Staying the Course -- 02-15-2016

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Superbob

Steely Resolve!
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Messages
8,481
Location
Coastal Carolina
Glad to see our indispensable site here is staying the course after getting knocked off course by an update gone awry over the weekend. That kind of thing happens to us all; have to just get back on our feet, dust ourselves off, and proceed boldly.

Don't have a whole lot to report at moment. Just wanted to post a starter for further discussion.

Weight: I was still down about 7 thanks to Elliedawg, my personal trainer, but that was Friday before my son took us all to a seafood feast (I had Maryland-style crab cakes and mac and cheese) and then the next day DW and I went out for a Red Lobster feast for Valentine's Day. Going to have to work on the weight control now.

We in the Palmetto State are at ground zero of the political wars right now. My phone rings about every 5 minutes with polls and pitches. Kind of depressing, to be honest. Won't elaborate because we try to keep this a politics-free zone.

Still walking Ellie twice a day plus shorter jaunts. Hope to have my fence up in another week or so -- will still do the walks, but we can just relax in backyard, too, and play ball. Little rascal bolted out the storm door one more time -- DW forgot to close the big door. Maybe when she knows she can run in the backyard, she won't be so focused on escaping out the front. Got a lot of energy for a 7-year-old who apparently was a mama dog at one time before going to a shelter.

Look forward to hearing from y'all.

Cheers,

Superbob
 
Good morning, SB. Everytime I weigh in at cardiac rehab the scale readout increases. Frustrating, even though I realize at least a couple of lbs. are from water weight gained during the day while sitting on my rump in front of a computer.

I had some tests done last week and a visit with my surgeon as part of the Edwards research study I am in. Everything looks good. I have more pleural effusion (which is why I've been feeling winded) but I see my pulmonologist next month for my sleep apnea and will see if he can drain it. My only other complain is my incision scar...still raised and sutures that were supposed to be absorbed by my body are still there feeling bumpy. Doc said wait awhile and if they don't dissolve we'll discuss removing them. Ugh.

SB, not to alarm you, but try to encourage the fencing company to install the fence post-haste, esp. since Ellie is bolting. Remember the incident I had with my (falling apart) gate falling down during a storm, my dogs getting out, and one getting killed by a car? Wouldn't have happened if Lowes had installed the gate I ordered five weeks before the incident. They postponed the installation twice, including once the day before the storm. Keep pushing them to get the job done.

Stay resolved!
 
Thanks HB -- in my case, the problem hasn't been Lowes, which is anxious to get the work done, but the HOA, which has delayed the project for no good reason at all for a month. Just last weekend, I got their "letter of approval" and Lowes guy is coming tomorrow to re-measure, so should be on track to have it done by next week. Don't worry, I keep close tabs on Ellie -- when we d get the fence, I will go in back yard with her to be sure she doesn't find (or create) an escape route. We will play a lot, so she'll come to look forward to that.
 
I'm glad you had a nice Valentine's Day celebration, Superbob. I did too, and in my case, the "too much" has resulted in a two pound gain. The weather, a mixture of sleet and freezing rain with a dose of fog thrown in to boot, makes me think of comfort rather than diet, food. Honey bunny, I dealt with fluid retention following replacement. Actually I still do, but it is manageable. Hopefully the pulmonologist will have some strategies to help long term along with draining the fluid if it comes to it.
 
I guess I'm in good company with the group here -- I've picked up my usual 3-4 lbs of "winter" weight, and probably won't be able to get rid of it until the weather improves and I can ramp up my activity level. I'm at extra risk right now, as I temporarily have lost the dietary benefit of my DW's great heart-healthy cooking. The poor girl fell a week ago and broke her wrist. Any of you who have had hand or wrist injuries can attest, I'm sure, how many "normal" things one just cannot do with only one hand. The bones have been set, screws and plate installed, and she should be on the mend now. It will take time, and will probably prove to be very frustrating for us both. After the great care she gave me after heart surgery, though, I have to do as well as I can for her now.

We're still in our usual winter weather cycle. It snows for a day or so, then gets cold so we get to keep the slop for a longer time. Maybe the current week will break the pattern. I've had to shovel the driveway before work on Monday and again today, but it is supposed to stay clear and warm up a bit for a few days. Keeping my fingers crossed. Maybe I can get the car washed and find our what color it really is.

Hope everyone can stay happy, healthy and sane until spring.
 
Oh my goodness, Steve -- so sorry to hear about your DW's fall and broken wrist. We know all about surgical plates and screws -- my DW got 8 of them in her shoulder that she broke in a fall December 2014. I guess pretty certain your wife will have some physical therapy at some point. I am a big advocate of PT -- aqua therapy is helping my back problem considerably, and hand therapy helped my DW with carpal tunnel. Wishing you and your wife all the best. Fall prevention is something we're very focused on here -- my DW had had two bad ones, and we dearly want to avoid a third one.
 
