he's what keeps her Mom going!
I'm very tired today and was yesterday too. Yesterday, I had to wake up at 6am for the Dorothy hike and today at 7am for the senior hike. I didn't sleep well last night because my legs started cramping.
My foot did OK on the hike but I'm not sure about the Keen midcut hiking boots. So far, they are more comfortable than the Vasque's.
Thoughts on yesterday: The point of taking the forest ranger's up to the north rim of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) was so Dorothy could lobby them not to close off certain logging access roads under their Travel Management Plan. She and Ed are hoping that in the future, a deal could be struck between the VCNP management and the USFS to allow people to look into the world-class beautiful Valles Caldera from the north rim, through some official "holes in the fence". People could drive in on the forest service logging roads and legally hike across the VCNP fence at several selected viewpoints.
Truthfully, I'll get little use out of these proposed north rim viewpoints but it may, as Dorothy and Ed believe, create a lot of goodwill for the VCNP in northern New Mexico. The forest rangers admitted that the north rim area off FR144 only gets light use. Dorothy and Ed are both amazing people to do all the legwork and research to promote the north rim viewpoints proposal.
I should have waited until the rangers weren't present to tell Ed that I thought some of the maze of roads were superfluous and it wouldn't hurt to close some, leaving only main trunk open for access to the viewpoints. In fairness to myself, though, I never saw the attachments he sent me that included a map and his comments on the Travel Management Plan because TextEdit opened them up as blank pages. I wish that PC's and Mac's could communicate better!
Some info on the rangers: Sandy formerly worked in Oregon as a ranger. He started out in firefighting. He's been in northern New Mexico for 6 years now. He really likes the mix of 3 cultures here - Indian, Hispanic and Anglo. Annie is a mother of two. She lives on a ranch in Pecos and commutes everyday to Española which is a long way to drive. She's been with the Española Ranger District since 1999 and before that worked for the BLM in Taos and the Tesuque Ranger District in Santa Fe.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
I Go to the Hills
After Dorothy trip, went to FR181 (American Springs Road). I walked my 4 miles but didn't see a single soul. I heard some shots as I got to where the road swings east. I didn't get shot so I was happy about that. It was cloudy and cool. I couldn't see the top of Pajarito Mountain for the low clouds or maybe snow flurries hanging over it.
Foot was OK. It likes even terrain. On the Dorothy trip, I had to be really careful not to turn my right foot on it's side in the grassy hummocks on Garita Ridge/Hunter's Point. I was comparatively speedy on FR181.
The Dorothy trip was interesting but we hardly walked at all - less than 3/4 miles. The two Española District Rangers, Sandy and Annie were very kind people. They took the time from their very busy work schedules to go to the north rim of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to look at several caldera viewpoints. I'm going to make this a short blog and not even try to get into all the ramifications of this trip.
Dorothy, Greg and I had a brief discussion at the end of the trip. Greg asked Dorothy to give another rim trail talk at Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and she agreed that would be good. I suggested that we should expand the rim trail effort and especially find someone to write a grant proposal to fund some of Dorothy's rim trail proposals (not my idea - the rangers suggested that to us as one way to get the rim trail going) and I mentioned Dave Menucci's name again, saying that I knew that Dorothy could do a lot if she had the time but she very busy.
We really didn't stop for lunch because we had to get the two rangers back. I passed out LaraBars to those who wanted them. Greg, who drove us in his Jeep Cherokee, seemed to really like the LaraBars. When I got home, I got 4 more of them (and the article in the Rio Grande Sierran on Marty) and dropped them off for him and Karen.
Foot was OK. It likes even terrain. On the Dorothy trip, I had to be really careful not to turn my right foot on it's side in the grassy hummocks on Garita Ridge/Hunter's Point. I was comparatively speedy on FR181.
The Dorothy trip was interesting but we hardly walked at all - less than 3/4 miles. The two Española District Rangers, Sandy and Annie were very kind people. They took the time from their very busy work schedules to go to the north rim of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to look at several caldera viewpoints. I'm going to make this a short blog and not even try to get into all the ramifications of this trip.
Dorothy, Greg and I had a brief discussion at the end of the trip. Greg asked Dorothy to give another rim trail talk at Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and she agreed that would be good. I suggested that we should expand the rim trail effort and especially find someone to write a grant proposal to fund some of Dorothy's rim trail proposals (not my idea - the rangers suggested that to us as one way to get the rim trail going) and I mentioned Dave Menucci's name again, saying that I knew that Dorothy could do a lot if she had the time but she very busy.
