Friday, September 20, 2013

Shower news and PT


Finally this wonderful shower got used the way it was intended. My wife and I got to shower together using the handheld and the rain head shower at the same time. There was so much extra room in the shower that it was fantastic. The outside rain storm did not bother us as we spent so much extra time using the over-sized shower as a duo for the very first time. I have been in the vanity room as she showered and she the same with me but this was a first time to use the shower together.

My wife washed my left leg which I can’t do very well and helped me with my back and right arm which the left one does not do really well.

Using the other tub-shower was never fun or comfortable. We always have to make sure not to push the other one much because you would fall out. This time there is so much extra room that there was never a problem or fear of making someone fall out.

I would show you photos but that’s not happening. Just take it on fact and understand it was fantastic having so much room to move around, helping wash each other’s back etc., a bench to sit on while we washed our feet, legs, etc. the shower cost over $18,000 total so it needs to get used as much as possible. It has and will from now on.

PT went really well Friday and I see that I am making progress so that also makes me happy. Today I actually put my pants on while standing up. I got my socks on by myself and put my brace/boot on followed by my shoe. All this used to be no big deal but today it was a cause to celebrate! The mind games we played in OT today went super and I got to actually do them with my right hand just to set a standard to shoot for. I am almost there on all of them so that made me smile. The PT with the brace/boot helped me do so many things better – my gate and walk is so much more stable and I don’t tend to lean to one side or the other.

I will keep you posted on both

Monday, September 16, 2013

Rehabilitation is BORING!


It is so tuff to just sit around and wait of the next PT. It is slowly killing me and I want to get back to doing what I love. I want to be working with my students and doing Louisiana history. I can only create just so much stuff without really teaching it to my students. I know I will get to use it next year but I can’t wait till NEXT year. If you are a teacher you know how I feel.

I am getting better each week at PT and they keep great records so they are documenting my process but it is just not fast enough. I still have my grandson as a homeschool student but he is bored and I am bored so not enough seems to be getting done. I don’t think my daughter is taking this serious enough. It has been four weeks and my wife and I have seen him about 6 to 8 times.

He is super smart but he is getting super behind also. What do I do? I really don’t care for world history and I want to teach him U.S. history but that’s not what he needs this year. By next year I will be back in class. At least I hope so.

The bathroom is now up to 99.75% complete. I only have the door to take off, cut the bottom off a small bit,” sand and paint it, then put it back up. All that has to wait until I am better and can start doing more things on my own I guess. I have used the shower several times and it is great. My wife has used it and she is saying she loves it too. Hopefully in the near future we will get to use it together. Hopefully!

I still have bookcases to put up in the back bedroom or class room storage, but that has to wait also. I am getting it all done before I can start putting them up. I have cutting them, measured them put brackets on them, painted them, done everything I can outside in the garage. All I have to do now is bring them inside and start assembling them. But that seems to have to wait until I get “help according to my wife.

Rehabilitation is BORING!
 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Bathroom 99.95%

Our new bathroom in now 99.95% complete. The rest will be done over the next few days but all the carpenters, tile guys, plumbers, A/C, electricians are finished! My grand-daughter tends to think of the new shower/bathroom as a water-park!
The shower is 8 foot by 5 foot and completely tiled...
We still have to got get matching towels...
It has a rain-head shower plus a handheld and we have a skylight in the shower now...
Wonderful tiled flooring too...
Corner soap/shampoo holders plus bend seating...
Got a wet side of the shower and a dry side now...
 
Got the vanity area tiled and nearly complete and no door on this shower area...
 
New bathroom area also with new vanity, mirror, toilet, mirror, towel holder...
 
 


 
What is left to be done? The toilet-seat is coming but will be in within week. The door needs to be painted - should be done this week. Towels need to be bought. Like I said, it is 99.95% done but we can at least use it now after 9 weeks of work!



Saturday, September 7, 2013

need....


This has been one really lon-n-n-n-g day and it is just noon. I have painted a wall, had my daughter come by to leave her cat so we can cat sit for a week while THEY go on vacation, at a tiny lunch, just killing time till I go out to the candlelight ceremony for my wife’s retreat. My sister is bringing supper about 5-6. By 9ish I will be back and heading to bed. It has really seemed long today. Sure there are a few football games on but nothing of interest. Maybe I can check out on-demand and find something or just take a nap. I can think of all the things I want to do but I don’t want to get into trouble.

There is just not much to do if I am going to stay out of trouble. Maybe I can at least make a list of what I want or need to do….

