Beans

Back in the real world, we eat a lot of rice, beans and veggies. Rice is a lose here, as are most vegetables. Most days I order a burger for one meal, and order lettuce and tomato -- as shred of lettuce of varying size and a slice of tomato of varying quality. Not exactly Food Pyramid levels. If Cole slaw is on the menu, I'll order it, but not on other days -- it get sad in the fridge versus fresh. Once I can start taking dinner in the dining room, I'll order salads, but not in bed.

But yesterday refried beans showed up on the menu and this time I got them. And baked beans today. Yay, beans!

Of course, nothing like the bit of white bean chilli Mrs. Dr. Phil "smuggled" in the other week. (grin)

The TV was out yesterday. Wondered if it was the remote, but the aide on second shift noted that the little red LED was out. Cycling the manual button did nothing. Thank goodness for books. Finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo last night. This morning I mentioned this to the first shift aide. She's six foot and reached up to see if the power plug in the back of the set was seated. LED comes on. Yay.

So... back to my shallow existence...

Dr. Phil

The Stump Is Free!

Wednesday 16 December 2015

My rescheduled appointment with my orthopedic surgeon was Wednesday at 10:30. This time there was no problem with transport -- proper stretcher and ambulance. Had a three man crew, instead of two. The Third man, who rode in back with me, wasn't from LIFE Ambulance, but was a part-time Kentwood firefighter getting his EMT training. Good for him. I think he said his day job was in sales for a metal stamping company -- had enough use it or lose it vacation days to take off the rest of 2015 for his training and the holidays.

But that's not what you want to hear about. You want to know what Dr. Fras had to say. Well, once the original compression bandaging from the surgery 3½ weeks ago was cut off, he was pretty pleased with his handiwork. As I've said before, the skin on my lower left leg wasn't great, especially in front, so instead of the usual flap, he did a fishmouth flap -- Mrs. Dr. Phil took a picture from the end, and you can imagine sort of a big lower lipped fish. There are two dog ears at the fold -- they'll either go away on their own or they'll have to cut off. But there was only a little seapage on one side, so he pulled the stitches.

I'll see him in two weeks.

But... everything has consequences. That second kiwi brace made just last week? Without all that bandaging, there was a good inch gap between stump and brace in the front. So it just hung from the gel sleeve -- and slid off from gravity. We had to abort some afternoon sit to stands in therapy. Not safe.

Thursday, we stuffed two folded washcloths in front of the knee and managed to do a number of sit to stands in both OT and PT. But we also completed a slide board transfer from wheelchair to mat table and back. Using yoga blocks of all things to prove hand grips where there are none. Much easier.

Then at three my buddy Tom from Hanger came -- he decided to cast a new fiberglass brace, but will try the same gel sleeve. We had someone from PT there to make sure it was right and helped with the process. Tom will drop it off on his way home, after grinding off some edges.

Yeah, yeah, the squeaky wheel gets results. Calling Hanger they said on Wednesday that the soonest appointment was to be on the cancellation list for Monday -- that's a lot of therapy that was on the line. But I had direct email to Tom -- he had it rescheduled to come today in minutes. (grin)

Whether realistic or not remains to be seen -- I've got to be able to take a step -- but I have a personal goal of Home For Twelfth Night and On To ConFusion. (double-grin)

Dr. Phil

UPDATE: The new kiwi is here. Much lighter than the previous. The lip has been finished, an there's a band of leather glued over the ground down ridge by the foam pad at the bottom. We'll see in tomorrow's therapy...

Amusement -- no spoilage

WWMT Channel 3 is based in Kalamazoo, so they went to the Celebration Cinema in Kalamazoo, a theatre we've never been to, for a top of the 11 o'clock show news story on Star Wars. The first showing had just gotten out, but they carefully edited the comments. The live field reporter assured everyone there would be no spoilers.

"I don't want to be the most hated man in West Michigan."

Interestingly enough, they reported that the final shows of the night were... Not sold out.

NOT SOLD OUT?

What the hell is wrong with you, Kalamazoo?

Well, I concede that WMU was just finishing final exams, so most of the thousands of students have gone. And Celebration has IMAX theatres in Grand Rapids and Lansing.

But really, not sold out? (grin)

When Episode 1 came out, Studio 28 was showing it on multiple screen for the first 24 hours and sold out. This younger generation just doesn't know how to celebrate a Star Wars Day.

Me? I'm stuck in the hospital.

And notice please, I never even mentioned the name of the new movie.

You're welcome.

Dr. Phil

And Rice!

I mentioned in my post on beans that rice is usually bad in hospital. But when I filled out the menu yesterday, I took a chance and ordered the sweet and sour meatballs -- and did not check the box below it for rice.

Naturally it came with rice.

But, our dinner came just before five, so we must've been one of the first rooms to get served. And I have to tell you, the rice under the sauce and meatballs was moist and tender and fluffy.

I ate it all.

So I had both beans and rice today, though not in the same meal.

And I'm a happy camper.

Dr. Phil