Walked 4 miles on FR181 today. There is still snow on it but also long stretches of mud. Didn't see much in the way of tracks except for truck tracks and people tracks. Clouds were hanging low like it's going to do something. Could see patches of sun under the heavy clouds to the northeast and to south. Except for what looks like a tiny patch of snow on the westernmost peak of Pajarito Mountain, the whole backside of the mountain is bare.
Baking Brussels sprouts right now, smothered in onion, garlic, dried mint, mirin rice wine and Range Sun Dried Tomato salad dressing. Tasted it a few minutes ago but it needs to cook more so onions soften. Smells delicious. Ate a pomegranate - yummy - while waiting for it to get done.
Article on the Valles Caldera Trust in tonight's Monitor said that Trust terminated contract with ENTRIX on business plan but that's not quite what was said at the meeting. Lucia Turner said that the business plan as delivered does not meet the original requirements in the RFP that ENTRIX contracted for and that negotiations were ongoing either to see if ENTRIX would do everything they said they would or, if not, then the Trust would re-nogotiate the contract for a lesser amount commensurate with the work ENTRIX actually completed.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Flax Seed Muffins
I ground up a bag of flax seeds this morning and made muffins with all kinds of ghastly ingredients but they taste good. I may stick to only two a day until I see how my GI system likes the flax. Ingredients included canned sweet potato puree, oat bran (now why in the world did I put in both oat bran and flax seed?), garbanzo bean flour, fennel powder, wakame (seaweed) powder, salt, olive oil and sesame gomasio.
I did a weigh-in this morning before I got dressed. If the scale is right, I weigh 146 which is fine. I must have shrunk my jeans in the dryer. Either that or else the body fats all been re-distributed around my waist.
Spouse went into work but my only work a half day again.
I'll make my breakfast smoothie soon and then go out for my daily four miles. I like to do four miles and right now, my feet are cooperating.I would have gone with one of the senior center hiking groups this morning but after going to bed at 1am last night, I slept in until 8:30am so that put a 9am hike out of the running.
I went to a Valles Caldera Trust board meeting yesterday with Dorothy. It was supposed to last from 1-4pm but didn't end until 5:22pm which meant I had to drive back in the dark. I did OK. Spouse cleaned the headlights this weekend with Plast-X, which he bought at Auto Zone. He did a good job removing some of the oxidation. (I kid that the headlights have had their cataracts removed! It improved the night-driving experience, that's for sure, although there were times between Los Alamos and Pojoaque when the white lines seemed really dim. That's due, no doubt, to my cataracts which I'm not going to remove for a while!
I did a weigh-in this morning before I got dressed. If the scale is right, I weigh 146 which is fine. I must have shrunk my jeans in the dryer. Either that or else the body fats all been re-distributed around my waist.
Spouse went into work but my only work a half day again.
I'll make my breakfast smoothie soon and then go out for my daily four miles. I like to do four miles and right now, my feet are cooperating.I would have gone with one of the senior center hiking groups this morning but after going to bed at 1am last night, I slept in until 8:30am so that put a 9am hike out of the running.
I went to a Valles Caldera Trust board meeting yesterday with Dorothy. It was supposed to last from 1-4pm but didn't end until 5:22pm which meant I had to drive back in the dark. I did OK. Spouse cleaned the headlights this weekend with Plast-X, which he bought at Auto Zone. He did a good job removing some of the oxidation. (I kid that the headlights have had their cataracts removed! It improved the night-driving experience, that's for sure, although there were times between Los Alamos and Pojoaque when the white lines seemed really dim. That's due, no doubt, to my cataracts which I'm not going to remove for a while!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Kwage Mesa
Started late today - 3pm - on the Kwage Mesa Trail at the horse stables. They were getting ready for their luminaria walk tonight so I only did 3 miles round-trip because I was afraid I'd get locked inside the gates. Also, I only had an empty water bottle as I had forgotten to refill it. I did parts of exercise dvds when I got home - weight work for my shoulders and yoga abs.
