"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

[jackknife]

Adventures in ortho..

One week post op of full knee replacement. Can be summed up by one word; OWWWWW!!!

Yes, they told me there would be some post op pain. But I've lived long enough to have learned, or should have, that when a doctor tells you there will be some 'discomfort" have an opium pipe in or a few Vietnam era morphine field injectors stashed close. Doctors speak with forked tongue.

Yes, they sent me home with some happy pills, Hydrocodone and some Ibropophin stuff. But don't fall asleep and wake up at 2am and need to kill some pain. The words 'time delay' under state the problem of catching up with it.

The other thing I have discovered that there are evil people lurking around us. Grandchildren of Gestapo interrogators or S.S. personal. They are disguised as Physical Therapists in pastel color scrubs. They are expert at inflicting pain to a high degree. "Come, Come Herr Jackknife, we can move that knee into a 90 degree bend. Lets push some more!" as screams echo off the ceiling. The unique prickly feeling of staples pulling at a wound that runs from the top of the shin to the bottom of the thigh, overlaid with the deep burn of still heeling deeply cut tissue pulling. Lot of fun. If I had a Swiss Account, I'd give them the number gladly. Maybe then, they'd just shoot me?

The sole counter point has been our Australian Sheppard, Abby. Also known as the severely spoiled Princes Abigail Of River Bend. I know dogs are very empathetic, but Abby knows something bad is going on, and she refuses to leave my bedside. Abby knows something is very wrong in her world, and she lays there against my right side, once in a while trying to lick the bandage covering the incision. Then she lays her head on my thigh and stares up at me with those big golden brown eyes. Slowly petting the long soft coat actually let me doze off on a sleepless night that seemed to be taking forever for the pain pill to take effect. Karen will take her out for a walk, but home again she comes running in the bedroom and jumping up on the bed and going into her watch over daddy role.

Maybe I can teach her to attack pastel color scrubs?

 

[mbkr]

Adventures in ortho..

One week post op of full knee replacement. Can be summed up by one word; OWWWWW!!!

Yes, they told me there would be some post op pain. But I've lived long enough to have learned, or should have, that when a doctor tells you there will be some 'discomfort" have an opium pipe in or a few Vietnam era morphine field injectors stashed close. Doctors speak with forked tongue.

Yes, they sent me home with some happy pills, Hydrocodone and some Ibropophin stuff. But don't fall asleep and wake up at 2am and need to kill some pain. The words 'time delay' under state the problem of catching up with it.

The other thing I have discovered that there are evil people lurking around us. Grandchildren of Gestapo interrogators or S.S. personal. They are disguised as Physical Therapists in pastel color scrubs. They are expert at inflicting pain to a high degree. "Come, Come Herr Jackknife, we can move that knee into a 90 degree bend. Lets push some more!" as screams echo off the ceiling. The unique prickly feeling of staples pulling at a wound that runs from the top of the shin to the bottom of the thigh, overlaid with the deep burn of still heeling deeply cut tissue pulling. Lot of fun. If I had a Swiss Account, I'd give them the number gladly. Maybe then, they'd just shoot me?

The sole counter point has been our Australian Sheppard, Abby. Also known as the severely spoiled Princes Abigail Of River Bend. I know dogs are very empathetic, but Abby knows something bad is going on, and she refuses to leave my bedside. Abby knows something is very wrong in her world, and she lays there against my right side, once in a while trying to lick the bandage covering the incision. Then she lays her head on my thigh and stares up at me with those big golden brown eyes. Slowly petting the long soft coat actually let me doze off on a sleepless night that seemed to be taking forever for the pain pill to take effect. Karen will take her out for a walk, but home again she comes running in the bedroom and jumping up on the bed and going into her watch over daddy role.

Maybe I can teach her to attack pastel color scrubs?

