Loretta

I broke my kneecap back in 2001 - man that was painful! I found getting up and down was the worst. I don't think we realize the pressure we put on our legs to stand us up and sit us down!

Chris

I hate emergency rooms. Went to get a big cut sewn up and waited so long it was too late for them to do anything. Meaning 8 hours when a cut remains open. Odd to know emergency care doesn't splint.

Keep us posted and hope it is just a normal broken bone.

Be sure to give it a chance to heal. I've experienced more foot and knee problems as the years passed, and I discovered it was the small things I "toughed out" when I was young which are coming back to haunt me. So take care of yourself. No sneaking a quick hop to get the tv remote, or a quick snack, or a drink of water. Set up your empire in the morning before your son leaves, get him to refresh your stuff for you. Can you move your bed closer to the bathroom door?

My brother loaned me his nice pair of crutches--he has had bone healing issues all his life it seems--and so I am using them this week because of a bone spur in the heel of one foot. It is important to wear STIFF SOLED SHOES. And good arch supports too. When I had a motorcycle fall over and my toes got all bent upward while lifting it off me, they could not put a cast on that, just told me, WEAR STIFF SOLED SHOES.

So lady, take care of yourself. And come to the forum. Some one or other of us will be around, for sure.

Chris

Jay

Thinking about you, post when you can.

ML, I've got the treatment for heel spurs. This is what a dr told mil and it worked for her and then worked for me.

When you wake up in the morning, lay on your back and stretch your toes only toward your head so it stretches the heel.

When you get up, roll your heel back & forth over an ice pack, or bag of frozen peas - for about 15 minutes. The peas go back in the freezer. Do this 3 times a day, sitting at meals works great.

It takes 6 to 8 weeks but the heel spur will go away.

Yes, you do get to pick your color. They even have camaflauge (sp?) for the guys! It only takes a second for a wrong step to turn to disaster. Jay, are you going to be working on your house alone? If so, you need to be extra careful out in the countryside alone. (OK, I'll stop acting like your mama!).

One thing I discovered is that if I sit upright on the side of the bed about 5 minutes and let the blood rush back into the limb, it feels like my legs is being squeezed really tight by the cast, (I think this has something to do with the fact that I'm keeping it elevated above heart level). Then it slowly starts to feel better and doesn't hurt as much as it does when I just get up and go. Of course in the middle of the night, that 5 minutes seem like an eternity when I need to use the bathroom, lol

Martia, he said it will stay on for 8 weeks!

Hope you do not mind I showed my hubby your lovely leg. What a wonderful idea to make casts pretty and I can totally see myself looking for the pretty cast material as I already have a project in mind. Not on your pretty leg though.

Sorry I am so late Was a long day and just now getting settled in at the computer and not for long. It is already too late for me.

Wish I could do a little pretty get better gif for you.

Chris

Good point about being careful working alone. I'll keep my cell phone on me at all times. I'm even thinking about attaching a string or something. It would be just my luck to get stranded on the roof somehow, and drop the phone trying to call for help! I'm hoping to have help on all of the outdoor work- I may even pay a helper if needed when I'm working off the ground. Also, I always tie off with a harness when working on a roof. I'm flattered you care enough to 'mother' me- men need that to keep us from doing dumb stuff.

It showed all the ways men misuse ladders, jerry-rig equipment, and so on. I made sure I let myy DH see it.

So sorry about your broken leg--I hope you are up and around soon.

I signed your cast--anyone else want to sign?

I had a really good day. From the bed to the porch where I stayed most of the day. I only had pain when I was using my leg. While sitting, it felt good. It really feels worst when it's been elevated and I have to get up!

ML I wish you still had that email too. My brother had the brilliant idea to re-roof his 3 story house (with a really steep roof pitch). Needless to say, me, my sisters and his wife were horrified! The insanity finally passed and he hired it out, but I still have visions of him falling off of that roof! MEN!
Jay, so you are a T&D maker huh? A good T&D guy is worth his weight in gold in a factory. I've worked with some good ones.

Thanks for the flowers and the card.
Loretta

I'm glad you had a good day, Loretta. Please remember not to overdo it. Let others take care of you for awhile. :o)

Chris

BTW, I was the crutch queen in high school, and I got quite good on them. The trick is that the top of the crutch should be no higher than the top of the side of your bra, the handles should be positioned so that the elbow is still bent when you hold the hand-holds, and you put your weight on your hands, not your underarms. Generally, you walk with a three-and-one gait. The bad foot and both crutches go forward together, then the arms hold you up while you swing your body forward and land on the good foot.

ML, I had plantar fasciitis (that leads to heel spurs) several years ago. It did not respond well to the cortisone shots into the heel joint, or to the occasional rolling of my foot on a cold Coke can. It got so bad that driving was torture, I just could not put my heel onto the floor of the car. I ended up getting some plastic foot braces that I wore at home at rest, and all night long in bed. The braces held my foot in a flexed position (so my toes were not pointed down like they want to do). By having my foot in the same position it would be if it were on the floor, the heel tendon got stretched out and the pain was gone in a month or so. I had been trying to HOLD my feet in that flexed position, because it hurt less. That just messed it up more. The braces let me relax my muscles and keep it flexed, and that did the trick. You can get these kind of braces from Foot Smart or any other footcare site/catalog.