As I walked, my thoughts turned to mountain lions and I thought about the Monitor article today which detailed efforts to remove the feral cattle from White Rock Canyon in Bandelier National Monument. Bandelier said the cattle were more wild than they thought and wouldn't herd. Of 11 cattle they tried to bring up the Falls Trail, they got out 4 but the rest are dead and rotting along the Falls Trail, closer to the Rio Grande. One bull had to be shot because it was threatening the cowboys and horses. They warned hikers to beware that predators like mountain lions might hang around the carcasses. After all this (failed) effort, there are still more live feral cattle roaming around. Well, maybe if the mountain lions develop a taste for beef, they'll polish off the remaining live cattle. Sounds like next time, Bandelier needs to get more experienced cowboys!
At the end of my walk, a young woman was at the trailhead with a beautiful red horse on a lead. She was letting the horse dine on juicy green grass. I bet it was a real treat for the animal!
My knee might be getting a little better. I would really like to go up the Nail Trail and out to FR2998 and back but if it snows tomorrow, I may not get to do that for a while. I'm unsure if FR2998 is full of mud right now. I'm still babying my feet somewhat until they get stronger.
As I walked, my thoughts turned to mountain lions and I thought about the Monitor article today which detailed efforts to remove the feral cattle from White Rock Canyon in Bandelier National Monument. Bandelier said the cattle were more wild than they thought and wouldn't herd. Of 11 cattle they tried to bring up the Falls Trail, they got out 4 but the rest are dead and rotting along the Falls Trail, closer to the Rio Grande. One bull had to be shot because it was threatening the cowboys and horses. They warned hikers to beware that predators like mountain lions might hang around the carcasses. After all this (failed) effort, there are still more live feral cattle roaming around. Well, maybe if the mountain lions develop a taste for beef, they'll polish off the remaining live cattle. Sounds like next time, Bandelier needs to get more experienced cowboys!
At the end of my walk, a young woman was at the trailhead with a beautiful red horse on a lead. She was letting the horse dine on juicy green grass. I bet it was a real treat for the animal!
My knee might be getting a little better. I would really like to go up the Nail Trail and out to FR2998 and back but if it snows tomorrow, I may not get to do that for a while. I'm unsure if FR2998 is full of mud right now. I'm still babying my feet somewhat until they get stronger.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Bread and Butter Route
I went out late afternoon, probably around 2pm, to walk the Perimeter Trail section that begins at the Mitchell Trailhead and goes over to the Rendija Canyon Trail. I used to jog that trail all the time - it was my all time favorite. It goes along the Rendija Canyon wash and is mostly dry year-around except when there is a great deluge. I mostly would park at Guaje Pines Cemetery and take off from there. The place was nicely wooded when I jogged it but it became toast after the Cerro Grande fire in 2000. It's still a beautiful place.
Another change is the Ponderosa subdivision. All those houses weren't there when it was my bread and butter route. I used to sit on a hillside during my after-jog stretches and imagine what a great county park could be built there.
I didn't appreciate the sight of Paul Parker's construction yard (it looks like a junkyard). It's more extensive than I thought. On the way back, I took a slightly different way and could see that the construction detritus is segmented between two different areas. Parker lives in the Ponderosa subdivision and I give him credit for fighting to save many of the houses there (including his own) during the Cerro Grande conflagration. I am surely glad, though, that I don't have a view of his junk from my kitchen window.
I heard a woodpecker, saw late afternoon scenes of beauty with parts of the mountains in shade and part in orange sunshine as the afternoon wore on.
Altogether, I saw 7 people, including 3 joggers, 1 bicyclist, 1 toddler (his father said he's scared of deer) and 3 walkers. I saw 2 dogs but none gave me any problem. I remember when I was a jogger, the dogs in that area were problematical. Dogs don't seem so interested in slow walkers!
While walking, I thought that the best legacy I can leave my daughter is to let her know that I have hiked virtually all the trails in Los Alamos County and loved every one of them. When I'm history, she can walk those same trails and know that I saw those same lovely scenes with my eyes and appreciated them with my heart and soul. The best thing that you can wish anyone is to have many happy trails!
I'm perplexed by left knee pain that is trying to develop. I have some ideas: I'm going to modify the calf stretch done with both legs at once and military straight knees that Bone suggested doing with the slant board.
Spouse not feeling so well today. That's distressing.
Another change is the Ponderosa subdivision. All those houses weren't there when it was my bread and butter route. I used to sit on a hillside during my after-jog stretches and imagine what a great county park could be built there.