I haven't has the pleasure, yet, but family, friends and acquaintances of mine that have had a knee replaced all say the same thing, " It hurts like #@%* (I'm paraphrasing), but do the PT. It works." The one woman that I know that didn't do the PT has regretted it. Or maybe I should say her husband has regretted it
The evil people in scrubs know what they're doing.

Hoping it gets better

 

[Alex.Y.]

The other thing I have discovered that there are evil people lurking around us. Grandchildren of Gestapo interrogators or S.S. personal. They are disguised as Physical Therapists in pastel color scrubs. They are expert at inflicting pain to a high degree. "Come, Come Herr Jackknife, we can move that knee into a 90 degree bend. Lets push some more!" as screams echo off the ceiling. The unique prickly feeling of staples pulling at a wound that runs from the top of the shin to the bottom of the thigh, overlaid with the deep burn of still heeling deeply cut tissue pulling. Lot of fun. If I had a Swiss Account, I'd give them the number gladly. Maybe then, they'd just shoot me?

Please don't treat medical personnel as your enemies. They are good people trying to do their best to get you on your feet as soon as it is possible. Life is movement, and movement is life, so at some point after the operation you just need to start working out (moving) your joint so it will adapt and function correctly.

The sole counter point has been our Australian Sheppard, Abby. Also known as the severely spoiled Princes Abigail Of River Bend. I know dogs are very empathetic, but Abby knows something bad is going on, and she refuses to leave my bedside. Abby knows something is very wrong in her world, and she lays there against my right side, once in a while trying to lick the bandage covering the incision. Then she lays her head on my thigh and stares up at me with those big golden brown eyes. Slowly petting the long soft coat actually let me doze off on a sleepless night that seemed to be taking forever for the pain pill to take effect. Karen will take her out for a walk, but home again she comes running in the bedroom and jumping up on the bed and going into her watch over daddy role.

Ah, yes, pets are very sensitive that way, they just know somehow when you are going through some kind of trouble, and will always try to do anything they can to help you, at least morally.

Get well soon!

 

[jackknife]

Please don't treat medical personnel as your enemies. They are good people trying to do their best to get you on your feet as soon as it is possible. Life is movement, and movement is life, so at some point after the operation you just need to start working out (moving) your joint so it will adapt and function correctly.


Ah, yes, pets are very sensitive that way, they just know somehow when you are going through some kind of trouble, and will always try to do anything they can to help you, at least morally.

Get well soon!

I know they are not the enemy, this post was written tongue in cheek after getting home from a PT workout. Its just surprising how one little 5' 3" girl young enough to one of my grandkids, could make me hurt so well. Perhaps a night job at Madam Hilda's House Of Pain?

 

[dantzk8]

Please don't treat medical personnel as your enemies. They are good people trying to do their best to get you on your feet as soon as it is possible.

Hell is paved with good intentions.

Dan.

 

[JM2]

It was a good day at the flea market.

Nice find. I need an eggbeater myself. I love the old tools. I have a brace and a yankee drill.

I do carpentry for a living, but I like to do it the old way for my own projects. And finding and semi restoring old tools is a fun addition to it.

 

[JM2]

Thanks, folks. Don't want to drag down everyone's spirits. She's at peace now and not suffering. I am not alone - I have a wife and 4 other cats. I love all of the other fur babies too, but she was my special sweetie for the last few years. Life goes on for the rest of us.

Sorry to hear about your knee, Carl. Hope you recover well from that surgery and are up and hiking again soon!

Sorry for you. We have lost a few critters, cat and dog, and it’s always tough.

 

[knarfeng]

Adventures in ortho..

One week post op of full knee replacement. Can be summed up by one word; OWWWWW!!!

Yes, they told me there would be some post op pain. But I've lived long enough to have learned, or should have, that when a doctor tells you there will be some 'discomfort" have an opium pipe in or a few Vietnam era morphine field injectors stashed close. Doctors speak with forked tongue.

