Situation IS getting better:)

[Clarkey]

Hi Guys,

Sorry cannot reply to anyone tonight as I am really busy and saw Dr Brown yesterday for more IMS sessions and was a success and can read about it in more detail on my post op diary. Also saw my psychologist who is helping me set up a updated CV as I just about had enough of Greenkeeping and need a change after 12 and a half years and why not work with adults on the autistic spectrum! I am also in the process of starting up my own Asperger support/social group that will start at the end of June so things are finally looking up for me.

nickwclarke2012@BhamUK

[seerobinbike]

Hi Gang,

Just stopped in for a second to say hi.  Wow, what beautiful pics you've taken Superrat!  Thanks for sharing!

Lottie...Glad the interview seemed to go well for you.  Good luck!  Oh, man.  I would rather spend 3 hours on a spin bike than lift.  I really, really hate weights but do them anyway.  (Although due to the fact that my shoulders are kinda icky, I haven't been able to lift much anyway.)

Rk...Oh, so sweet that your daughter has a new kitty in her life.  She sounds beautiful.

Tez...Ah.  An automatic must be joy for a gal with a bad leg.  Enjoy, enjoy!

W...Where are you?  Hope all is well.

Good day/evening to everyone else!  Chat soon.  xx

[emergRN]

Hi gang!

I'm alive!  I have just been a bit busy!  My sister and the kiddies have been here all week, and my aunt is staying with me!  I have company coming now, but I will post and respond a bit later!  See Robin...I haven't disappeared!!

W

[emergRN]

It looks as if we have all been busy this week! 

Tez..I am so happy that you are enjoying the new car.  BTW..you don't have your security set on your FB.  My aunt asked me who owned the fab car!  I had commented on your picture, and then she could see the pic!  If you want, you can change this in your privacy settings.  You just set it to friends only!  It is so good that the car is making things easier for Tezknee!

Lottie...I am glad that your interview went well.  It is a bummer when you prepare, and know some really cool stuff...then you don't get asked!

Nick..I am glad that you got some benefit from your IMS.

Robin...I hope your kitty is all recovered from the ordeal!  Tuna has an amazingly curative effect on cats.  I call it kitty heroin!!  So, have you made any decision about picking up the baking job??  I guess you will really have to consider how the knee will hold up with that job!  I know that my knee doesn't handle standing up for long periods very well at all!

Superrat...Great pictures!  I am happy to see you in the great outdoors enjoying yourself!  Love, love, love that west coast of this country!

A...I hope you are doing well.  We miss you!

Rk4...I am happy to hear that your daughter has fallen for another sweet one!

Brams...So, what is the word on your Lyrica?  Have you gone back to the 300mg??

Not much new here.  I had some xrays done last Friday, and we are thinking that the report should be ready today.  I have been using the tape pretty constantly.  It has helped me somewhat this week.  I have been a bit more active than I have been, and I do think that the tape has offered some beneficial support!  I was told to wear my ACL brace, but for some reason it isn't fitting me right anymore.  It is digging into my medial knee.  It was not that tight before, and my leg is smaller.  I'm not sure what is going on there, but I used to actually forget that I was wearing the brace before.  Now I am aware of it constantly.

I have had a big improvement in the anterior knee pain dept!  Now, if I could just get rid of the medial pain, I could get this show on the road!  The snow is pretty much all gone now, and I would love to go for a nice walk!

W

[Lottiefox]

Whoop whoop my interview was successful, should get some work through from them - hurrah! Reggie must have charmed them with his silent little stiff ways and his smart new suit. 

Off to bake a cake to celebrate. (Me and Dr Oetker and an egg).

xxx

[Brambledog]

(Scoffing Easter egg with younger daughter... )

Hi all!

Well today I just have to start with....

Lottie - YAY!!!!! Well done with the job, told you so!  Hope you get a whole new collection of weird and wonderful clients soon... I know Reggie, bless his little solo sock, has been enjoying the weather this week, hope he is quiet again now....

Tez - a big hooray for the new car/Tez combo

Can't do more now, sorry everyone, elder daughter just back, major attack of the teen nightmares, big shouty match. Really really don't feel like dealing with this now. 

Xx

[seerobinbike]

Hey Guys,

Lottie...HiP, HiP HorRaay on the new job offer.  You charmer.  Do celebrate appropriately and be sure to give Reggie some extra TLC for all his help.

Brams...Good to hear from you but sorry about the big shouty match with your daughter.  Yikes.  Chocolate and wine to the rescue?

W...Ah, there you are.  I forgot that you had company!  Hey, good news on the diminishing anterior knee pain.  What's up with the medial stuff now?!  Ish.  Does your knee hurt so badly that you are unable to walk?!  This whole thing is a frustrating mystery to me. 