I didn't appreciate the sight of Paul Parker's construction yard (it looks like a junkyard). It's more extensive than I thought. On the way back, I took a slightly different way and could see that the construction detritus is segmented between two different areas. Parker lives in the Ponderosa subdivision and I give him credit for fighting to save many of the houses there (including his own) during the Cerro Grande conflagration. I am surely glad, though, that I don't have a view of his junk from my kitchen window.
I heard a woodpecker, saw late afternoon scenes of beauty with parts of the mountains in shade and part in orange sunshine as the afternoon wore on.
Altogether, I saw 7 people, including 3 joggers, 1 bicyclist, 1 toddler (his father said he's scared of deer) and 3 walkers. I saw 2 dogs but none gave me any problem. I remember when I was a jogger, the dogs in that area were problematical. Dogs don't seem so interested in slow walkers!
While walking, I thought that the best legacy I can leave my daughter is to let her know that I have hiked virtually all the trails in Los Alamos County and loved every one of them. When I'm history, she can walk those same trails and know that I saw those same lovely scenes with my eyes and appreciated them with my heart and soul. The best thing that you can wish anyone is to have many happy trails!
I'm perplexed by left knee pain that is trying to develop. I have some ideas: I'm going to modify the calf stretch done with both legs at once and military straight knees that Bone suggested doing with the slant board.
Spouse not feeling so well today. That's distressing.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Chocolate Withdrawal
It's either chocolate withdrawal or lack of sleep that has put me into such a foul mood today. It doesn't help that my left leg has threatened to "lock" a few times today. I have to be more careful on the straight-leg, locked knee ten minute stretches that the Albuquerque physical therapist has prescribed. Either that or the purple orthotics did me in the last two days. They did cause some pain. The orange ones are the best.
I am so tired right now that I could practically fall asleep at the computer.
The BESC hiking group drove over to PEEC to walk on the Pueblo Bench Trails and to look at the old sewage treatment plant that has been decommissioned. Art would have gotten the group (7 people) lost except for Bill being there to lead the way. Now I know how to find the Homestead Bridge that crosses upper Pueblo Canyon. Spouse and I just didn't go far enough when we tried to find it several weeks ago. I'll drag spouse there again one day.
Mary announced to the group that she bought some snowshoes at the REI in Santa Fe. She asked if anyone else had snowshoes and I piped up that I did. Now, all we need is snow! (I'm typing with my eyes closed to rest them! I need a nap, bad!)
After the walk (only 1 1/2 miles long - I went for another round after everyone left), Natalie showed us around PEEC. We got to see Betsy the turtle swallow an earthworm that was still wriggling - sushi for turtles. Natalie says that if the Los Alamos Public School bond issue passes and the school starts renovating the high school, PEEC may not get its lease with the schools renewed in June because they'll need the space that PEEC's in during the renovations.
Had to go out with spouse after lunch to Del Norte credit union to open a certificate of deposit because my signature was needed. Afterward, he dropped me off at home and then went to the library and Smith's. I was too tired to go and, besides, I want to work on something I'm writing. I am so tired right now, though, that I think I should go sit in a chair and snooze.
I am so tired right now that I could practically fall asleep at the computer.
The BESC hiking group drove over to PEEC to walk on the Pueblo Bench Trails and to look at the old sewage treatment plant that has been decommissioned. Art would have gotten the group (7 people) lost except for Bill being there to lead the way. Now I know how to find the Homestead Bridge that crosses upper Pueblo Canyon. Spouse and I just didn't go far enough when we tried to find it several weeks ago. I'll drag spouse there again one day.
Mary announced to the group that she bought some snowshoes at the REI in Santa Fe. She asked if anyone else had snowshoes and I piped up that I did. Now, all we need is snow! (I'm typing with my eyes closed to rest them! I need a nap, bad!)
After the walk (only 1 1/2 miles long - I went for another round after everyone left), Natalie showed us around PEEC. We got to see Betsy the turtle swallow an earthworm that was still wriggling - sushi for turtles. Natalie says that if the Los Alamos Public School bond issue passes and the school starts renovating the high school, PEEC may not get its lease with the schools renewed in June because they'll need the space that PEEC's in during the renovations.