Yes, they sent me home with some happy pills, Hydrocodone and some Ibropophin stuff. But don't fall asleep and wake up at 2am and need to kill some pain. The words 'time delay' under state the problem of catching up with it.

The other thing I have discovered that there are evil people lurking around us. Grandchildren of Gestapo interrogators or S.S. personal. They are disguised as Physical Therapists in pastel color scrubs. They are expert at inflicting pain to a high degree. "Come, Come Herr Jackknife, we can move that knee into a 90 degree bend. Lets push some more!" as screams echo off the ceiling. The unique prickly feeling of staples pulling at a wound that runs from the top of the shin to the bottom of the thigh, overlaid with the deep burn of still heeling deeply cut tissue pulling. Lot of fun. If I had a Swiss Account, I'd give them the number gladly. Maybe then, they'd just shoot me?

The sole counter point has been our Australian Sheppard, Abby. Also known as the severely spoiled Princes Abigail Of River Bend. I know dogs are very empathetic, but Abby knows something bad is going on, and she refuses to leave my bedside. Abby knows something is very wrong in her world, and she lays there against my right side, once in a while trying to lick the bandage covering the incision. Then she lays her head on my thigh and stares up at me with those big golden brown eyes. Slowly petting the long soft coat actually let me doze off on a sleepless night that seemed to be taking forever for the pain pill to take effect. Karen will take her out for a walk, but home again she comes running in the bedroom and jumping up on the bed and going into her watch over daddy role.

Maybe I can teach her to attack pastel color scrubs?

You still write wonderful descriptions, even if what is being described is a bummer.
Best wishes for fast healing and a fast decline to the need for pain pills.

I mind the time some 30 year ago when I got a hernia fixed. No microsurgery. Got the 6" incision style done as an outpatient. They gave me a prescription for pain pills as I was leaving the hospital. But I was still hopped up from the anesthesia and did not have my wife get the prescription filled. Woke up the next morning with no pain blockers and fixed that omission toute suite.

 

[Jack Black]

I hope things get easier Carl, wishing you a fast recovery my friend

 

[jackknife]

I hope things get easier Carl, wishing you a fast recovery my friend

Hiya Jack!

Feeling better now, have a few pain killers in me and its the morning after a so-so night. Karen has me situated in the front room with a view of the street and a cup of tea and the dog by my side, so I'm good. today is one week since I came home, and in just that time I can see a big difference. Getting around easier with the walker, doing some mild leg exercises.

Yesterday I was back at the VA hospital PT room with three other old guys who had the same thing I did. One was 7 weeks post op, the other was like 10 weeks post op, and I was jealous as hell. the 7 week guy was on a cane and doing stuff on the machines, an the 10 week guy wasn't on any rig, and doing stairs exercises and stationary bicycle spinning! They both old me that what I'm experiencing is exactly what they went through, so just keep going. They both said once the staples comeout and the swelling goes down as the quad heals up, it gets better fast. The biggest part of the ortho surgery clinic jobs seem to be knee and hip replacements on us old vets. The Vietnam generation needs a lot of spare parts!

 

[Jack Black]

Hiya Jack!

Feeling better now, have a few pain killers in me and its the morning after a so-so night. Karen has me situated in the front room with a view of the street and a cup of tea and the dog by my side, so I'm good. today is one week since I came home, and in just that time I can see a big difference. Getting around easier with the walker, doing some mild leg exercises.

Yesterday I was back at the VA hospital PT room with three other old guys who had the same thing I did. One was 7 weeks post op, the other was like 10 weeks post op, and I was jealous as hell. the 7 week guy was on a cane and doing stuff on the machines, an the 10 week guy wasn't on any rig, and doing stairs exercises and stationary bicycle spinning! They both old me that what I'm experiencing is exactly what they went through, so just keep going. They both said once the staples comeout and the swelling goes down as the quad heals up, it gets better fast. The biggest part of the ortho surgery clinic jobs seem to be knee and hip replacements on us old vets. The Vietnam generation needs a lot of spare parts!