I so enjoy reading about canine personal training plans, I wish I could add some of my own. But because my surgery was one month ago, I still have to be careful about the healing sternum. My dogs, as much as I adore them, are not exactly perfectly trained. When on walks, they pull, stop at random, or decide to switch sides. It is not uncommon for the dogs, or me, to get tangled in leashes. So I am waiting until I have more strength before venturing out with them. Do people ever post photos of their dogs here?

(Sound like a rube but what does DW mean?) Avoiding falls is so important, and so difficult to do in snowy/winter climates. Sorry to hear of your loved one's falls and injuries. It is shocking to learn how many activities take two hands. Wishing all speedy recovery.

Hopefully Teddy or Tina will do something cute that relates to heart surgery recovery but for now, I need to take a break from the blissful dog walks.

Amy
 
I know what you mean about the unpredictability of a god's path, Amy. We had our little furry son for 15 years, and I was the principal pup walker. He sort of got me started at jogging all those years ago. We would jog to and from his "dog lot" three times a day, a half-mile each way. So, I was jogging 3 miles daily, but in 3 short increments, long before I started recreational jogging. I kept on running, long after Paxton crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Dogs do a lot for us, and I miss him even now, over 20 years later.

BTW, Amy, DW stands for "dear wife." She is slowly beginning to participate in life once again. She hasn't been back to work, but at least she has been able to stop using the narcotic pain meds prescribed after surgery. She is learning new ways to do some things for herself, but we still laugh at some of the things I have to help her with. (Ladies - Is there a trick way to put on a bra one-handed? Guys, did you ever get a bra "almost" hooked, then lose your grip on it? Talk among yourselves. . . )

SB - I have already shared with DW my opinion regarding PT. I told her that if the doc offers it, grab it. If he does not, ask for it. She agrees, wholeheartedly. I also shared with her the experience of a colleague at work, who shattered her wrist while out of the country on vacation. This lady had the bone set temporarily, then came all the way back home (from South Africa) to have surgery almost a week later. She, too, required numerous screws and plates, and underwent several months of PT. She now has regained full normal use of her wrist, and her doc credits much of this recovery to her diligence at PT.

Other than that, still staying the course. I'm dealing with my own minor issues (recurrent GERD, side effects of the meds for it, etc.), but as we get closer to nicer weather I will be able to get outside and once again become more active. That always seems to help, and I'm looking forward to it immensely.
 
epstns;n862824 said:
I (Ladies - Is there a trick way to put on a bra one-handed? Guys, did you ever get a bra "almost" hooked, then lose your grip on it? Talk among yourselves. . . )
She could try a front-close bra, or maybe wear camisoles for a while if she's not too well-endowed. Or, if she can use her arms but just not her hand, she might be able to pull on a sports bra. What a nuisance for her!
 
So on the bra issue - I made a mistake by not wearing one the first few weeks. My scar looks different at the top, and I think it is because when I laid down, the skin was pulling to the side. I would not wear a real bra, and no underwire. Go to Walmart and buy a $5 cotton sports-type bra - but it is not compressing and it very thin material (so not an actual sports bra). Just comfortable enough to keep everything together. They are in the regular bra section. I wore it nonstop - even for cardiac rehab for the first several weeks. It was easy to get on.
 
epstns;n862824 said:
(Ladies - Is there a trick way to put on a bra one-handed? Guys, did you ever get a bra "almost" hooked, then lose your grip on it? Talk among yourselves. . . )
Don't wear one. As Zoltania wrote, get a camisole. I've never worn a bra - they are really uncomfortable, more so if you have problems getting one on or off.
 
As the moderator of Staying the Course, Superbob is delighted our STC gals have felt comfortable discussing the challenges of bra-fastening after injuries, surgeries, strokes, whatever life may throw our way. That's what we are here for -- discussion of doing what's needed to overcome obstacles along our respective courses. After her severe shoulder injury, my wife also has a problem with the final fastening, which of course I'm glad to help with. She has a way of getting the bra in position before sliding it around, and I think there are YouTube videos showing how it is even possible to accomplish it all, including final fastening, with one hand. I won't post the links (b/c you might wonder -- lol), but one of our ladies can if she wants.

Great discussion of overcoming a problem (started by Steve re his DW's recovery) -- and again thank you all for your input.

I have some more good news on my weight-loss progress since Ellie Mae, Superdawg II, became my personal trainer -- but will save it for the new week's thread-starter tomorrow.

Cheers!
 

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