Had to go out with spouse after lunch to Del Norte credit union to open a certificate of deposit because my signature was needed. Afterward, he dropped me off at home and then went to the library and Smith's. I was too tired to go and, besides, I want to work on something I'm writing. I am so tired right now, though, that I think I should go sit in a chair and snooze.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Quickie Update on Spouse and Orthotics
Dr. Voltura got spouse an appointment with a surgeon in Santa Fe this morning. The surgeon advised this protocol, with a 50-50 chance of escaping an appendectomy: Take 2 weeks of a stronger Cipro and ditch the Flagyl. Spouse has to finish up his present course of antibiotics and then starts the extra strong Cipro on Thursday.
The idea is that the appendix has been festering away for about 3 months and if the surgeon operates now, it would most likely spill some of the contents into the abdominal cavity causing an infection.
If spouse waits, there's a chance the appendix will wall either heal and no operation will be necessary or it will wall off the inflamed area and make the operation safer. If an abscess does develop, the surgeon can drain it without an operation.
It sounds like spouse is in good hands. He went in to work today but may come home early if the pain bothers him when he's at the computer.
I have bunches of phone calls and need to get a package wrapped. I hope to go out late afternoon to try out the orthotics again. It's discouraging, though, that the tendon pain seems to have worsened. I have to give them a chance, though. I've cancelled physical therapy appointments for the meantime.
The idea is that the appendix has been festering away for about 3 months and if the surgeon operates now, it would most likely spill some of the contents into the abdominal cavity causing an infection.
If spouse waits, there's a chance the appendix will wall either heal and no operation will be necessary or it will wall off the inflamed area and make the operation safer. If an abscess does develop, the surgeon can drain it without an operation.
It sounds like spouse is in good hands. He went in to work today but may come home early if the pain bothers him when he's at the computer.
I have bunches of phone calls and need to get a package wrapped. I hope to go out late afternoon to try out the orthotics again. It's discouraging, though, that the tendon pain seems to have worsened. I have to give them a chance, though. I've cancelled physical therapy appointments for the meantime.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Proud Owner of Three Pairs Orthotics
Albuquerque physical therapist made the third orthotic out of softer material since I'm still having some foot/ankle pain. He wants me to try out all three to determine which one works the best. I'm supposed to give him feedback on how they work out for me.
He suggested that it may be better for me to wear neutral shoes. In general, he doesn't think that stability and motion control shoes are a good thing. I guess with the orthotics giving my feet some stability and support, I will try to find a pair of neutral athletic shoes to see how they work for my feet.
He gave me a homemade slant board to stretch my calves on. He said I should try to have the loosest calves in Los Alamos because tight calves put more pressure on the posterior tibial tendon, achilles tendon and plantar fascia. I'm supposed to stand on the board for ten minutes a day with my knees straight. I did it a little today in his office. At first I felt no stretch at all but gradually a calf stretch developed. He says that when I do my usual calf stretch which feels like a deep stretch of my calves, what I'm really stretching is nerves. He'll publish a research paper in January on this static endurance type of calf stretching. He doesn't yet know what journal it will be in. I'd like to get a copy.
I'm going to call tomorrow to cancel the Jemez Physical Therapy appointments this week. Physical therapist feels that if my arches are supported with the orthotics, my feet will naturally strengthen in the course of walking. He also said that since my right foot ligaments are on the lax side, I don't really need to stretch my feet.
He showed me how to strengthen my peroneus longus muscle which runs from the outer lower leg across the bottom of the foot and attaches to the big toe. One way to strengthen that is to raise your toes while pressing your first metatarsal head (ball of big toe) against the floor.
He suggested piriformis stretching for my hips. I know how to do one such stretch. I'll Google for other piriformis stretches.
I should continue to do the "clamshell" (side lying hip abduction with lateral rotation) that Jemez Physical Therapy gave me but he didn't think much of the toe flexor exercises and neither did I. In general, I need to strengthen my gluteals and stretch my piriformis.
He showed me how to do a lateral step up and says it's the only leg exercise he does. You begin by placing one foot on a step, with your knee bent forward over the second toe and the other foot is off the side of the step with the heel touching the floor. Straighten the knee of the foot on the step which causes the heel on the floor to raise, then repeat from the beginning. Start with 5 sets of 5 and work up to 5 sets of 10, done continuously on one leg and then switch to the other leg. Variations are do a toe raise up and down with the foot that's on the step and then another is to hike up the hip of the foot that's on the floor. You can alternate these variation within a set. If any of this ever gets easy, use a higher step to make it harder.