Be safe everybody - we are all doing our little projects and need to remember to take care of ourselves. Even though I have all those kitchen cabs to sand, touch up, and polyurethane, I stopped today when my feet got too sore. I had to go to Lowes with DH to order the last of the appliances for the new kitchen, and I just can't stand on concrete. I could only work a couple of hours on the cabinets. I have a feeling that they will not all be done when they get installed, and I will be finishing them up after they are already in!

Jay, that is a very weird injury! Is it feeling better yet? Hope so!

I will be sure to follow the regimen you and your MIL used.
THANK YOU.

Well, Loretta, how goes your morning this fine Sunday?
Hope you are having a good day.

FlowerLady

Emagineer-Sandy asked me to post her picture with her signature on Loretta's cast, shown above.

Steph ~ You save a copy of this photo to your computer, sign it in an art program, save it again and upload it to you server/host, and post it. I think I got that right.

It was fun to do, and Loretta's cast will be all signed up in no time at this rate.

FlowerLady

For the signature:
Use your right click on photo.
Select copy and save in a folder on your computer.
I use Photo Shop, selected "text" and wrote my name on the photo.
Save it and upload into an "album" program on the net.

Obviously, Flower had to post it for me though. Need to find another resource to upload photos.

Whoever thought of this...fun stuff.

ML and Jay, I hope both of you continue to feel better.

Hope you follow doctor's orders. Also, don't fret about what you cannot get done. God just put you on down time for your own good. Say "Thank you, God." Have a good weekend, Lo.

I worked on your leg Loretta... and finally got it. couldn't be fancy or anything. once I managed to get my name on it I wasn't gonna mess with it anymore - or I might delete it somehow! it's right above Anita and Moccasin.

Hope your doing well and getting around a bit better now.

Moc...I had no clue those shots were that expensive. They must have changed Medicare for covering it since a couple of years ago. I've had to change so much of my medical care due to their lack of coverage that it is to the point of not caring about seeing doctors at all. Those in retirement who cannot pay the extra or for a supplemental are getting lost in whatever this health bill is being applauded for. Apologies for getting off the subject.

wow ML I didnt know there was a shot for shingles?? tell me more please. DH got shingles for the first time last year and it was sooooo painful! He didnt even know he'd had chicken pox until he rang his mother to check and yep he had it at about age 3 or 4 and didnt remember. He still gets some pain in the area on his side where the shingles appeared (he had some pills from the doc that's supposed to prevent the long term neuralgia) but I dont know if they worked that well since he still gets a burning sensation sometimes. Did you have chickenpox at some stage?

I had 2 co workers who had shingles and they both stayed out almost a year. I did not know they had a shot either. I have a sister who has worked on the same job for over 15 years and is still 'part-time'. They schedule the workers for 32 hours so they do not have to give them benefits, then ask then to work an extra day each week. So effectively, they work 40 hours as part-time employees. She does not have any insurance at all.

Dang shingles are so bad. Hubby had them over 10 years ago and still suffering side effects.

Chris

I have no idea if Medicare will pay for those other shots, probably will to some extent. But for the preventative shot, it seems not. However, the doc's office is filing a claim with my secondary provider to see if they will.

As a diabetic, skin problems are always present. So I did not want to have further complications which could end up with me losing any parts of my body. I really like being alive, and able to walk around and garden and sit in a bathtub or stand in the shower.

So everyone, please take care of yourselves. The things you ignore now will come back to haunt you when you are old like me, and maybe you'll have to change your dwelling place or living style. That would be awful, since I know everyone frequenting this forum truly enjoys the smaller home lifestyle.

Flowerlady, can you add my name too? Loretta, I guess you'll have to print it out on a clear label and attach it to your cast now. lol

When you stretch your toes toward your head in the morning, do it for about 10 minutes, doesn't have to be 10 continuous minutes.

Wear gel inserts in your shoes, and wear shoes with a back to hold them in.

Never go barefoot, always wear shoes.

And depending on how bad your spur is, it could take much longer than 6 weeks to be totally gone.

When I told the doc I thought I had a bone spur, he grimmaced, but was polite, then asked where it hurt. He said I'd diagnosed it correctly, and he also gave me a list of exercises to do. The proper name for it is PLANTAR FASCIITIS.
Sounds good to me. :)

Oh my gosh, never go barefoot. I'm barefoot all the time indoors, I hate shoes. I'm 61 and it's too late for me to change my natural habit. Maybe it's because I am part Native American.

MoccasinLanding ~ I'm all for herbs for health and well being. I had to look up bone spurs and this is what I found. Maybe you already know and are taking these.

