Situation IS getting better:)

[tez27]

Brams sending ((((hugs)))) and sympathies your way, I know the loss of a beloved pet and know how horrible it is, just know I am thinking of you tonight.
Take care Tez xxx

[Snowy]

Brams, I'm so sorry. We lost one of our two girls (at the age of 20) eighteen months ago, so I know very well the pain of having to say goodbye to a kitty who's been such an important part of your life for so long. The hole he left behind will feel very raw for a while, but hold onto the memories of his happiest days and how loving and well-loved he was. Many hugs to you, and I hope you're able to find some comfort to help you through the next few days.

As an aside, the KG ski trip is postponed due to 100km/h+ winds. Superrat is rebooking...

[Clarkey]

Hi All,

Will not start of talking about what I have been up to as I usually as I read the sad news about Josh that Brams posted yesterday and I am really sorry to hear the sad news about the loss of Josh and had him for a very long time and get very attached to your pets and when they pass away it like losing a family member. I know myself how it feels to lose a pet that you really love and care for as I lost 3 cats and a dog that all got run over and do not mind admitting that I cried when it happened and think other men do it when a pet of theirs dies and would not admit it. My sisters friend took 1 week leave from work as she was so upset and distressed when she lost the cat she really loved and cared for. And another of her friends Shih Tzu had to be put down as he was dieing from cancer and he was still waggling his tail when the vet gave the injection. Even the husband cried when the vet gave the injection so just shows men have emotions as well. It will take some time to fully recover from the loss of Josh and are bound to feel upset and emotional still for the next couple of weeks.

I had a silly incident during the weekend as I was asked by a former resident at the hostel I stayed at during my breakdown if I could set up his video camera for him before he goes to Africa to visit his family and told him I will set it up for him and show him how to operate the camera. I went to his flat last week Tuesday and told him I will give back his video camera during the weekend and took his video camera back to my flat. I did not have time to set it up and was going to do it during the weekend.

I got a phone call from the former resident on Saturday morning and said he would like his video camera back again and said I will drop it in at some point that day. I went to Birmingham City Centre to pay in my cheque and then went to the Library and went on the internet and put my phone on silence. I missed two phone calls one was from the former resident and the other was from my friend with Asperger syndrome and left a message saying that the former resident is going to report me to the Police as he thought I had stolen his video camera. I told him I would give back to him and did not expect that he wanted back so soon and did not give me enough time to return it.

In the end I got back to my flat and picked up the video camera and gave it back to the former resident and he opened the front door grabbed the bag with the camera in it and slammed the door in my face. I felt I did nothing wrong and think he has some mental health issues as he suffers a lot from depressions and has to take drugs to control his depressions so maybe he easily gets worked up other things.

I did not take it to personally as I had done nothing wrong and my friend was more upset then I was about the whole thing as he got a call from the former resident saying he going to phone up the Police and report me that I stolen the video camera off him. I know I should not have laughed when my friend told me the former resident will call the police over the phone as I thought he was joking at 1st. My friend kept texting me and wanted to talk about it with me and had to tell him I was not in the mood to talk about it and let’s forget the whole thing ever happened.

Sorry about talking about myeslf too much, nearly run out of time and will catch up on everyone posts another day and hope everyone is having a good week so far.

nickwclarke2012@BhamUK

[seerobinbike]

Wow, Nick.  That is quite a story. Yes, the guy must be a little off base.  Glad that it all worked out.

I posted to my diary and it's waaayyy to nice to be inside but I did want to check in to say that everyone, including my OS's assistant insists the angry red nodule on my knee is just an internal stitch that will eventually disappear.  I'm fine with that answer I suppose.  Yes, it might hurt.  Yes, it might be red.  But no, it's not an infection.  That's been echoed by four different experts so I'm warm compressing the thing and watching it.  It hasn't gotten any larger so I'm not going to worry about it right now.  Thanks everyone for the information and concern.  Will check back in later.  I'm heading out to have a cuppa iced coffee and some vitamin D.  Hooray for an early spring.

Hugs, Robin  xx

[FMRCathelete]

Brams - I am so sorry about Josh   Your eulogy was a wonderful tribute to him and I know that you will miss him.  We lost Creep last fall and I say his spirit still lives here with us.  We had him for 16 years after he was found by our college cafeteria on a sub-zero day.  He brought us much joy and laughter (& a little grief from time to time )  I still tear up sometimes when I think of him -he was a dark orange tiger, small but scrappy.  The day he passed Serena wandered around meowing & looking for him -she missed her grouchy uncle.  You made a very hard and unselfish decision and I am sure his little heart appreciated your kindness.  Big bear hugs to you.  And who cares what you look like when you cry??  Silly Brams, you don't have to be beautiful while in mourning.  Take care & again my deepest sympathy.