He said using a wobble board would be good and he'd send me a program he has for that. He also promised to send the information on the lateral step up because I have to admit that only doing it briefly in his office didn't lead to complete understanding of the exercise.
When I came to his office at 12:30pm on today, Sunday, he was finishing up with a client. When I left at 2pm, another client was already there for his next appointment. All in all, it was a very worthwhile adventure to drive to Albuquerque 2 days in a row to get these orthotics. I plan to tell the hikers about him. I walked four miles tonight in the orange 3/4 length pair. They seemed to help. I'll carefully evaluate all three over the coming weeks.
Spouse calls the surgeon in Santa Fe first thing tomorrow. He's anxious to find out when something can be done about his ailing appendix. Even though he's feeling reasonably comfortable and has no fever or extreme pain, it was hard on him to have to wait out this four day Thanksgiving weekend until the doctor's office opens again on Monday. There's a lot of anxiety in knowing that your appendix is not well.
He suggested that it may be better for me to wear neutral shoes. In general, he doesn't think that stability and motion control shoes are a good thing. I guess with the orthotics giving my feet some stability and support, I will try to find a pair of neutral athletic shoes to see how they work for my feet.
He gave me a homemade slant board to stretch my calves on. He said I should try to have the loosest calves in Los Alamos because tight calves put more pressure on the posterior tibial tendon, achilles tendon and plantar fascia. I'm supposed to stand on the board for ten minutes a day with my knees straight. I did it a little today in his office. At first I felt no stretch at all but gradually a calf stretch developed. He says that when I do my usual calf stretch which feels like a deep stretch of my calves, what I'm really stretching is nerves. He'll publish a research paper in January on this static endurance type of calf stretching. He doesn't yet know what journal it will be in. I'd like to get a copy.
I'm going to call tomorrow to cancel the Jemez Physical Therapy appointments this week. Physical therapist feels that if my arches are supported with the orthotics, my feet will naturally strengthen in the course of walking. He also said that since my right foot ligaments are on the lax side, I don't really need to stretch my feet.
He showed me how to strengthen my peroneus longus muscle which runs from the outer lower leg across the bottom of the foot and attaches to the big toe. One way to strengthen that is to raise your toes while pressing your first metatarsal head (ball of big toe) against the floor.
He suggested piriformis stretching for my hips. I know how to do one such stretch. I'll Google for other piriformis stretches.
I should continue to do the "clamshell" (side lying hip abduction with lateral rotation) that Jemez Physical Therapy gave me but he didn't think much of the toe flexor exercises and neither did I. In general, I need to strengthen my gluteals and stretch my piriformis.
He showed me how to do a lateral step up and says it's the only leg exercise he does. You begin by placing one foot on a step, with your knee bent forward over the second toe and the other foot is off the side of the step with the heel touching the floor. Straighten the knee of the foot on the step which causes the heel on the floor to raise, then repeat from the beginning. Start with 5 sets of 5 and work up to 5 sets of 10, done continuously on one leg and then switch to the other leg. Variations are do a toe raise up and down with the foot that's on the step and then another is to hike up the hip of the foot that's on the floor. You can alternate these variation within a set. If any of this ever gets easy, use a higher step to make it harder.
He said using a wobble board would be good and he'd send me a program he has for that. He also promised to send the information on the lateral step up because I have to admit that only doing it briefly in his office didn't lead to complete understanding of the exercise.
When I came to his office at 12:30pm on today, Sunday, he was finishing up with a client. When I left at 2pm, another client was already there for his next appointment. All in all, it was a very worthwhile adventure to drive to Albuquerque 2 days in a row to get these orthotics. I plan to tell the hikers about him. I walked four miles tonight in the orange 3/4 length pair. They seemed to help. I'll carefully evaluate all three over the coming weeks.
Spouse calls the surgeon in Santa Fe first thing tomorrow. He's anxious to find out when something can be done about his ailing appendix. Even though he's feeling reasonably comfortable and has no fever or extreme pain, it was hard on him to have to wait out this four day Thanksgiving weekend until the doctor's office opens again on Monday. There's a lot of anxiety in knowing that your appendix is not well.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Omigod!
That was my reaction when I left Albuquerque physical therapist's office. He's very thorough and astute when it comes to trouble-shooting feet and I'm very happy that I went to him.
