Hello - status update and random thoughts
My routine - my struggle towards some level of recovery has been hard
I "graduated" from a basic orthopedic physical therapy and recovery program to a more focused and intensive scheme that takes place in an actual full service gym / health club that is connected to complex that holds most of my doctors and specialists
I do a few one hour sessions each week - a combination of exercises meant to counter act the vertigo and balance issues as well as sets and reps designed to teach me how to walk again
It does not appear that the vertigo and balance issues will be resolved and it does not appear that the neuropathy in my legs will improve so the game now is to learn to function despite the vertigo and nerve damage and pain
The woman who is my primary coach / trainer / specialist is a marine in her late twenties missing the left leg above the knee from an RPG hit in the rockpile - she is missing two fingers on her left hand and while it's not obvious she is dealing with a speech impediment issue
She has very little body fat - and while not jacked up has amazing muscle tone and is super fit - she has two younger assistants that work with her - both attractive young women
There is some strength training and treadmill or stationary bike time and some speed walking with weights (they will not let me job or run as i push things to hard and end up blacking out or collapsing
There is ballet and yoga involved which is very difficult for me - and after each session I end up crippled with pain and have limited functionality and range of motion or ability for about 36 hours
The current school of thought is to load me up with pain meds on my recovery days between sessions - and to try to focus on sleep and calorie intake while trying to maintain a basic level of mobility and functionality
The pain and vertigo and loss of balance and nerve damage and nausea / lack of appetite makes the recovery days between sessions very difficult and less fun
My muscle development and and body mass index numbers continue to improve
These sessions are torture - they are filled with pain and are a constant reminder of how badly damaged my body is
On off days I try to maintain a schedule of some normal basic activity around the house like doing laundry or taking care of the animals or cooking for the girls and trying to complete simple projects (sometimes as little as reading or doing the crossword puzzles - sometimes more complicated if I am able)
There are several days each week were the pain and recovery limit me greatly and cause some depression and despair
I do get to work with some kids who have lost limbs to cancer - they ask me to help out with the pediatric oncology cases because they seem to believe I have a talent for it and say I make a connection with the kids
I desperately want to be rid of the pain meds and am unhappy that they have increased the potency and frequency - but they insist that if I want to advance my recovery the schedule 3 meds must be used
A friend dropped off a gift / project for me to work on - a Walther toggle lock action semiautomatic tube fed shotgun - I am assured that the parts are all there but the previous owner completely detail stripped and disassembled it and could not put it together again
I admit I don't know much about it but I looks like a fun project puzzle
I will try to check in more often - I have been physically and mentally drained and wiped out - and when the pain has been bad I have been retreating to sleep or reading
The work of recovery is hard - so very hard and painful and debilitating and can lead to depression
It's a struggle most days and I often wonder if I have the strength or fortitude to continue
I have been taking a small compound bow and the Gill hibbens and a fienwerkbau Olympic level target pellet pistol out into the back yard once a week for about an hour to try to maintain those skills and use them as hand eye coordination exercises
It appears that it will take quite awhile to put humpty dumpty back together again - assuming that it's possible.
Please feel free to ask questions or make inquiries and I will try to respond...
Mike
I "graduated" from a basic orthopedic physical therapy and recovery program to a more focused and intensive scheme that takes place in an actual full service gym / health club that is connected to complex that holds most of my doctors and specialists
I do a few one hour sessions each week - a combination of exercises meant to counter act the vertigo and balance issues as well as sets and reps designed to teach me how to walk again
It does not appear that the vertigo and balance issues will be resolved and it does not appear that the neuropathy in my legs will improve so the game now is to learn to function despite the vertigo and nerve damage and pain
The woman who is my primary coach / trainer / specialist is a marine in her late twenties missing the left leg above the knee from an RPG hit in the rockpile - she is missing two fingers on her left hand and while it's not obvious she is dealing with a speech impediment issue
She has very little body fat - and while not jacked up has amazing muscle tone and is super fit - she has two younger assistants that work with her - both attractive young women
There is some strength training and treadmill or stationary bike time and some speed walking with weights (they will not let me job or run as i push things to hard and end up blacking out or collapsing
There is ballet and yoga involved which is very difficult for me - and after each session I end up crippled with pain and have limited functionality and range of motion or ability for about 36 hours
The current school of thought is to load me up with pain meds on my recovery days between sessions - and to try to focus on sleep and calorie intake while trying to maintain a basic level of mobility and functionality
The pain and vertigo and loss of balance and nerve damage and nausea / lack of appetite makes the recovery days between sessions very difficult and less fun
My muscle development and and body mass index numbers continue to improve
These sessions are torture - they are filled with pain and are a constant reminder of how badly damaged my body is
On off days I try to maintain a schedule of some normal basic activity around the house like doing laundry or taking care of the animals or cooking for the girls and trying to complete simple projects (sometimes as little as reading or doing the crossword puzzles - sometimes more complicated if I am able)
There are several days each week were the pain and recovery limit me greatly and cause some depression and despair
I do get to work with some kids who have lost limbs to cancer - they ask me to help out with the pediatric oncology cases because they seem to believe I have a talent for it and say I make a connection with the kids
I desperately want to be rid of the pain meds and am unhappy that they have increased the potency and frequency - but they insist that if I want to advance my recovery the schedule 3 meds must be used
A friend dropped off a gift / project for me to work on - a Walther toggle lock action semiautomatic tube fed shotgun - I am assured that the parts are all there but the previous owner completely detail stripped and disassembled it and could not put it together again
I admit I don't know much about it but I looks like a fun project puzzle
I will try to check in more often - I have been physically and mentally drained and wiped out - and when the pain has been bad I have been retreating to sleep or reading
The work of recovery is hard - so very hard and painful and debilitating and can lead to depression
It's a struggle most days and I often wonder if I have the strength or fortitude to continue
I have been taking a small compound bow and the Gill hibbens and a fienwerkbau Olympic level target pellet pistol out into the back yard once a week for about an hour to try to maintain those skills and use them as hand eye coordination exercises
It appears that it will take quite awhile to put humpty dumpty back together again - assuming that it's possible.
