You ready???

What happened to Saturday and Sunday???  It wasn't super busy, had to go to Whiteriver twice, Snowflake twice, and Heber once.  From the sounds of it, Hospice was very busy this weekend. One of my calls was to pick up some equipment from a patient whom had passed away.  This one was a bit heartbreaking, then again, most of the hospice pick ups are heartbreaking. 

I believe it's fair to say that in a typical marriage, the man is usually the strong one.  When it comes to losing a loved one though, especially a spouse, I've seen so many husbands completely fall apart.  When I arrived at the patients home yesterday, the husband met me at the door.  I could tell he was trying to be strong.  I do my best in these situations to make the family member feel as comforted as possible, but I'm not sure anyone can say anything to take away the pain of losing a lifelong companion.  Remember that many of our older couples today made it through so much more than we have ever had to deal with.  From World War2 to the depression, they stuck with each other through thick and thin.  When I looked in the eyes of this older gentleman, I could see that he was feeling an enormous lost.  While he had family there with him, he looked so alone and so scared.   I realize this is how life is, but sometimes it's just so hard to understand.  I'm sure many of you have seen it, especially in older couples.  When one passes away, it's not long until the other one wants to journey to the other side.  I saw it with my grandparents.  When my grandpa passed away, my grandma was so lost.  At the time, she was in good health, but over the next year, I saw her health deteriorate quicker than it ever should have. 

Whatever you may think happens after death, I'm not sure if it's ever easy to deal with.  Old or young, God has His own plans.  I rarely understand them and sometimes completely disagree, but with my pee sized brain, I can't even begin to fathom the power and beauty of something or someone so Majestic.  This could lead to a whole other conversation, but do you ever wonder "am I ready"??

This video is pretty extreme, but it really makes you think...........Scares the crap out of me.

. 

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ok first one to post something totally obnoxious on the Challenge Forum page will win an Omron Heart Rate monitor.  Cmon people wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starting now.  It's currently 8:43 on FridayJanuary 28.  (And yes I"m still at work)  What's up with that people???  "Time" is getting a massage and having a martini!! Can you believe that?   Spuds it likely eating more cheeseburgers and I have no idea what the rest of you are doing.  I think its time to go home.  I'm sure Whiteriver hospital will be calling in a few hours.  Gonna be a busy weekend.  See ya'll.

Can a Physical Therapist be an Angel??

Yesterday afternoon just got better and better.  As I mentioned earlier, I was getting really frustrated with my shoulder.  I never had an MRI but in a quick exam the doc thought maybe it was a torn rotator cuff.  He told me that I should try physical therapy first and if that didn't work we would move forward with more scans and go from there. 

I had stopped by Sierra Blanca to pick up some concentrators.  Earlier my mom and mentioned that Mark (the physical therapist) wanted to see me about my shoulder.   So I stopped by the physical therapy dept.   I wasn't expecting much but got 1000 times more.  Mark stopped everything he was doing and did a complete evaluation. He had me do a variety of different movements and exercises.  By the time we were finished he told me he didn't think I had torn anything.  He said that if I had, I never would have been able to do some of the exercises he had me doing.  Instead, he thinks that I have a really bad case of bursitis. HOLY COW are you kidding me!!!??   I was elated to think that surgery was not in my future.  I've got a bunch of exercises to do along with Electrical Muscle Stimulation 3 times daily, but I'll take that any day over surgery. 

We weren't finished.  I've been to over 10 doctors regarding my back.  I've had physical therapy, I've had injections, nothing really worked .  Finally Dr. Wiley concluded it was an SI joint problem.  I believe I mentioned earlier that I've been working with Richard DonTigny (physical therapist) from Montana (via online) on correction exercises for my pelvis.  He has helped tremendously, but there's only so much you can do on you own. 

