…to feed the horses.
Everybody with a pet knows what a hassle it can be when you need to go out of town and find someone to take care of your animal(s). The bigger the animal and the more elaborate its needs, the bigger the hassle.
Good thing there’s that dependable old guy who lives in the holler and never goes anywhere, huh? So this weekend I’ve been doing a lot more back-and-forth, feeding and watering horses. That should be over now, since if the plan holds H will be back this afternoon. Sure glad I got that tire fixed, because the two days of normal back-and-forth raised blisters on the end of my stump and – unexpectedly – blew out my right knee to a moderate degree. I used to joke that if I had a left leg the right leg would be my “bad” one, but in truth I haven’t had any trouble with that knee since we put in the foundation for Landlady’s barn in ’07. So I was surprised that a few walking trips would stir it up. When all the boys were here I used to walk a great deal more than I do now.
Weather is very iffy: This is the third consecutive cloudy day, though yesterday it cleared just enough after rain to fully charge the batteries. I’m still waiting to see what the weather wants to do today. I’m gonna see if it’ll warm up a bit before going back for Monday shit-shoveling.
When all the boys were here I used to walk a great deal more than I do now.
Not to state the obvious, but possibly we’ve zeroed in on the source of the problem?
To whit: possibly walking isn’t what’s causing your leg to be bad, but not walking enough is?
Are you using that gel stump sock, or saving it for “good?” Use it if you are not. Doesn’t do you any good in the drawer.
“possibly walking isn’t what’s causing your leg to be bad, but not walking enough is?”
I’ve thought about that. But it’s not as though I’m completely sedentary now. My wind is good, I have no trouble getting to the top of the ridge without wheezing or feeling my thighs burn. If I were going to start a new walking regimen, it would be pretty much what I did late last week. It wasn’t all that extreme. But to my unpleasant surprise, it really stirred up some old injuries.
And the gel sock use Mama Liberty asked about? There are more, you can use it every day. What size are you? Do you have any Spenco Second Skin for those blisters?
Zelda, there are no size markings and I don’t know enough about them to … well, I don’t know what size they are. But they look like this.
And no, I don’t know what Spenco Second Skin is. Sorry.
In fact, considering that I’ve been an amputee for 42 years, my ignorance of all this is embarrassingly woeful and may require explanation. Fact is, I’ve never paid much attention to advances in prosthetics because I’ve never been in a financial position to keep up with them, and because I’ve always given the whole matter as little thought as necessary. Except for the inconvenience and occasional pain, it’s not a day-to-day factor in my life.
I’ve met other amputees, no more physically handicapped by it than I am, who act as if that’s the defining fact of their whole lives. Without really making any decision about it I’ve always taken the opposite approach, and to be honest I’m never completely certain my approach is any less neurotic than theirs.
Gel sock washing and drying instructions are online at company web site if you didn’t get any with the sock(s).
That’s a terrifically healthy attitude, Joel… for the most part. You don’t have to make it the focus of your life, however, to pay attention to some of the details to keep your health. If your stump breaks down enough that you can’t walk much anymore, things could spiral down fast and you would not be able to ignore it or tough it out any more than you could if you got bit by a snake or a thousand other things that could forcefully intrude on your life. We just have to deal with those things the best we can, and avoiding trouble as much as possible is the best way to do that in my experience. 🙂 Wear the gel sock.
MamaLiberty is spot on Joel. And before you need it, another trouble-avoiding measure might be replacing your steps with a gradual incline ramp covered with a non-skid surface material and a covered wood supply at door sill level right outside your door.
E-mailed ya several links to the sox.
😉
[Zelda: “another trouble-avoiding measure…]
I expect this to go over with Joel like flatulence in church, but yet another trouble-avoiding measure he needs to think about is the replacement of his overhead loft sleeping arrangement, which already has caused him injury at least once. Even for a man his age with four undamaged extremities, that ladder is not a good long-term solution.
Since provision of either a proper staircase or an elevator are obviously out of the question, I respectfully suggest a bunk-sized addition to the lair, or perhaps a folding bunk, for Joel’s future job list.
Ben – thought about saying that too, but the ramp was as far as I dared to go. A homemade wall mounted drop down bunk like a drop down table (plywood and hinges and an inflatable mattress) or a really good folding camp bed (I think of the Cabela’s extra wide with all the pockets and hangers) is certainly a good trouble-avoiding measure. Whatever it takes to preserve health and mobility is OK.