***
Bone spurs can be prevented and effectively treated with calcium and magnesium supplements. A proper balance of these nutrients prevents abnormal calcium deposits from forming. The digestive enzyme betaine HCI helps the body absorb these nutrients.

Natural anti-inflammatory supplements which may be of help are whole leaf, cold processed aloe vera juice, glucosamine sulfate, shark cartilage, bromelain, evening primrose oil, and kelp.

• Calcium, 1,200 mg
• Magnesium, 600 mg
• Glucosamine sulfate, 500 mg daily
• Bromelain, 2 capsules between meals
• Evening primrose oil, 500 mg
• Kelp, 1 tsp. daily
• Vitamin C, to bowel tolerance

FlowerLady

I don't know why that last leg pic ended up so small. I tried numerous times to change it - only size options are smaller! I copied it from one of the larger pics posted before it, added my name, saved to my pic file, uploaded to photobucket and inserted into the post. and it was so much smaller than the others!

can anyone copy my name from the small one to a larger one? or just add my name on a larger one also?

Sandy

Loretta- Hope you're feeling better every day!

Jay

thx!

Also, looking at old threads, there are some beautiful homes posted. It would be nice to have them all in one thread. Of course some are lost, but maybe a way to get them together. I'll think on it.

Sandy, it is a cyclical thing IMHO. Folks are here when they think about their homes and "issues." It happened with the Alabama Gardening forum, we had such a good group scattered across the state, and now I feel like Lonesome George over there....everyone is from the northern part of the state, Birmingham or close. Where did all the Mobile people go?

Of course, I've had concerns split between AL and MA, doing plant selection for a zone 5B climate is totally different in my experience. And decorating that house up there was a LOT of fun and even more work. I just don't have the energy that I used to, but we are slowly getting the two houses and gardens done.

It's interesting when someone from a previous cycle comes back, like Penny. I wonder what you think of the place now, Penny? Do you feel estranged and remote? Or do you think you'd find it nice to hang out again? There is always room for one more, and you know how to chime right in and pick up where you left off.

Glad to see you here, Penny.

I'm glad everyone is enjoying signing the cast. Do you have a lot of real signatures? LOL, about Bible study--if you were a FWB from So.Ohio, they would have come to you, first thing!

I hope I'm not too new, myself, to welcome Penny. I really appreciate everyone here.

Welcome Penny. The more the merrier.

Chris

It is great that they were able to fix your cast so that you are no longer in pain. Now maybe you can enjoy your 'down time." With all those projects you have been doing lately, how are you tolerating the time off of your feet? Do you have hobbies you can do now that you are feeling better?

Chris

Shades, were you driving on long open stretches of highway out in Idaho, or were you on city streets? I depend on my depth perception to keep me out of trouble.

But when I am on those long treks between Alabama and Massachusetts and driving all the way without a stop (only gas for 1450 miles) I used the cruise control and exercised my legs and arms to keep circulation going. Before I had a cruise control, I'd drive with my left foot too. Keeping the right out of the way was an issue. I take my hat off to Nancy for thinking about THROWING HER LEG OVER THE HUMP!!!!

don't start doing too much now...like cleaning house!

I have a question about medical care, so I think I'll ask it here.

Have any of you heard of Concierge Care Physicians? They limit their patients, charge a yearly 'wellness fee' and are more accessible to you for care.
My primary care doctor is going this route. His yearly fee is $1500! I read a disscussion about this on another board, and this seems to be the going rate.

Even though I have high blood pressure and cholesterol, I have had great success with the very first meds I tried, so I only go to the doctor once a year for my physical. I just cannot see paying $1500 a year. So I guess the search is on for a new doctor.
Ok the rant is over, lol

same here Idie! I was so sick for such a long time it all went downhill. pushing it back 'uphill' is too exhausting...

Loretta so glad you were able to get out on your own a bit. Does make a person feel better to get out a bit with out having to ask for a driver. Just be careful.

Chris

It is still very sore and swollen, but I'm sure that will get better with time. I had no idea there could be that much dry and dead skin on the human body!

I am so glad this ordeal is over for you. Now get to work!!! Joking of course. But I am anxious to see what you come up with next.

Chris

aaahhhh - that must feel sooooo good! btdt!

Take it easy and enjoy the weekend and the holiday. I just finished watching my THIRD NETFLIX movie tonight. Part of the marathon.

I'm sorry to hear about your break, but glad to hear you are up and around. If you can, I would strongly recommend physical therapy. When I blew out my ACL 3 years ago, I was on crutches for weeks. It was suprising how unbalanced my back, abdominal, and leg muscles were..I had back spasms so bad I ended up in the ER. Even if its just for a couple of weeks, it will help prevent problems down the road.

Regardless, glad to hear you are feeling better!

Its feeling pretty good - just very sore. The cast was so uncomfortable at night in bed, so I feel great with it gone.

The doctor said he didn't think I needed therapy. But he said if my range of motion has not improved in 2 weeks to give him a call and he will give me a referral.