[emergRN]

Ok...Sleep continues to evade me!  I went to bed late last night, and thought once again that I would crash.  It took me two hours of flipping around like a fish out of water before I fell asleep.  Now, I had taken Naproxen and tramacet before I went to bed.  Every time I need to roll over, I have to put the heel of my bad leg down and lift my self off of the bed to roll.  My knee still does not like twisting movement.  Between the knee giving grief, and my back problems, bed time has not been fun!

So, I fell asleep!  I then start dreaming that I am having grafts taken out of both knees under a local.  Funny enough, in my dream the left leg was painless, and I was asking for pain meds in my dream for the right one.  One of my nurse friends was in the dream.  She is a psych nurse, and she was assisting, but kept running away because she didn't know what to do...too funny!  I wake up at 0430h with the anterior knee pain that I have been having.  You have to love when pain creeps into your dream world.

I tried to tell PT about the pain this morning.  Not listening!!!!  He is totally focused on what is good.  I am glad that I am doing well in all other aspects, but you can't ignore the problem that I am having.  What a farce this morning was.  He stuck the eStim on me and left!  He came back about 20 minutes later, took it off and walked out!  I didn't know if I was supposed to stay in the room or hit the gym.  I'm not a mind reader.  Then my frustration starts to boil over(I cry when I get really mad).  One of the other PT's starts to talk to me.  I couldn't even look at her, or I would have lost it!

PT comes back in as I am putting on my joggers.  Now he wants to do trigger point release.  I told him that I just had a massage yesterday.  I didn't need that today.  He did it anyway!  Useless!!!  I then hit the gym.  I got pain on the bike with resistance today, which I never get.  I told him when he was scooting to another room.  He then wanted to try another exercise with me.  It hurt my knee.  His solution?  Tape me up and continue on!  He wanted me to start the step ups and step downs again today....nope. not doing it!  I did the static wall squats, but I am still getting the bleeping pain. 

Anyway, I finished what I had to do.  I was standing around doing NOTHING for 15 minutes.  He saw me standing there, but just went about his business.  I got so p***** off I just left!  No IFC, no ultrasound, no ice...but the tape will fix everything..%$#@&*($%#!!!!!!

I then had to go to the chiropractor!  Well, I now know why my back has been bothering me.  SI joint was locked solid, and I have at least three restricted vertebrae.  I was so tight there today that I have to go back again on Friday.  I have not had to go that often in about 4 years.

It has not been a good day so far.  I am seriously contemplating cancelling my PT appointment for Friday.  If that is all he is going to do, I can buy a day pass at the gym for $7 dollars, and I would have money in my pocket!  As for the eStim, I could probably buy my own unit with what I would save by going to the gym instead of to my PT.  I basically just spent $50 for the use of a crowded gym!  I am sure I can google knee taping techniques for patellar tendonitis!

I think that my PT and I know each other too well.  He was giving more treatment modalities last summer when I was hiking than what he is now!  Does that make sense?

W

[iamsuperrat]

W, erm... change PT? That definitely sounds frustrating over here. I can't imagine that pain you went through. When you don't feel well, it's very hard to maintain that up spirit. But you have us.

[Lottiefox]

Hmmmm, W this must be VERY frustrating for you. Do you think your PT is annoyed at you challenging what he says and has got a bit of a hissy fit on or is he just baffled or is he just overbooked? Or all of the above?! I can see why you'd think of going it alone; e-stim is readily available for home use (we have a small portable unit which R had when his knee went funny playing golf and his inner quad was asleep) and you know the drill with exercises you can and cannot do at the moment. It seems like you're going round in circles with setting off the tendonitis and him not listening and it calming down.....etc etc. The pain at night is a bit weird, but I guess we always focus more on pain when we're quiet and trying to fall asleep as well, so it seems that much worse....which makes it actually hurt more! Taping isn't going to cut it long term - it isn't addressing the issue is it?! Do you have scope to look at another PT at all, or even a trainer who might be able to be more functional with you? We have some trainers here who are corrective exercise specialists and they can sometimes be better than PTs. I hope things start to settle down soon!

Brams, how are you doing after the past few days. I know the knee has been a little up and down so I hope it is being kind to you tonight......

Tez, you're very quiet; does this mean you've been getting a bit of sleep the past couple of nights? I hope so!

Rk4, hope the basketball knees are behaving.