1 – cut the grass,

2 - Edge the yard,

3 – walk around the yard

4 – work on my selves

5 – go by Lowes to pick up screws for shelves

6 – finish shelves and start moving books and class materials

7 – star emptying file cabinets

8 – measure and cut door for back hot-water heater closet

9 – drill and mount toilet paper holder

10 – drill and mount towel rack in shower

11 – clean floors leading to shower room

12 - Cut and put down thresh-hold for shower room/bathroom

13 – play with grand-daughter

14 – work on lesson idea

My sister just sent supper/lunch. Very good eating. That gives me something to do at least. Just head some thunder. Hate to say it but I want my wife back. It has been too quite around here. I guess when you have been married for over 42 years you miss the other a lot – and I miss her!

Friday, September 6, 2013

TEACH


Boring.

That just how I feel today since my wife is gone on her Catholic church A.C.T.S. retreat for the weekend. I when to bed early last night and went to PT this morning. They all say the same thing, “you are getting better”, I know it is true because there are things I just could not do three weeks ago and now at least I can feel my lets moving and my head helping out on the keyboard.

I know that they took their phones and watches away so there is no way to contact her because I was  there at the beginning of June. I sort of know what they are doing tonight and what is planned for tomorrow. I know what kind of food she is eating now and how much she is enjoying herself – been there.

Now I am not eating very good because I have to cook for one. But it is okay. Let’s see today I went to double PT, then I went to town to pick up the one part we need to FINISH the bathroom – they didn’t have it because the truck was delayed, came home and tried to fix dinner but electricity went off and was off for about two hours, sat and watch some TV but was bored, the plumbing guy came by to deliver that one small part, took out trash, took a shower in my unfinished bathroom, washed the sheets and blanket for our bed and put them back on the bed, been reading various websites, cooked little can of chili, and probably will go to bed early again tonight. Exciting day I know.

But hey, I did not do anything stupid.

I just watched the CBS show TEACH about some really gifted teachers. I feel that I do those things and have inspired students to become teachers in their own lives. i only wish I could still do the things I have always done at my current school but I am told I can’t because we don’t have our own buses and getting one would be too expensive to buy or even rent. I am sad that I can’t do these things for my own students anymore.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Stupid me


Boy did I mess up Monday afternoon. I was doing something I should not be doing and made a huge MISTAKE. I was trying to build my shelves and move them inside. I was bringing in one board and I got to the second step and dropped the board and fell cutting my arm big time. Blood was running everywhere since I am on blood thinners. I got fused at by my wife because I SHOULD KNOW BETTER  and I should not be doing this.

I came in, cleaned up my arm, sat for the rest of the day – I sulked really. Tuesday I went to PT and they asked me about it – I ended up telling them that I was stupid. The arm is getting better and I am just sitting around doing not much of anything.

My wife has my car at a registration for the youth orchestra and I am just sitting here (gets boring I know). The plumber came today to finish the bathroom and part of the things he needed was not here. The company said I picked it up but they don’t have a signature showing that I did. They ordered a new part to be here in the AM. I will go pick it up so he can finish the work. The toilet seat is still not in so I guess the bathroom is about 99.95% complete, but it’s not done yet.

My wife is leaving tomorrow afternoon for a church retreat – an Catholic ACTS retreat, the same that I just got back from about three months ago. NO, I will not try something stupid. I will just go to PT like normal. I will sit at home alone, watch some TV alone, go to bed alone, get dressed and sit some more alone, and go to church alone….

My doctor’s told me today that I should have knee surgery until it is really giving me problems. The shot I have caused my BP to spike way up and surgery might not be a good thing right now. I have to agree. He seems to think that PT is working and I should let that work for a while then make the decision.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Think I'm bored?


Listened to my university put the butt-whipping to a much bigger, stronger, more players than we have, team in south Florida. We got $400,000 payoff for playing them PLUS we beat them big time – 53-21. We will take it anytime. We were considered to be the underdogs before the game but came out smelling sweet! And we played them at their house! We only have about 9,000 students enrolled and they have over 40,000. Some things look so good in the morning as well as last night! We will take it anytime we can get it.

Time to get ready for church. Took all my meds, did all my BS/BP, and called in my prescriptions for refill. Need to pay a few online bills and sit back and wait for whatever is next. Need to go by Lowe’s to pick up a few things. This afternoon I can work on my shelves a bit more. Maybe, just maybe I can get them up today.

Things are just a little slower than they used to be but they are getting done – bit by bit. It gets to me that I can't go as fast as I used to. I am not used to waiting around so much. I think this is part of why my weight gain or lack thereof has not changed much. I always weigh in at one pound down, then one pound up, then a half pound down, then a half pound…you get the picture. Over the last 30 days it bounced from 3 pounds down to one pound up and it has changed daily. Nothing major.

Looking at another week of nothing but PT and sitting around. Piddling. I don’t like this. I am used to being busy big time. I am hoping to have my bathroom completed this week. I have enjoyed these guys around but I want them done so I can actually use the bathroom and new shower room! I also hope that next week I have good news about my surgery for my knee and my brace also. I want all this “other” stuff out of my life so things can just get back to normal – whatever that is.

Ten things I am thankful for today

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