His office is a small, separate building next to his house. He asked me to tell him my problem, looked at my shoes and noticed signs on the right front shoe that I twist my forefoot as I walk. He had me stand on a non-moving treadmill and studied my feet. He pointed out that when my feet are relaxed and the arch collapses inward that he can't easily lift my big toe up but can when I purposely raise my arch. I can't completely recall the significance of that but be related to the overstretching of my plantar fascia when I walk.
He had me walk back and forth and observed that my right foot pronates inward a whole lot and thought that my right leg went inward too. He compared the right and left foot for looseness or snugness of the ligaments and found my right foot ligaments to be lax. He gives classes in anatomy of the foot and says he's always amazed at the spider web of ligaments under the arch of the foot that are holding all the bones together.
I hope he writes up a report because I forget a lot of what he said. I pick up the orthotics tomorrow and I hope they help me to walk better. Basically, my poor foot biomechanics are causing lots of overuse of my plantar fascia (which, he said, is very strong and with each step supports up to 2 1/2 times your body weight) and my posterior tibial tendon.
Tomorrow, he'll show me some stretches and exercises to do.
I did all right staying awake for the drive back and forth - tea and chocolate helped - but, man, that's a big commute! I called spouse 5 times today to see if he was still stable and he is. He may ride down with me tomorrow.
I stopped to worship at the Temple of Vitamin Cottage in Santa Fe!
His office is a small, separate building next to his house. He asked me to tell him my problem, looked at my shoes and noticed signs on the right front shoe that I twist my forefoot as I walk. He had me stand on a non-moving treadmill and studied my feet. He pointed out that when my feet are relaxed and the arch collapses inward that he can't easily lift my big toe up but can when I purposely raise my arch. I can't completely recall the significance of that but be related to the overstretching of my plantar fascia when I walk.
He had me walk back and forth and observed that my right foot pronates inward a whole lot and thought that my right leg went inward too. He compared the right and left foot for looseness or snugness of the ligaments and found my right foot ligaments to be lax. He gives classes in anatomy of the foot and says he's always amazed at the spider web of ligaments under the arch of the foot that are holding all the bones together.
I hope he writes up a report because I forget a lot of what he said. I pick up the orthotics tomorrow and I hope they help me to walk better. Basically, my poor foot biomechanics are causing lots of overuse of my plantar fascia (which, he said, is very strong and with each step supports up to 2 1/2 times your body weight) and my posterior tibial tendon.
Tomorrow, he'll show me some stretches and exercises to do.
I did all right staying awake for the drive back and forth - tea and chocolate helped - but, man, that's a big commute! I called spouse 5 times today to see if he was still stable and he is. He may ride down with me tomorrow.
I stopped to worship at the Temple of Vitamin Cottage in Santa Fe!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Appendectomy Next Week - Maybe
Spouse will be getting an appendectomy sometime soon. He was scheduled with Dr. Voltura for next Tuesday but she currently only has privileges at Physicians Medical Center Hospital on Rodeo Road in Santa Fe. The hospital doesn't even have a ventilator. When asked what would happen if a person stopped breathing, spouse was told they would "bag" them (as in a manual surgical breathing bag) and transport them to St. Vincent Hospital. In addition, the hospital has no attendant doctor at night and no intensive care unit (but they do have a gourmet cook!)
In light of all this, spouse prefers going to St. Vincent and having Dr. Shapiro do the surgery. Everything closed early today, the day after Thanksgiving, so spouse will work the phone on Monday to try to arrange the surgery, hopefully for next week. He remains stable but not totally asymptomatic.
I took a brief walk this afternoon from the library over to Pueblo Canyon Bridge. On my way back, the orange afternoon sunlight beautifully highlighted the golden grass.
Daughter and grandson are here eating supper right now. Spouse is on the phone getting medical advice about what to do about the appendectomy from his sister-in-law, Dr. Julie Long.
I still plan to drive down to Albuquerque on both Saturday and Sunday to finally get orthotics. Spouse, if he's really, really bored, may accompany me one of the days.
In light of all this, spouse prefers going to St. Vincent and having Dr. Shapiro do the surgery. Everything closed early today, the day after Thanksgiving, so spouse will work the phone on Monday to try to arrange the surgery, hopefully for next week. He remains stable but not totally asymptomatic.