Nick, I agree with Robin that the guy you describe is a little off base. I am sure he didn't mean to upset you but probably has his own issues and they got blown into a big issue because of how he was feeling rather than anything you did. Try not to dwell on it. You did the right things and I am sure all will be OK. I don't think there is anything wrong with guys crying at times of emotion; when we have had pet traumas R has been as upset as me although when we lost Fran he didn't come in with me because we had not been together that long and I think he felt he was invading. I know now he'd be right there with any of our pets and he is as concerned as me when one of them has an incident!

A, how is work going? I hope the knee is OK. Are you managing to fit in some upper body workouts at all with all of this going on?

Robin, has that stitch popped out yet?!! I feel I want to come and dig about for it! I had a rogue stitch in the foot about 6 weeks after the op - got this weird dark blister and of course I inspected it....it popped and out came gunk and the end of a stitch! Yuck! Hope you're doing good - I saw that you'd been up to 21mph on the spin bike, wooohoooo you'll be spinning with the best of them soon. That is awesome progress. I also read about the swelling when you give a massage - have to say I am not surprised as its a lot for you to be doing standing, working your hands and upper body, plus the actual emotional energy you expend in giving a good treatment. take things steady. You'll get there! My foot still swells 11 months around the toe, and I don't think that is CRPS but its just the whole bones being sawn in half thing.

Snowy - hope all is good in the land of snow and kitties!

I am OK. Reggie has been a bit of a pain but not overwhelming. I keep getting behind with my Lyrica - need to dig out my pill reminder box thing again. Gym training going OK, work very quiet which is not brilliant for the bank balance. Cats all fine, had to remove another live rabbit from Lucas last night who seems to have decided the en suite is the killing ground. At least the fur and stains wipe up more easily......tiled floor.....Knees good, feeling much stronger on the bike and on general leg work. Need to be careful not to overdo things as I am prone to do!

Hugs all, have a giant chicken casserole simmering in a big pan which I need to go mutate and season a little more...yummy.

xxxxxxxxxxx

[tez27]

W sorry your not getting either good sleep or decent treatment from your PT, as you have said maybe he has known you too long and your too friendly which has stopped him being very professional in his treatment of you, whatever the reason I agree with Super that its time for a new PT.
As for the sleep thing I really sympathise with you there, I hope you find something to help with that before its time to head back to work, I hope your taking the chance to have the odd wee nap while you can.

Lottie I hope you had a wonderful birthday, by the sound of things you have been well and truly spoiled

Nick I think your wise in just forgetting the unfortunate incident  over the video camera, sometimes these things can happen when your trying to do someone a favour, I'm pleased to see your not worrying about it.

RK4 pleased you got to your GP for the pain meds,  I assume the difference between t2's and t'3s is the stregnth of the codine in them,or am I completely wrong with that thought lol, anyway why did he only prescribe the 2's??  when your in so much pain, that doesn't seem right, maybe its time for some kind of pain management.

Robin I hope the nasty red lumpy spotty thing has settled down and its feeling a bit better, have you gone back to see someone about it? apart from that your doing so well I really hope that continues and nothing slows down your recovery.

Snowy and Super so sorry you have had to postpone your ski trip I hope you can get on those slopes soon, just remember to take photos to entertain the rest of us

A I hope work is going ok and the knee is holding up ok.

Brams How are things with you? I really hope the knee's are behaving and your starting to remember the lovely times you have had with Josh without too many tears and snotters (((hugs))) to you.

Things with me are much the same the knee is still grumpy most of the time, I went for a walk with Misty yesterday and that weak wobbly feeling seemed to kick in much sooner than it has been, which makes me thing the knee is getting worse or weaker or something, anyway I think its time for another appointment with my private PT to see about building up the muscle's, I have been doing all the stuff I did before the initial aclr but I'm finding it harder and more painfull this time, maybe I just need a wee refresher course in how and what I should be doing.

I hope everyone is doing ok take care
Tez  
Lottie we both tried to post at the same time, sleep has been a bit better, or rather I have been listening to my mp3 during the night instead of getting up and coming on line, and eventually I seem to fall asleep, dont know if it will always work, but if it does sometimes its better than nothing. I hope your casserole is as tasty as it sounds xxx      

[Brambledog]

Hey gang!

I'm back. Finally. I'm not going to say thank you individually to each one of you, cause that would sound repetitive and not special, when actually i could hug you all. Thanks so much for all your kind words and thoughts, it's been a rough time since Christmas with one thing and another (and another  ) and you've helped a lot. I've been popping on the last couple of days, but haven't posted, just read your posts and been glad you're all out there...

