Weekend review

Rampant injuries:

Tom Love, broken hand after falling during morning run (jogging);
Joe, twisted ankle from basketball;
Thomas, sickly after flu shot, with lethargy and flu-like symptoms;
Lois, flu-like symptoms after flu shot, also sore back for two or so days.

Well, here's the windup and the pitch -- Halloween. It seems that Marcus will be door watcher this year as the folks are out sick. The weather is supposed to be good during trick-or-treat times, let's hope they're right.

P T

She had eleven sessions of P.T. and all she got was this cruddy t-shirt.

No more teachers, no more books, no more angonizing looks. Lois finished physical therapy. She is much stronger for it all. Congratulations!

Mom's minty fresh legs

Lois has been using oitnment for an infection. Well, last night she saw two little tubes lying out and thought that she might add just a bit more to her legs, when she discovered that they were itty bitty toothpaste tubes. Well, wouldn't that have been neat! She could have had plaque-free legs!

Autumn

This afternoon, the folks and I went to a local park. The roses have all but expired, especially after the mild frost we experienced this morning. The cool was beaten back by the glorious sun. We had a quick stroll, but a nice walk.

Thomas was surprised at the level of work that the parks department did on the park. They didn't patch it up, like he thought they would, but rather re-did the park. Thomas and Lois here are looking out around.
They found a bench where they could sit. If you'll notice, neither one of them could rest their feet on the ground. It's a great bench for tall people, but terrible for short people. Lois got some more physical therapy exercises while she sat.

We could see many neat colors in the small park, but were slightly entertained by the dog pair who were eager and boisterous about swimming after the continually tossed stick by their human. After many short throws, the ducks didn't stray that far from the bank or the dogs. They didnt' feel threatened.

disappear

Lois has had a rash on her arms and legs due to an infection. With the help of overpriced medicine, it has been conquered. Lois is still doing physical therapy and hopes for a few more sessions, though honestly she came home yesterday bemoaning the work she had done. She recovered.

I mentioned to her that she and Thomas could again go to the YMCA for excercise, as they used to do, twice or thrice weekly. They could go as often as they liked, it just seemed to work out better on the 2-3 times per week. There is only a question of if Lois can go into the water and what other limitations she might be given. Thomas wants to go back to the YMCA. I think it would give both of them a time out, and eventually more energy.

Father has been without golf most of the year. Today, he woke with the plan to play, but ... frost everywhere prevented this. What souring and sobering news for the golfer! Last night he played poker, though he didn't win, he had fun. His shoulder is still a bit of a mess and he has agreed to see a doctor sometime this month about it, as it has been months not getting much better (February is when he first spoke of it).

Standing on her own

right arm

left arm

Lois is now doing much, much better! She had been using a transfer bench to enter and exit the shower. This allows the user to sit while showering. Today, Lois informed everyone Thomas that she didn't use the bench. She stood the entire time. Without a doubt this marks a huge leap forward. She was never able to stand like that in the shower without crying or some other situation. That is simply great news!

Around ten days ago, Lois noticed growing spots on her arms (reverse side of elbows; humorus-tibia fibia joint). The spots grew and were "hot". After a reluctant doctor's visit, the GP gave her some ointment, topical antibiotic. This really seems to have helped. Over two days her skin is now peeling, each layer underneath being healthier. The doctor theorized it was a particular type of infection and apparently the medicine chosen was right. At $30 per half ounce, it better be great!

night dig

I found this wreck on the ground one morning. Something was digging, but for what? I found out later, a couple of nights ago, a local raccoon was digging. I wasn't sure for what, until I saw it chasing something. The tell-tale paths mark the trails of moles. Wicked things, but they do eat grubs. Anyway, the raccoon is the digger and mole eater. Since the ground is cold, but not yet frozen and there is a prediction for a mild winter, I believe the lawn might need more work than usual in the spring.

Driven to win

Lois, after so many weeks of not driving, re-mastered driving within minutes. Thomas and Lois practiced at a school parking lot -- since it was Sunday, no one was there. Go figure! Anyway, both reported to me that she did very well and that she then drove to the grocery store. They were fairly fast until ... dun, dun DUN! A talkative neighbor intercepted them and the talking started.

Thomas later had to come rescue her from the talking, as they were standing and that really hurts Lois' knees. Walking is less painful, since you shift your weight. Lois is walking mostly without her walker and sometime uses a cane -- she's moving right on up. Lois has more appointments this week, for long-since seen doctors for different appointments. Still, she should have 6 some sessions (3 weeks) of physical therapy remaining. They are forever giving her more challenges. She seems willing to do them all.