I'm going to head outside and sit for a bit; it's just beautiful here right now.  I think I walked and or cycled just a bit too much today and my knee is a bit swollen and pissy.  Amazingly, yesterday I had a almost normal knee day.  It definately is coming along.  Lottie and W....you guys are probably right about the kitchen not being a kind place to my knee.  Sometimes I try to do things just to prove to myself or to someone else that it can be done.  It's not always the best way to be.  I got to thinking about all of this earlier today and made a few phone calls to some local schools that teach (small gag here) medical billing and coding.  M.'s company decided not to strike (Yay) but the experience made us both sit down and talk about having a steady stream of two incomes.  He actually brought up the medical billing thing and I told him I'd look into it.  (Yawn.)  Yes, it is practical but I've never been one to be very practical.  And I like me that way.  If it were up to me, I'd grow medical marijuana and call it a day.    

Be back later.  Be good all fellow geeks and subsequent body parts.

[emergRN]

Congrats Lottie!!!  I had no doubts that you would have had a good interview!

Robin..I can walk!  It is still really muddy here.  The sidewalks are a mess.  My knee still gives out, and I would not venture very far!  I would go with a cane I think, but it is going to have to dry up a bit first..actually, it has been snowing here all day!  I think I jinxed it!

Ya...I wish I knew what was going on as well!

W

[Clarkey]

Hi All,

Really sorry guys and once again have no time to respond to every ones posts as I have been very busy the last couple of days sorting out an undated CV and setting up my own Asperger syndrome support group which starts at the end of June at my local Cricket Club and are allowed use the private function room for free and got the go ahead from the Chairman of the Club! Have done some print outs about contacting me if people with AS want to join the group and my local Library have very kindly let me advertise and will put one up at the Cricket Club and my Barber as she gets AS clients coming for a haircut and would be nice to get a local AS social group set up in the area I lived in all my life.

nickwclarke2012@BhamUK

[Lottiefox]

Whoop - just wanted to post that today I did 5 box hops/bunny hops, then 10, then 15 side to side with no break on a 7 riser block, whoop, only need to get to 60 without a break now. I have a stonking bruise on my knee though from a practice that failed two days ago....Oh and I need to run 500m on a 3% incline as fast as I can. Along with the other 8 exercises....why? Well....Gorton Grueller in June...here I come! (Hopefully, if I can run....) 

Hope everyone else is having a good weekend. We are going to the Lazy Cow tonight for dinner, my fave steak in the whole wide world. Awesome food. 

Hugs all bodily parts! Tez - we are coming to Scotland in May for the Edinburgh marathon....our mate is doing it....:-)

xxx

[Rknees4]

Well Gang
The torture twins have me up for yet one more night.
Wouldn't you know it everyone has crashed and must be sleeping for a change. Which is good for all of you not so good for me.
Well
Take Care all.
Rk4

[emergRN]

Sorry you had to spend stupid o'clock by yourself, RK4!!

Where is Tez??  She must be burning the rubber on the Scottish roads in that spiffy new car!

It has been extremely quiet here this weekend!  I guess that means that no news is good news.

Same old here!  My a** is going to be permanently attached to my recliner at this rate....soooooo bored!  Thank goodness for the computer!  I would much rather be hiking through the woods with the bear bells, and all of our gear for a cook up in the woods.  There is nothing like a cup of tea made from pure, clean river water!  The season is upon us, and I won't be part of it .  I actually think that this is worse than not going skiing somehow!  Hiking is my major social activity, and my chance to get out of town....and I have my new camera that I was going to use to get some really good shots!

[tez27]

Hey folks I am here and have been reading everything but haven't posted cos... tbh I have nothing to say.......Which is not really like me at all, I have been out and about in the new car and loving it, even managed to get the top down a couple of times, Also on Sat night D and I went to see Titanic in 3D which was fantastic, I hadn't seen the movie for years and was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Apart from that not doing very much, the knee is much the same some good days and some not so good!!! Still no word on when I will be getting the chop, I was at the practise nurse this morning for my twice yearly BP check and she had a wee look at my file and there was nothing of interest about it on there, so I guess its wait and then wait some more

W sorry your still having a hard time I hope things start to improve soon.

Lottie well done you on the interview and job offer, also on the bunny hops [though not too sure exactly what they are] Its a shame it wasn't Glasgow you were coming to cos we could have met up for a coffee or something, when exactly are you crossing the border?

RK sorry you have been abandoned at stupid o'clock, but I am trying not to get up when the knee wakes me during the night I use my MP3 player which I have loaded with nice soothing music and it seems to help, even though I dont always get back to sleep right away I feel more rested just staying in bed listening to music.

Robin I hope you dont mind me putting my tuppance worth in here but I can understand the need to make a decent income but I really cant imagine you doing something as mundane and boring  as medical billing, I have also thought about doing something a bit more knee friendly but when it comes down to it I would much rather do something I love to do even if it causes a bit more pain than do something I would hate, maybe a wee trial shift in the kitchen would be worth a shot just to see how it goes, another thing I was thinking of is reflexology is that not a sit down sort of therapy?   
Just tell me to mind my own business! you know better than anyone whats right for you    

Nick good for you starting up a support group for people with AS, thats the kind of thing that will look good on your CV when you do start applying for a job working with people with AS. I'm also pleased you had a good session with DR Brown.