Tez - good plan to go back and see your physio. Sometimes I have to dig out my cheat-sheets for the exercises and it's amazing the stuff you suddenly realise you're just not doing quite how you should be! Glad the sleep thing is improving, music is a good plan,I used it for a bit when things weren't so good, and it can just lull you back off...hopefully!

W - your PT session sounds awful, that can't be right, you deserve to have some attention paid to you, after all that's why you go there, it's their job! Grr. I wonder sometimes if they just get a bit bored, I had a physio before the op (my op, she wasn't a pre-op  ) and once she knew I had to have the surgery and we wouldn't know for sure until afterwards, she just completely lost interest, even though the OS had said he wanted them to do as much as poss to keep my quads active before it  . Started going out to chat to colleagues while leaving me to exercise, looking at her phone, yawning... I wanted to thump her! New PT sounds the way to go.

Nick - that video camera thing sounds massively bizarre! Good job you are well balanced and not letting it get to you. People can be most odd at times, sounds like you kept your head and did the right thing.

RK4 - sorry your trip to the doc wasn't more productive, sometimes they just have no idea what it's like to live with pain... Hope you manage to get on top of things soon, go back and give him hell if you don't start getting more sleep.

A - I'm just echoing others here, lol, but I hope your return to work is going ok there and the knee is behaving nicely... Hope you've found the time and energy to pamper yourself a bit in between slaving away at the coalface 

Super - gutted for you that the trip had to be cancelled, I was looking forward to hearing about you skiing backwards!  Hope it won't be long to wait...

Snowy - again, sorry your trip was scuppered by the wind, but looking forward to more of those epic sno-pics of yours - the standard is high, so I know we won't be disappointed!

Robin - eek on the stitch thing, hope that spot has either surrendered up its little black string  or settled down a bit. I have to agree with Lottie here and say that I would be a very bad Brams and would not be leaving it alone! I loved it when my bandages came off and I could pick the wedges of blood away from around the stitches...

Lottie - last, definitely not least  ... Yuck on the gut stains, but yes, fair play to Lucas for finding a tiled surface for his murdering... Re your pill box thing, I've been going frantic this afternoon because I honestly can't remember whether I took this morning's dose or not! I've got to get myself one of those - much though I didn't want to, hopefully it will avoid this kind of thing!!

Knee things here are much the same really, the Lyrica seems to have settled things down overall, although am still getting symptoms, just not as bad! The knee has been very cold today and did not like standing for half an hour at the vets this morning. The vet was appalled when I showed him the fat purple mottled monstrosity that used to be my left knee - he called it 'juicy'!!  And a fun new symptom is that one or other (or both) of my sets of toes go very hot, fat and swollen of an evening! I've just checked them as I'm typing this, and the left lot are icy cold, and the right lot are whopping hot. The husband and daughter found them amusingly weird... I've not changed anything the last couple of days due to all the emotional crap which I felt might have been messing with me, but I think I will up the Lyrica again and hope that these things all go.

I have hit the yawns now so will sign off. Thanks again guys.

Brams 

[emergRN]

Hi Gang!

Nick...that was truly one bizarre story.  That dude does seem to be a bit off!  Ah..as long as you didn't get locked up, and dude has his equipment back, all is well.

Brams...glad to hear that the Lyrica is helping.  I guess it takes time to get the levels where they need to be.  I hope it all settles down soon!

Lottie...I'm hungry!  Please send casserole!  I had been neighbourly enough to order a cold plate to support the provincial volleyball team.  It never showed!

Tez...I think it is a very good idea to get to your PT.  I had trouble with some of the quad exercises this past summer, and we made little changes to them that really helped!

Robin....I am watching the mean Kevin O'Leary on Dragon's Den! 

Well gang!  I am not one to sit and fume for too long.  I decided to email my PT this evening.  I was polite, and concentrated on my actual problems.  I did not get into the lack of treatment today.  He emailed me back.  He actually gave me the same advice tonight that I had gotten in Vancouver almost a month ago.  I am taking a week off of PT.  I am to wear my brace???  I don't quite get that rationale, but anyway!  I am to do my static quad contractions and hamstring curls with no weights.  He does not want me stretching.  I don't know why, but he did find out today how flexible I am(even in my bad leg).  He wants my flexibility to stay where it is right now!

He wants to take it in a week by week basis.  I am not taking anymore than one week off!  When I go back, we are going to start from scratch.  I guess I had to write it for him to hear me!!!  I don't care as long as he takes me seriously!  This is not the first time I have had to do this.  This kind of happened last year too.  It gives him a good kick in the butt, and we get back on track!  I hope so anyway!  Lottie, I think it is a combination of all of the things you listed!  You cannot book 6 patients an hour and do anyone any justice.  That means he is making $300 an hour!  Our GP's don't make that much!