Happier but colder

The folks and I went to Bob Evans for lunch. Originally planned was shopping afterwards, but for circumstances not under everyone's control, that didn't happen. It was, however, a nice, bright day with lots of high wind.

Thomas got the unimpressive breakfast burrito and Lois got the roast beef breakfast, though she though in her head of ordering the beef hash.

wishy washy

Yesterday, it was warm, the sun and light clouds were soothing. The autumn colors were beautiful. Thomas and Marcus put on yet ANOTHER rod. Thomas was clever enough to yank the last one out of the wall. In his defense, the metal sheered in half, not really pulled out of the wall. The bar, like the others was a nusance to put into the wall. It took parts, tools time, and a drill bit was broken in half.

Later, the folks went out for a walk in the nice autumn weather. It isn't supposed to stay nice for all that long, so today was the day. We three ate orange roughee for dinner and then the folks watched the Ugly Dachshund, an old Disney movie.

In the evening, for no particular reason, Thomas took out the blood pressure monitor and took his reading, then Lois' and found that Lois had a heart rate in the 40s. Despite taking it several times, it was always low (a few times in the 30s). Since she's had heart problems, heart attack history, we got to see the emergency room last night. We were there for two hours, then Lois was discharged with a 24-hour heart monitor.

It was determined that she had non-symptomatic bradycardia (slow heart rate without any symptoms). It is likely that some of the medicines that she's taking are now at too high of levels and are pushing her heart rate down too low. Well, they'll determine what they will do later.

Zoo

Tom and Lois went to the zoo ... Marcus joined them. Here we see Tom and Lois examining the Fall and Halloween decor, namely pumpkins. Mom, as strong as she isn't wasn't going to be able to walk with the walker for the 2 miles that we went. We therefore got a wheelchair for her, older, but the attendant cleaned it before Lois sat down in it.

Thomas and Lois have had a zoo menbership for decades, but this year this was the first time they went. They paid over sixty dolalrs for the memebership, but health destroyed opportunities to visit the zoo before. Little did anyone think about the wheelchair, but frankly, even sitting was painful for Lois before the surgery.


Here we see Lois and Thomas viewing wallaby's, not liking the cool weather. Lois was standing, using the railing as a guide for her. We found that the wheelchair didn't fit well in all places. Lois, generally home-bound, was delighted to go out and wander around. It's tough to find neat, scenic areas with paved paths. It's a good thing she wasn't stuck inside all winter long with little/no mobility. That would bring serious "blahs".

Well, it wasn't much, but Lois really enjoyed getting out -- Thomas perhaps more so, in that he also doesn't want to leave Lois alone all the time, but can't stand to be trapped inside (Winter is certainly tough on him). Marcus enjoyed the trip, having a grand time photographing and was pleased that a person, teen girl, was kind enough to open doors on several occasions, as the folks and she were traveling about the same speed.

Choices

On Thursday, Lois got a chance to ride the lifecycle (standing bicycle with fan instead of front wheel. She liked it substantially better than the other bike that required you to push up and down, not moving legs in cycles and circles like the lifecycle. All other cycles work like the latter. They are measuring her ability to bend her knees (in angles) and they were hoping that she would get to 120 degrees. As of Thursday, she had 124 on one leg and 123 on the other. Well, what do you know about that?!

She is often seen walking without her walker and is getting faster on the steps -- perhaps the most difficult thing to do after knee surgery, apart from jumping. Somehow, I don't think Lois will be doing jumprope anytime soon out of choice, rather than pain. Lois is in good spirits.

Thomas has missed a great deal of golf, poor him. I hope that he gets in a bit before the end of the seasons+. He is suffereing a bit from seasonal allergies, but is doing okay. He's still taken aback by Paul's unpredicted demise.

The TV failed in a peculiar way -- it wouldn't turn off when you pushed the power. One would naturally assume it was a remote control problem, but ... even the TV panel gave the same result. The only sure way to turn off the TV was to unplug it. The folks often just clicked off the powerstrip to which it was attached. Sometimes they would forget to click it back into place.

Anyway, the repairman came out and pull a resistor that burst a bit, like it exploded. After this part was replaced, it plays fine. Not too bad for an old, old set. The repairman lives in the neighborhood, so wasn't too far away. He chateed to me quite a bit on number theory and vector analysis regarding periodic cycles and reapeating numbers in the lottery games. He has yet to win, but sees patterns in the randomness. I am not convinced to play anymore, as I never got a big payout and I had a win-loss ratio of 36-64. I got to retain 36 cents out of every dollar, while the state got 64 cents. With that, I could never win. The repairman said that my ratio was actually high (better for me) than most persons.