I took a brief walk this afternoon from the library over to Pueblo Canyon Bridge. On my way back, the orange afternoon sunlight beautifully highlighted the golden grass.
Daughter and grandson are here eating supper right now. Spouse is on the phone getting medical advice about what to do about the appendectomy from his sister-in-law, Dr. Julie Long.
I still plan to drive down to Albuquerque on both Saturday and Sunday to finally get orthotics. Spouse, if he's really, really bored, may accompany me one of the days.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Hanging In
I was pretty overwrought this morning. I'm getting better now. The computer is a real bright spot on a Turkey Day because then I feel some connection to the greater outside world. Our newspaper is another bright spot, ditto. I haven't been on the computer all day; that's not what I mean. It just gives me some hope that there is life after Turkey Day.
I did do short parts of 3 different exercise dvd's so that gave me a needed boost. I still have to do aerobics - maybe I'll try a Leslie Sansone dvd.
I still need to do a complete foot workout routine. It will be interesting to see what exercises the Albuquerque physical therapist gives me for my feet and compare them with what Jemez Physical Therapy has given me. Exercise and education is included as well as orthotics in my Albuquerque visit. JPT hasn't given me very many exercises and I really wonder about the value of further strengthening my toe flexors by picking objects up with them. My toes are already very strong.
It's very eerie in The Last Season where Judi Morgenson has a dream two nights in a row that she can see underwater in a lake a man wearing a backpack . Why did Randy Morgenson have to die? I didn't even know the man and I'm very upset at his death.
I haven't yet gotten to the part that attempts to explain his death but it gives me pause, as a hiker, to acknowledge that there are life and death decisions out there in the wild and when you either accidentally or through ignorance or foolishness make the wrong one, the consequences for those who love and care for you are far-reaching.
Losing Randy Morgenson, who was so knowledgable about the outdoors and all the things that can go wrong, seems like a wasteful, unecessary death. Maybe, though, his being upset about the divorce papers his wife gave him, somehow distracted him from the ever-present vigilance that's necessary when you are traveling in a steep, snowy drainage in the Sierras.
So far, it's just overcast and raining here. Spouse is in his usual position on the couch, TV on, snoring away. I'm fairly content to be inside right now. If it's snowing this evening, it's possible that I could go out to walk in it.
Grandson's Dad and soon-to-be step-mom took grandson to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving. They may drop him off here later today and that will add some verve and excitement to life for both of us.
I will be very happy at the end of the day to know that daughter and son-in-law had a very safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving up in the Jemez Mountains!
I did do short parts of 3 different exercise dvd's so that gave me a needed boost. I still have to do aerobics - maybe I'll try a Leslie Sansone dvd.
I still need to do a complete foot workout routine. It will be interesting to see what exercises the Albuquerque physical therapist gives me for my feet and compare them with what Jemez Physical Therapy has given me. Exercise and education is included as well as orthotics in my Albuquerque visit. JPT hasn't given me very many exercises and I really wonder about the value of further strengthening my toe flexors by picking objects up with them. My toes are already very strong.
It's very eerie in The Last Season where Judi Morgenson has a dream two nights in a row that she can see underwater in a lake a man wearing a backpack . Why did Randy Morgenson have to die? I didn't even know the man and I'm very upset at his death.
I haven't yet gotten to the part that attempts to explain his death but it gives me pause, as a hiker, to acknowledge that there are life and death decisions out there in the wild and when you either accidentally or through ignorance or foolishness make the wrong one, the consequences for those who love and care for you are far-reaching.
Losing Randy Morgenson, who was so knowledgable about the outdoors and all the things that can go wrong, seems like a wasteful, unecessary death. Maybe, though, his being upset about the divorce papers his wife gave him, somehow distracted him from the ever-present vigilance that's necessary when you are traveling in a steep, snowy drainage in the Sierras.
So far, it's just overcast and raining here. Spouse is in his usual position on the couch, TV on, snoring away. I'm fairly content to be inside right now. If it's snowing this evening, it's possible that I could go out to walk in it.
Grandson's Dad and soon-to-be step-mom took grandson to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving. They may drop him off here later today and that will add some verve and excitement to life for both of us.
I will be very happy at the end of the day to know that daughter and son-in-law had a very safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving up in the Jemez Mountains!
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