Well, gang!  I hope everyone has a good night!

W

[Rknees4]

Hey Gang,
W sorry PT is being a pickle, go with your gut Girl.
A. hope work isn't going to bad and that the knee is starting to feel better.
Tez I miss you when you aren't up at night then I am up all by my lonesome.  Ty 2s are weaker.  GP is just worried about dependency issues he has always been a little stingy when it comes to pain meds but he is just over cautious I only take stuff every 12 hours now but by the time I take it at night I am almost in too much pain for them to work.  I should take stuff inbetween but that is what ate holes in my gut I was taking advil, I tried naproxin but it was worse on the stomach.
So codiene is the only thing I can take that doesn't eat holes but has enough punch to kill the pain.
As for pain management Dr we only have one and she is overloaded with cancer patients.
Robin just a time thing until OS appointment and will just have to live with the pain for now.  Story of my life.
Brams you are right they have no idea what chronic pain is like.
Lottie if you send W cassarole Just send some a tad bit farther so I can have some also.
Nick that is some story.
Snowy hope this coming weekend is better weather for the slopes.
Hey to any of those I have accidentally missed.
Take Care all those knees and toe(Yes you Reggie)
Rk4

[Brambledog]

My Dad is madder than the maddest box of frogs ever delivered from Insanityville to Crazy Creek.

He's driven me spare pretty much every day of my life.

But he's great, and unique, and today he is 70.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! 

Brams 

[seerobinbike]

Hey Guys,

I'm in between massages right now so I thought I'd do a quick post.  Yes..I have booked two massages for today and for Saturday.  Hope it works out for my knee!

W...Wow.  You got level-headed pretty damn quickly.  Glad that you addressed the problem with PT head on; it sounds to me as though the guy is totally overbooked and is probably more frustrated with himself that with you!  You just can't give good care going in a million different directions.  I purposely don't book more than 3 clients in a day; if I do, all I see are backs, arms and legs and not the person.  I'm sure your PT doesn't have a choice in the matter, however.  Anyway, good going. I hope it works out. 

Lottie...You aren't touching my nodule!  Neither are you Brams!  You sickies.  Hope you are both having decent days and body parts are somewhat happy.  Happy Birthday to Bram's dad. 

Tez..Great idea to get back to PT.  If you can strengthen some of the muscles and rebalance them, maybe it will take some of the load off your knee.  Do you wear compression stockings?  I know W. has mentioned it might help me as well as a couple other KG's.  Happy car shopping.  Get whatever you love the most!  Life is short.

Brams...What a nice way of explaining away your dad!  Do you write?  You should. 

A...Well, it's almost Friday again for you.  How is that dang knee of yours doing?!  Do you feel like it's getting any stronger or less painful?  I certainly hope so. 

Rk...Sorry that you are missing Tez.  I've read that staying in bed and just relaxing if you can't sleep counts for something.  I rarely get up when I can't sleep and do things.  I'm too lazy for that I suppose.   Sorry to hear that your doctor has not allowed you a full dose of the painkiller you are taking.  I understand why they are doing it but if you can't have surgery until a certain time, you must have good pain management. 

Snowy...Anything good up for the weekend?  It's supposed to be really warm here so I just might be outside on the bike.  I'd like to drop the kayak in but my crappy frozen shoulders aren't ready for that yet. 

Nick...Hope all is well with you.  Anything new and exciting?

That nodule is still looking the same as it did a week ago.  Hasn't gotten any bigger or any smaller.  No sign of anything coming out.  It doesn't really hurt but because it's right on the joint line, it does get irritated when I bend my knee to do PT.  I, too, asked my OS's assistant for a few more Vicodins but she said no.  I didn't press her.  She said that ibuprofen should be enough right now.  I don't particularly dig this woman.  She's short with me and has no bedside manner whatsoever.  Anyway, I should get my stuff together for my next client.  Big strapping guy with knots on top of knots.  Be well all and chat soon.

Hugs, Robin xx

[Lottiefox]

Hey all!

Quick exclamation of delight - I leg pressed 90kg x 12 reps, 100kg x 8 reps 100kg x 8 reps and back to 90kg x 10 reps! Whoop whoop! My trainer said I have the strength to do it now, and he was right! Controlled, no deep bend and no locking, focusing on using the muscles.....wooohooo!

Did a joint session of PT with my mate and trainer. Am shattered! Robin, hope the massages went well. can you come do my back and shoulders please?!

Hugs all and happy birthday to the mad Mr BramalamaDaddingdong!

xxxx