First, let me tell you a little more about the real issue, and hopefully by the end you wont think I'm something like the elephant man.  Remember, I was a farrier for 12 years.  Bent over for 8-10 hours a day under a 1000lb animal will take it's toll over time.  What happened with me is that my lower back muscles were so strong and my abs so weak, my back muscles actually pulled my pelvis upwards in the back.  This in turn impinges all the nerves in the lower back when then causes major muscle spasms.  The pain is just miserable.   I can't hardly sit for very long, nor can I stand for very long.  It has been a miserable few years. 

Anyway, when Mark was finished with my arm, I asked if he had any experience with an Anteriorly Rotated Pelvis.  I've asked this question to several other physical therapists and they had no clue what I was talking about.  Mark on the other hand was full of information.  His knowledge of  every muscle and ligament in the pelvis was truly impressive.     He started a whole new exam.  Mark explained everything in detail and tole me everything that needed to be done. 

I've had xrays done of my back and pelvis and my right hip is elevated almost 1 inch higher than my left. This just puts a major kink in my lower back.

It looks sort of like the picture above but it's not due to a leg length discrepancy, but rather a rotated pelvis.  And of course with me it's never that simple.  The right side of my pelvis is rotated anteriorly and the left is rotated posteriorly.  Don't even try to picture that.  Mark was impressively knowledgeable, in fact he told me just treated a young mother with the exact same thing.  He said that after a 45 minute treatment, her pelvis was level.  Mr. DonTigny told me this was possible, but on my own I just haven't been able to achieve it.  Wow!!!!!   Now I'm not expecting a miracle by any means but just to be treated by someone that actually knows the problem will be huge.  The thought of riding my bike with no leg pain or low back pain, wow!! My first treatment is Monday, and get this............he's not charging me.  Of course I will pay him but he didn't want payment.  This guy is an angel sent from heaven.   I can't wait to get started. 

I'm sure that all just bored the heck out of you, but for me, and the thought of having a day or a life without back pain, well, that is life changing. 

Anyway, I started my exercises last night, did the muscle stim and I'm ready to kick all your butts at the challenge.  I still put in a 12 hour day yesterday, but was so psyched at all my good news I put the bike on the trainer at 9pm and rode until bed time.   It was a great way to end a very good day.  Amazing how things work out sometimes. 

Have a super day.  Oh ya..........it's Latte Friday baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Not to Go About this Diet Thing

This week has been a major struggle for me as far as my diet is concerned.  I don't know what my problem is.  My shoulder is frustrating the heck out of me, but that's a pretty lame excuse.  I've had 13 hour days all week so I haven't been motivated to ride the trainer when I get home.  It's just been one of those weeks. 

When I got up this morning and looked in the mirror, my face looked as though I had been given mega doses of steroids.  Chubby looking was an understatement.  A shower helped but, Wow!!!!!, I looked like I had two cheeks on each side of my face.  Plus I got a hair cut yesterday and that makes things look even goofier.

Spuds brought by some green chili yesterday for all of us which was super yummy. (ya know he's trying to sabotage me).  Then I stumbled big time by having a BigHunk for a snack.  I'm such a loser!!!! 

I'm getting my butt kicked in this challenge and I'm not a good loser:)    Sexy42011, Speedo, SnowWhite, Andi, Big Mamma, Etc, they are all just walking all over me.  I've gotta get my butt in gear.  No more Whining!!!!

So did any of you watch American Idol last night???  Chris Medina..........Holy Cow what an awesome guy.  My heart goes out to him and his fiancee.  Prepare yourself for a few tears.

It's a love like this that everyone should have the opportunity to share with someone else.  What an amazing couple.   There's a special place in heaven for people like this.  Interesting song choice, do ya think there was some meaning behind it???  Uhhh possibly.

Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful day. 

Good Morning

Good Morning all!  Well at least it is so far, but then again the work day has yet to start.  It's been a tiresome week and it's only Wednesday.  We're still in the middle of interviewing people for Janelles job, I've been working on putting a new software program on all the work computers (people think I know what I'm doing but I really suck at it and just get lucky that it works sometimes).  The software that I'm trying to install is supposed to allow me to look up patient information from my phone.  This way if I'm out on the road and have a question about a patient, I can just have my phone hook up to my computer then I'm good to go. Ya, whatever.   My first attempt on Monday actually ended up erasing all the contacts on my phone.  That is a bad thing.  It's not like in the 80's when you actually knew peoples phones numbers.  Now you just cruise down your address book, hit the green button and your good to go.  When you lose all that information your pretty much, uuuuhhhhh screwed.  So if I sent you a text on Monday, I have your number.  If not, I'm hoping it's saved on my computer. 