Everyone here is okay, not dynamite or filled with superpowers and super abilities, but we're okay. I hope that we can enjoy the autumn colors soon and thankfully not from a hospital room. I was hoping that everyone would keep to the pact and stay well this year, but no one did.

+ different dates for different courses

Another wet day

Lois and Thomas went to appointments today, but there was a bit of confusion. They called me to find out where, if it was written, they were to go today. They had an understanding that they should be at one doctor's office, but perhaps another. I told them what was written. Still not convinced myself, I called the office listed at the time they were trying to meet and they had two office appointments running similtaneously. I thought, as did the scheduling nurse, that there should be a logic bit that prevents that from happening. What she and I didn't know is that the doctors did well intend to do that and Lois met with two doctors that hour -- saving much time and gas.

Thomas and Lois then went out to lunch and followed that with visiting the newly built Target here in town. It is the new SUPER Target, whatever that means. They seemed to like it and got gifts for kids, a basketball, and a new kettle. Now, one might suspect the use for the kettle -- that's right to make hot water for tea. The other kettle poured about as cleanly as an old spray can. The new one works great.

Lois was assigned a new home therapy using the basketball. I joked that it was layups, but it isn't that either. She uses it for flexing and movement; how very clever. I don't think she'll put Michael Jordan out of position anytime soon.

I picked up my neice, Jessica at the YMCA where she exercises after school. Thankfully it is within walking distance of the school. She had a doctor's appointment after that, so I drove her there (about 30 minutes away from the Y). I took her back to the folks house with the understanding that she would likely have to spend the night there for her mother was serving jury duty. Diane was under the impression that the case might last until Thursday evening, followed by a weekend deliberating sentencing. It was a civil trial and it finished sooner. The jury found the defense not guilty, so there wasn't a penalty phase.

Marcus spent some time looking for jobs (daily) and got a notice that one place actually responded -- "Thank you -- blah, blah, blah ... position has been filled." Drats! I'm still looking and applying.

Father is reading, "End of the Spear" about the missionaries who are slain by a tribe in Equador. Marcus is reading, "Dose of Sanity" about the poor state of psychiatry and the misdiagnosis and more for lack of medical approach to therapy. It's written by a practicing Neuropsychiatrist and exposes the many failings of cardboard psychiatry. I would highly recommend this short and simple book.

Lois is walking better each day, though feels the pain of rain-borne aches and joint pain. Her new knees are better than the old ones and she is walking better now than she had the previous six months and I believe in far less pain. Yes, yes ... double yes!

Freer

Although she's not completely unbound, she is freer to walk about. She's stronger than she has been. Thomas bought a cane for her at the last minute, for while visiting friends who don't have a raised toilet seat, she found it impossible to lift herself without a cane. The walker, however useful, wasn't enough. Lois is still working on at-home PT.

Thomas and Lois got a chance to play cards with friends this weekend. For another time (nth time in a row) the ladies beat, no dare I write, slaughtered the boys. The scores weren't divulged to me, but I'm sure the four-digit score was well earned or liked by the ladies.

From the previous post, readers should be aware that a friend died after surgery, after a farily rourtine operation. It is the same operation that Lois endured. She was under a river of blood thinners (due to heart problems) prior to the surgery and got back on them within hours of post-op. She was ver fortunate to have a caring and paitent staff surrounding her, helping her.

Thomas will spend hours today and tomorrow at services. I'm sure that his family knows that Paul will be missed.

He folded

This man played poker with Thomas, also golf.  Lois thought him to be a quiet, nice man.  He got a blood clot after knee surgery and died.  Thomas is to attend his services today.

 

PAUL G. OSTRANDER, 77, died Friday, Sept. 29, 2006, at Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he was an Electrical Engineer with Magnavox Corporation for 26 years, retiring in 1988. He was a U.S. Navy World War II veteran, a member of Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, American Legion Post 296 and the Tri-State 2 Cylinder Club. Survivors include his wife, Marilyn of Columbia City; sons, Michael Ostrander of Columbia City and William (Brenda) Ostrander of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; daughter, Sue (William) Gooding of Winona Lake; and grandchildren, Mason and Jared Ostrander, Simon Timms, Bruno and Jack Ostrander, Gabriella and Alexis Gooding. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Maximillian Ostrander. Service is 11 a.m. Tuesday at Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 6318 W. California Road, with calling one hour prior at the church. The Rev. Richard Smith officiating. Calling also from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at D.O. McComb & Sons Pine Valley Park Funeral Home, 1320 E. Dupont Road. Burial in Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery. Military graveside honors by American Legion Post 296. Memorials to Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran School Endowment Fund or American Heart Association. Published in the Fort Wayne Newspapers from 9/30/2006 - 10/1/2006.