Brams my sympathies on the big shouty match with the teenager, we are still in the middle of such things especially with my daughter, though I must say its improving slowly as she gets a bit older, I have learned to pick and choose when something is worth fighting over which makes for a slightly more peacefull life, unfortunately poor D reacts to everything that she says which means they are at logger heads a lot of the time, this does not make for the  peaceful life I crave I just keep telling myself "this too shall pass"....not quite convinced but working on it...

Super fantastic pics it all look amazing

I hope everything is ok with everybody else take care folk
Tez XXX     

[Lottiefox]

Hey gang!

Hope everyone has a good weekend! Had a relaxing one here, well kind of relaxing with two epic gym sessions and a giant meal out on sat night at the Lazy Cow in warwick where they do simply the BEST steaks ever tasted. We got a cab there and back and i managed to down white wine, pink wine, prosecco, red wine, Amaretto coffee and a baileys and had no hangover on Sunday and was at the gym at 10.30 in the morning sweating my alkie smell out! Fabbo! Reggie is being largely well behaved although I have a strange sharp tender spot on his edge, where the bunion used to be. It doesn't feel CRPS pain-like, but more kind of bone tender/screw ouchie. I shall just leave it alone and assume it will pass! Tez - bunny hops are where you stand next to a bench lean forwards and put your hands each side of it, then jump from side to side over the bench without breaking rhythm. It is actually not too hard on knees as they remain flexed but clearly if you smacked one (like I did) it hurts plus it is impact as you land. I am also very proud to say I ran 200 whole metres at 14km/h on the treadmill. I need to be able to do 500m at that speed or ideally faster if i am to enter this gym challenge. My trainer is taking me through a dummy run this Thursday so we have a baseline. i think I'll probably puke after it.

W, I am sorry you're still couch bound. What is the next stage in terms of anything - are you still taping? Have you got your orthotics yet? How is M Jnr doing? I imagine he is pleased to see the snow vanishing....I have just been watching James Cracknell in the coldest race on earth where he does some insane extreme race across the frozen north of Canada in temps of minus 42. Crackers!

Tez we are in Scotland from the 27th May. We may well come across to Glasgow as one of the people who helped me about the whole toe fusion lives there too, and we have never met but have shared toe experiences for over a year now! So a coffee and a spin in the motor could be on the cards - or a hair cut?!! ;-) Is your salon in Glasgow itself?

Robin - I think Tez has had a good idea with reflexology although no good if you don't like feet....you do that sitting on a seat with the person kind of reclined in front of you so it would be more knee friendly. I cannot imagine you doing medical billing either, you are WAY too creative and inspiring to be stuck in that although if it pays some bills in the short term then i understand why....

Rk, sorry the torture twins have kept you up. How is the new kitty coming along? is it a definite for a "pet kitty" or is your daughter just being hopeful?! I keep suggesting cat Number 4 here but it falls on deaf ears! Hope this week brings some relief from the pain.

Nick glad the IMS went well and good luck with the support group.

Brams - i know you did more rowing yesterday so I hope it was good fun and the knees are behaving themselves! We must sort a Titanic 3D day out now that Tez has reminded me! I have just had chutney with my grilled halloumi salad - it goes with everything!!

Hugs to everyone,

Lottie xxx

PS A I was thinking about you this morning, I hope you are OK. Pop in and let us know you're safe if you can.

[emergRN]

I have my heat turned off, and I have the windows open....yay!  The birds are chirping, and there are crocuses in bloom everywhere!  Spring is finally reaching us!  We are getting up to 14 c today, and 16 c tomorrow!  It is funny how that feels warm this time of year, but it the fall you are running for your jacket!  I guess it is all relative!  Now, if I could only get my laundry up to Mom's to put it on the line!  Not happening!

Lottie, I have had my orthotics for a little over a week.  They told me it is going to take at least 3 weeks to feel any benefit!  I am taping, but I took it off last night.  My leg felt a bit stiff, and I checked my active flexion last night, and it seems to be a bit less.  The anterior knee pain has improved.  The medial pain hasn't really changed.  I do feel support from the tape though, and that feels better.  My knee hasn't given out in a week.  I have had a few little buckles, but nothing like I had last week.  I am also being extremely careful when walking.  I do not trust my knee at all!

I am not really chair bound, but my leg does get tired and irritated very easily!  A short trip to the grocery store is about it, and then I want to come home!  I'll live!

Robin...Now I am going to weigh in with my two cents worth!  Medical billing??  OMG...slit my throat!  Maybe you should wait a little longer on the recovery process, and see where you are in a couple of months.  I guess it could be good for a fall back, but there must be something a little more exciting out there.  Would you be able to teach massage therapy?  Maybe you could look into what qualifications you would need to teach the theory part of the program.  Surely, you wouldn't be on your feet all day, and if you needed any courses toward that, you could do them through distance education at your own pace.

Well, I can't completely respond to everything right now!  I have to bring some more info down to where I had my income tax done.  The Canada Revenue Agency(our IRS), is asking for more documentation on my medical claim.  I knew that was going to happen!!!

W