We really didn't stop for lunch because we had to get the two rangers back. I passed out LaraBars to those who wanted them. Greg, who drove us in his Jeep Cherokee, seemed to really like the LaraBars. When I got home, I got 4 more of them (and the article in the Rio Grande Sierran on Marty) and dropped them off for him and Karen.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Pomegranate Munching as Metaphor for Life
Epiphany this morning at the breakfast table: Good primate that I am, I love to greedily slurp up the exquisitely, translucently juicy ruby arils of the bejeweled pomegranate. As I chew the seeds, my tongue is splashed by short bursts of cool, tart-sweet juice and my teeth crunch the crisp seeds. As I eat, I wish that the juicy sweetness of the pomegranate's nectar would last forever. But the truth is that it's gone as soon as I swallow and the only way I can make it last is to keep sucking the sweet seeds off the bitter white pith as fast as I can.
This is like life - if you don't pay attention to what's happening, it's gone forever, only a memory. You can crave or anticipate more of life's sweetness but the only thing that you'll ever really have is the thrill of the "ride" at the exact moment that it is happening - then, it's done, gone, finis.
Remember this the next time you scrub the toilet!
This is like life - if you don't pay attention to what's happening, it's gone forever, only a memory. You can crave or anticipate more of life's sweetness but the only thing that you'll ever really have is the thrill of the "ride" at the exact moment that it is happening - then, it's done, gone, finis.
Remember this the next time you scrub the toilet!
Physical Therapy Capers
Been to two physical therapy appointments this week at Jemez Physical Therapy. Saw Lori the first time. She evaluated my gait by watching me walk back and forth. She said it looks like my right leg crosses the midline of my body. Maybe that's why I sometimes kick my right inner ankle with my left foot when I walk. She tested my hips for weakness by having me raise my legs against resistance (her hands). Surprisingly, my flabby inner thighs are stronger than my outer thighs. She gave me an exercise called the Clam Shell which is a lying hip abduction with a lateral rotation. In general, it would be good if I'd do more to strengthen my legs. I NEVER do any squats or lunges because my knees creak in an awful cacophony. I do lying leg strengthening exercises for my hamstrings and quads but could be more religious about it.
She told me to be sure to press my toes into the ground when I walk. I try at home but largely ignore my gait when I'm out hiking.
She told me to do Toe Curls and Toe Pick-Ups to help strengthen my arch. My toe flexors are already pretty strong and I'm not overly enthused about these exercises but am faithfully doing them.
Lori ended the visit with ultrasound and massage of my foot and suggested that I make another appointment for more ultrasound and massage. The idea is to help heal my posterior tibial tendon.
Today I saw Glenn and he did ultrasound and massage and also used electrical stimulation. I found the electricity idea a bit scary but thought I would give it a try. He hooked me up to 4 electrodes - one on the bottom of my foot, one on the right top of my foot, one about 6 inches above my inner ankle and another on the other side of my leg. He turned up the juice until I felt "little fingers" walking on the skin of my foot and lower leg, along with a creepy, crawly sensation. Then he let me control how much juice I gave my leg. It felt OK so I went up to 17.
After the appointment, I hiked for my exercise and was mostly OK but when I was hiking mildly downhill, my leg felt weak and I had to really slow down. I also felt very hungry. After supper, I felt better and feel perfectly normal now. I'll have to evaluate this electric business.
She told me to be sure to press my toes into the ground when I walk. I try at home but largely ignore my gait when I'm out hiking.
She told me to do Toe Curls and Toe Pick-Ups to help strengthen my arch. My toe flexors are already pretty strong and I'm not overly enthused about these exercises but am faithfully doing them.
Lori ended the visit with ultrasound and massage of my foot and suggested that I make another appointment for more ultrasound and massage. The idea is to help heal my posterior tibial tendon.
Today I saw Glenn and he did ultrasound and massage and also used electrical stimulation. I found the electricity idea a bit scary but thought I would give it a try. He hooked me up to 4 electrodes - one on the bottom of my foot, one on the right top of my foot, one about 6 inches above my inner ankle and another on the other side of my leg. He turned up the juice until I felt "little fingers" walking on the skin of my foot and lower leg, along with a creepy, crawly sensation. Then he let me control how much juice I gave my leg. It felt OK so I went up to 17.
After the appointment, I hiked for my exercise and was mostly OK but when I was hiking mildly downhill, my leg felt weak and I had to really slow down. I also felt very hungry. After supper, I felt better and feel perfectly normal now. I'll have to evaluate this electric business.
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