Hi Carl,

I'm glad to hear you're as comfortable as can be now, and that all sounds like good news with your recovery my friend Sounds like you vets are still paying the price, even now. Once again Carl, good luck healing, and I hope that in due course, the op will have made a huge difference to your life If you ever want/anything sending over from here, just holler buddy

 

[jackknife]

Hi Carl,

I'm glad to hear you're as comfortable as can be now, and that all sounds like good news with your recovery my friend Sounds like you vets are still paying the price, even now. Once again Carl, good luck healing, and I hope that in due course, the op will have made a huge difference to your life If you ever want/anything sending over from here, just holler buddy

You mean aside from some good fish and chips??

The pic of the narrow boat brings back memories of England, and time spent there. I remember one day, having spent the entire morning in the British Museum, I went looking for lunch, and found a little hole in the wall place with fish and chips served in a twist of newspaper. I took an order with me, I think it was called 'take away', and found a bench in a corner of Hyde Park. Sat there watching the ducks, eating some well fried cod and chips with some malt vinegar on them, and my paper cup of tea. Beautiful sunny day in late September, and I recall it as one of the most pleasant days I ever had.

I guess being laid up is having the effect of me looking back on places that I loved, and wishing I was up to walking around there now like I did then. Heck, I wish right now I would find myself on that narrow boat!!!

 

[Rsmith_77]

You mean aside from some good fish and chips??

The pic of the narrow boat brings back memories of England, and time spent there. I remember one day, having spent the entire morning in the British Museum, I went looking for lunch, and found a little hole in the wall place with fish and chips served in a twist of newspaper. I took an order with me, I think it was called 'take away', and found a bench in a corner of Hyde Park. Sat there watching the ducks, eating some well fried cod and chips with some malt vinegar on them, and my paper cup of tea. Beautiful sunny day in late September, and I recall it as one of the most pleasant days I ever had.

I guess being laid up is having the effect of me looking back on places that I loved, and wishing I was up to walking around there now like I did then. Heck, I wish right now I would find myself on that narrow boat!!!

Now I have visions of Carl trying to get OUT of said narrow boat with his knee.
Someone needs to be recording that

 

[Jack Black]

You mean aside from some good fish and chips??

The pic of the narrow boat brings back memories of England, and time spent there. I remember one day, having spent the entire morning in the British Museum, I went looking for lunch, and found a little hole in the wall place with fish and chips served in a twist of newspaper. I took an order with me, I think it was called 'take away', and found a bench in a corner of Hyde Park. Sat there watching the ducks, eating some well fried cod and chips with some malt vinegar on them, and my paper cup of tea. Beautiful sunny day in late September, and I recall it as one of the most pleasant days I ever had.

I guess being laid up is having the effect of me looking back on places that I loved, and wishing I was up to walking around there now like I did then. Heck, I wish right now I would find myself on that narrow boat!!!

Fish and chips wrapped up in a copy of Towpath Talk?! I know what you mean Carl, I miss a lot of places, and probably won't get to see most of them again. I'm glad to have the memories though

Now I have visions of Carl trying to get OUT of said narrow boat with his knee.
Someone needs to be recording that

About 15 years ago, I looked after a friend's narrow boat for a week, and really enjoyed it. I was seriously thinking of buying one, but in the meantime my friend asked me if I'd look after her boat again while she was out of the country. Unfortunately, shortly before, I came down with a nasty bout of labyrinthitis (a type of ear infection), which was extremely debilitating. I hadn't quite recovered when I was due to go out to the boat, and because my balance was affected, it was a nightmare. I couldn't stay at the boat, but still had to make several uncomfortable, difficult, and lengthy trips out to it, and get onboard, to feed my friend's cat! After that, I gave up the idea of buying a boat to live on

 

[joeradza]

I gave up the idea of buying a boat to live on

You’re lucky Jack. There’s a saying that the two best days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

 

[Jack Black]

You’re lucky Jack. There’s a saying that the two best days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

 

[jackknife]

You’re lucky Jack. There’s a saying that the two best days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

This was brought to mind to both my wife and I. We were fans of a couple of shows that was all about abandoning life ashore and doing the narrow boat thing full time. It was interesting to us that after a few seasons, both individuals backed off and were talking about selling the boat and going back to a more conventional life. Kevin Shelly was one, the other was a David something. Both were far younger and more able bodied than Karen and I.