Yesterday I find out that I have a partial tear of my rotator cuff.  Are you kidding me!!!???   I don't even know what I did to do it.  Yes "Time" I know I was sledding, but I'm really trying to avoid that excuse.  I'm trying to come up with something a little more manly.  I got in a fight while playing hockey (If only I played hockey), down hill skiing crash (oops don't ski).  Nope all I do is go sledding with my kid and the next day I can't lift my arm. Talk about pathetic. 

I'm starting prolotherapy in my back at the end of this week. Oh ya, that's a whole other story.   I'm a 39 year old in an 80 year old body.   All my life I've been pretty limber.  Typically you would think that would be a good thing.  Well in my case (surprise surprise) I'm too limber.  My joints for some reason don't like to stay where they belong.  I've got pins in my wrist, had 2 shoulder surgeries, two knee surgeries, and what they call SIJD (SacroIlliacJointDisease).   Now your thinking, man what a freak!!!  Actually it's really not all that bad.  Most of it was highschool sports related.  At least the shoulder and the knees.  The wrist was obliviated in horse accident (thank you Dr. Washburn for saving my hand). If you ever want to see the x-rays, their pretty cool.  If your up on your anatomy, the thumb is right above your radius.  Well my thumb was over my ulna.  Not twisted either.  The only thing holding my hand onto my arm was pretty much skin. Yuck!!!!!!!!!!  Oh and it hurt like heck!!!!!!!

And my back (SIJD), well that's from 12 years of farrier work (for you rednecks that don't know what a farrier is, uuuhhh it's a horseshoer).  It was my full time job for 12 years after college.  Pre Med and a biology degree and I was shoeing horses for a living.  8-10 hours a days bent over underneath a horse.  God did not make our back to take that kind of abuse.  What I have learned is that over time my SI joint has shifted forward(I'm sugar coating this explanation cuz I'm too worried about you thinking I'm something like the elephant man) .  The prolotherapy is supposed to strengthen the ligaments that hold the SI joint together.  I've been working with a physical therapist from Montana who has helped tremendously.  In fact, I owe my ability to race my bike again all to him.  It's been a slow recovery, but I'll take you on a bike anyday:)


Anyway, I have no idea how I got off on that rampage:).    I didn't get home until 8pm last night so I didn't get to ride on the trainer.  Even worse, I left my bike in the back of my truck when I got home.  Now that is a no no.  My poor bike isn't allowed to get cold.  My bike sleeps in the house (to my wife's dismay). 

So when I get home this evening, I will give my bike the lovin it needs, clean it up, then hopefully ride the darn thing.

Have I rambled enough???   I'm not even sure what the heck I just said.  But from the elephant man to you, have a super day. 

It's Always Something

Well I just found out that I've got a small tear in my rotator cuff.  Can you believe it????  I don't even know what I did to do it.   I guess I won't be going for that bike ride today.  That really sux.   My bike really wants to see the pavement.  It's tired of being inside all winter.  It's tired of being ridden in the same place for hour after hour and really wants to actually go somewhere.    I too really need a bike ride right now.  There's just something about a bike ride that puts everything into perspective.  As soon as I get home tonight, I'm putting it back on the trainer.   I'll just pretend like I'm pedaling somewhere.:)

Spuds...........I love you man

Well it looks like I got Spuds in a lot of trouble.  I've never been pregnant and have never had to lose baby weight but honestly I think that would really suck!!  Especially if you have more than one little one.  Then you gotta lose the weight all over again.   What are you women thinking:)     Just kidding, thanks for going through all the pain just so we can all have happy little families:).    Blame Eve for all the bad stuff:)    Adam was completely innocent:)