Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 356
Our hostess, Joyce, gives us the questions HERE and we answer them and link back with her, joining other Hodgepodgers in this fun meme!
Thank you, Joyce,!!
1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list. #1 try to get to the pool this summer for some sun; #2 try to lose a few more pounds; #3 purge a few more clothes from my closet. I don’t need work clothes anymore!
2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime? We played outside every day. I climbed trees and read Nancy Drew up in the branches on my platform. I also had summer jobs when I was older.
3. Rooftop or backyard? Not sure what this means. We had a great backyard. Why? I didn’t live in an apartment. ???
4. Do you read food labels? I check the number of carbs in things some of the time. Place importance on them? I do think ingredients are important and I do try to watch my carb intake. Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from? I don’t make a huge effort to find out and I don’t pay extra (often) for organic, though I am particular about the meat I buy.
5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer? I’m not that into music. Oldies play in the car and I rarely listen to music at home.
6. Insert your own random thought here. Not so random, but Joe and I had appointments at the Florida Orthopedic Institute in Tampa yesterday.
We met with the PA for the initial appointment and both of us liked him a lot. I am a candidate for knee replacement since both knees and my kneecaps are all bone-on-bone now. He said it was up to me and how much pain I wanted to deal with. They will continue my cortisone shots every three months if that is working for me. I will know when I am ready.
Joe’s new hip and knee pain is also arthritis. He was given a ‘prescription’ for some visits with a therapist to help him learn to stand, pull himself up, etc., and keep his balance better. The PA agreed that his left side is weaker due to the stroke and that some physical therapy and exercises to work on the muscles will help. He will also be called (once the insurance approves) to have an injection in his hip that will be done with x-ray guidance. We have high hopes that it will help. His hip is not bad enough to warrant hip replacement. It is ‘just’ arthritis. He was also told that he needs to learn how to handle the pain mentally (which I have been telling him all along… you have to get so you can ignore it). Not as easy for men, I guess. Even though it hurts, we aren’t doing anymore damage by using the arthritic joints.
Thanks for your visit today!! Peace & hugs.
Praying for your good health.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Sounds like you got some answers and help at the Orthopedic Institute ...our old bones and joints just wear out dont they? As for the summertime answers, I played outside in summertime, day in and day out....no computers, tv or anything to keep me inside!!! Hope your Wednesday is good.
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get some answers that hopefully will be helpful as you manage "pain" and think about the future. Summertime for me as a kid was very active and always outdoors. (We didn't have AC back then). We spent a lot time around water whenever we could...lakes, pools, water hoses... went camping on our trips north to visit relatives in Ohio...so the mountain streams were always a joy to discover and wade in and cool off. Happy days...wish I could do that again.
ReplyDeletePhysical therapy helped me greatly with my sciatica problems...all gone now....still use his skills and the exercises he gave me to help rebuild my shoulder issues after surgery. Hope this helps Joe, too.
ReplyDeleteJoe starts PT the first week of July. They were booked until July 5th. Good grief!! And he has to wait until the end of July to get the injection. What to do while we wait?
DeleteI am surprised that you only got to see the PA for a consult. Glad you are happy but I still think a Doc is a Doc. I would not be satisfied. Leave it to say what I think... I won't add my comment on pain!!
ReplyDeleteBunk... we made the appointment with the PA so we could get in and get things started. To see the doc first put us another three weeks out. The doctor will do the injection.
DeleteWhew... now I will mind my own bees wax!!! :) Thats the problem when one has been in Healthcare! :)
DeleteHopefully the injections work for both of you.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
When my Mom had the terrible hip pain, they said she could have the injection or replacement. We opted for the replacement, but so wish we'd had the injection first. Because of the anesthetic and morphine, that's when her dementia started and it's just progressed since (5 years ago). Prayers that this will help Mr. Joe and the shots continue to help you, Friend. These old bodies wear out...unfortunately. But one day we'll have a brand new one! HOPE you're staying cool in the heat! Take care, sweet Lady.
ReplyDeleteHis x-rays show that he just has some arthritis and a few little bone spurs. There is still cartilage in all of his joints so he isn't a candidate for a new hip right now.
DeleteGreat information on your doctors' visits. Thank you for that update. It is always good to know exactly what we are dealing with.
ReplyDeleteYou are funny - - - wanting to get out in the sun whereas we are trying to just do things in the earlier part of the day or at night! Swimming is good though -- - easy on the joints and good exercise to get the heart rate up a bit.
Have a beautiful blessed day!
Okay... I switched to this pop-up comment style because a few people said things have changed and they couldn't respond like they used to. I see no way to answer questions in your comments here. I'm switching back to the old way and hope it doesn't mess anyone up too badly.
ReplyDelete😊
Delete"Just arthritis." he said? Did Joe want to smack him? (LOL) I've not heard the mind-over-matter philosophy, but that makes sense. Would he consider hypnotherapy?
ReplyDeletePS - At the suggestion of another blogger I tried switching the pop-up comment style … for about half an hour before realizing I couldn't reply to comments. Glad I'm not the only one!
"Just" arthritis? Ugh! I am experiencing "just" arthritis in my hands and wondering about the other new pains I am experiencing. The hands hurt so much, it brings sympathy and compassion for people like Joe suffering in larger areas of their bodies. I hope you get your knees taken care of, although that doesn't sound fun either. Jay had one done several years ago and it seems to have been a great success.
ReplyDelete"Just arthritis" sure can hurt. I hope these measures you are taking do some significant good, for both of you.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding out aging is not for sissies. Ha! I have a friend who had that bone on bond going on. She finally had her knee replacement and has never looked back. :) I used to read in the Magnolia tree in our backyard. I fell out one day but that didn't stop me. Haha!
ReplyDeleteNancy Drew! She filled a lot of my summer too! I grew up on a farm, so it was a backyard, back field and back 40 too!
ReplyDeleteInteresting info about the pain management. I am putting off such appointments as long as I can.
ReplyDeleteI did a lot of summer reading in trees back in the day! Glad things went so well at your appointments. I like the idea of learning how to stand...I'm going to have to look into that.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not easy getting older, our bodies just can’t keep up! I didn’t do a lot of reading growing up, I was outside enjoying the summer heat - I love summer heat!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to read about the ravages of aging taking their toll on you and Joe. I suffer through knee pain myself. My knees are bone on bone and cortisone shots are not effective but I'm not ready for surgery either. I hope that you and Joe are able to find some effective pain management. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely keeping you both in prayer, Terri. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteHmm, "just arthritis" doesn't lessen the pain. Glad you are getting a treatment plan sorted and hope it helps. Yes there are worse things to have but living with constant pain is miserable.
ReplyDelete