I do know that from my own family's life as working watermen on the Chesapeake Bay, boats are a sinkhole for maintenance and money. Theres always something to fix, overhaul, paint, and fool with.

 

[Old Engineer]

Hiya Jack!

Feeling better now, have a few pain killers in me and its the morning after a so-so night. Karen has me situated in the front room with a view of the street and a cup of tea and the dog by my side, so I'm good. today is one week since I came home, and in just that time I can see a big difference. Getting around easier with the walker, doing some mild leg exercises.

Yesterday I was back at the VA hospital PT room with three other old guys who had the same thing I did. One was 7 weeks post op, the other was like 10 weeks post op, and I was jealous as hell. the 7 week guy was on a cane and doing stuff on the machines, an the 10 week guy wasn't on any rig, and doing stairs exercises and stationary bicycle spinning! They both old me that what I'm experiencing is exactly what they went through, so just keep going. They both said once the staples comeout and the swelling goes down as the quad heals up, it gets better fast. The biggest part of the ortho surgery clinic jobs seem to be knee and hip replacements on us old vets. The Vietnam generation needs a lot of spare parts!

The most pain that I had was Calf & Hamstring & Quad and was advised to use a small roller on them and roll toward the heart . It seemed to help a lot .
Glad to hear that you are having less pain now .
Harry

 

[Rsmith_77]

I don't know why I am posting. At all.

My wife called my step mother to let them know thar we received a present for Christmas early. And they had a long talk about my father's health.

He's been struggling for a few years now, first an abdominal aneurysm that laid him up for a few years until they could get that resolved safely, which they did, but he rapidly developed diabetes, and copd during the time he was severely restricted physically.

Anyways the copd has been bad and getting worse and from what I understand that is placing such a strain on his body that they are beginning to believe that he is in congestive heart failure. They took him to the hospital to get tests this morning and they are waiting the results, but what my step mother is telling my wife, they sent him home because there just isn't anything else they can do for him.

My wife wanted to tell me this, so I could begin to mentally prepared myself...now mind you, neither my father nor my step mother have told me almost any of this themselves. And I am not certain that isn't intentional on their part.

But now I just gotta sit here...and wait
And I have no idea what I am supposed to do now.

Oh and my father and family are in western New York and I relocated to Mississippi...

 

[Tyson A Wright]

I don't know why I am posting. At all.

My wife called my step mother to let them know thar we received a present for Christmas early. And they had a long talk about my father's health.

He's been struggling for a few years now, first an abdominal aneurysm that laid him up for a few years until they could get that resolved safely, which they did, but he rapidly developed diabetes, and copd during the time he was severely restricted physically.

Anyways the copd has been bad and getting worse and from what I understand that is placing such a strain on his body that they are beginning to believe that he is in congestive heart failure. They took him to the hospital to get tests this morning and they are waiting the results, but what my step mother is telling my wife, they sent him home because there just isn't anything else they can do for him.

My wife wanted to tell me this, so I could begin to mentally prepared myself...now mind you, neither my father nor my step mother have told me almost any of this themselves. And I am not certain that isn't intentional on their part.

But now I just gotta sit here...and wait
And I have no idea what I am supposed to do now.

Oh and my father and family are in western New York and I relocated to Mississippi...

I'm sorry for this, it's tough to see your parents getting frail. I'll pray for you and your family.