Please feel free to ask questions or make inquiries and I will try to respond...
Mike
0
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Had a CT scan (chest - abdomen - pelvis - with contrast) early this morning...
Had labs and blood draws and port maintenance afterwards...
For those that may be unaware - your only option is not the ready cat shakes (which I find vile and nauseating) - they also have a water soluble / clear water / cold water prep that is much easier to imbibe
If you ask the nurses or techs in the radiation imaging department they may allow you to choose this option - must be mixed and dispensed by them (so you would need to arrive early and drink it before hand)
I spent 3 hours visiting and volunteering on the pediatric oncology ward - wanted to do more but don't have the stamina yet...
They just installed a soft serve ice cream dispenser (chocolate or vanilla or swirl) with cones and cups and bowls that was donated anonymously and it seems to be a big hit with the kids
We had about a dozen turkeys in the yard this morning around 5:00 am including one massive old Tom - the biggest male wild turkey I have ever seen
The dog started to slow and low crawl creep and stalk them when the Tom turned and presented - a full fan feather display - chest all puffed up - squalking away angrily and holding his ground
The dog paused and barked / yipped 3 times while looking back at me - I pointed at the Tom and said go get him - and he rocketed off in pursuit
They all got away - but I have half a dozen reply nice tail feathers to show off
The hedgehog is quilling so he is a bit irritated
https://youtu.be/6RuFUy_7CmM
Flex seal shotgun round - anybody tried this out yet???
Mike0 -
keep on keeping on,,,
just awesome what you do for the pediatric ward,,0 -
Respect and prayers from the right coast. 0 -
so good to see your post [:)]cheers from the skinny old man 0 -
Thank you - the volunteer work with the kids is important to me and has kept me going on dark days
It's odd to me that simply having someone around who has been through it and is still fighting seems to make them comfortable or more receptive to talking
Having a go bag filled with personal items from home seems to relieve a lot of stress and has been a big success
There appears to be less trauma or stress when going to the hospital or for treatment just because you are prepared and have your bag ready to go with your talismans inside
I like to quote "his father's sword he hath girded on and his bone harp slung behind him" as a literary allusion or allegory
You are gearing up before the battle
Mike0 -
Mike: Yes, So good to hear/see the update! You ae such an Example!
Best Wishes, and...Keep On Going!
Prayers continue for You and Yours,
From the Big Ugly Guy0 -
They now hand out a go bag contents checklist and a helpful tip / fact sheet that I designed now
And all the beds have computer gaming options
And they have industrial strength oversized reclining chairs so relatives can stay late and sleep
And they have a dog that comes by to visit the kids regularly
Rita's water ice does onsite stuff for them on the weekends
I know have an ID badge that says I am a certified and authorized docent and volunteer - they even did a background check - it's color coded and has my picture and a bar code and magnetic pass
Similar to what clergy is issued
You have to sit through some training videos on hygiene and hippa and such...
Mike0 -
I was getting ready to to post and see how you were doing. Im glad you are doing better. 0 -
My slow but positive forward progress is sometimes frustrating
But I am trying...
Mike0 -
I read most (if not all) your posts Mike. (I think about you a lot.) I am most times, unable to eloquently comment on your trevails. As has been said here many times, you are an inspiration. You make me aspire to be a better Man, in my day to day life. (And) For that, I thank you.
Your efforts on the Pediatric Ward are especially moving.
-Ken-0 -
My viewpoint has been that something good should come of this...
That somebody somewhere should benefit from what I have been through.
It's why I enroll in so many investigational studies or product trials...
It's why I allow myself to be used as a participant or example in teaching cases - it's a teaching hospital
During my last CT scan they had 3 people involved who were working towards their degree or certification - the one student was having trouble aligning the machine...
I told her that regardless of weight there are 3 common points of reference that don't change much - if you like up the armpits (hands above the head) and the sternal notch you should be okay...
They joked that I could teach the course by now
What I do is limited and it's never good enough but it's something
Maybe spitting into the wind but I try
If I won the lottery a small amount would go to modestly support my family and pay my debts - the rest would go to help the kids
My great regret and failure is that I cannot do more
Mike0 -
Just found out my uncle Tom passed away - lost his fight with lung cancer...
Lost my aunt Marie last year to lung cancer as well...
Really hits me hard right now.
Mike0 -
And while it goes without saying I could not do this (volunteer with the kids) without your support...
Adamsquailhunter donated reading materials...
Nord sent me a case of back packs prior to his passing...
A number of other members who wish to remain anonymous have sent supplies as well including magazine subscriptions and flashlights and energy bars (along with other items)
So let me acknowledge that support.
Mike0
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