This recent spate of extremely cold weather seems to have broken quite a few temperature records. Means everyone has to dress warm and take care of themselves a bit better. Those with walking issues may not be able to get out very well if at all.
Jamie and I came back the weekend morning just before the cold snap from being out at Target and Walmart. It rained some, and the rain let up just enough when we got home. I used my walker to get from the car to the garage into the house, but I had to move slowly due to possible ice. Fortunately, no ice and I didn't slip. I told Jamie later on that I wasn't going to go out again til the snow and ice on the driveway melted. Had I slipped and fallen, I could have gone down for good, needing medical help.
Post-Surgery Right Knee - Part 5 mentions what happened in 1982 when we had a big snowstorm and it was cold. Post-Surgery Right Knee - Part 4 talks about a big snowfall in Kentucky some time ago, 1994 or 1995, I think, where it was bitter cold and I was trying to shovel the driveway.
One of the funniest stories posted on CNN's site is It's so cold, humor edition.
Quite a few "It was so cold..." comments in the article. Most of the time, comments degrade into flame and/or political wars namecalling, and foul posts, but not here. Some are quite hilarious. I came up with a few...
It was so cold, that when I tried using my phone's speech to text software, the battery got very warm and the display showed "[chatterchatterchatter]." (or "It's warm, Jim.")
It's so cold that you don't need an ice cream maker. Just mix up everything and set it outside.
It's so cold that people can retire their refrigerators and freezers, instead just throwing everything outside.
It's so cold and icy that when I go to work, I don't need to walk. I have an oversize slingshot...
It's so cold, that a bullet/round from a weapon never reaches its destination, instead just freezing a few yards away.
It's so cold, that words come out of your mouth visually, no sign language needed.
It's true when they say laughter is good medicine as it warms the heart. It warms the body, too.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Looking back on 2013
The year 2013 wasn't exactly a great year for me. It marked my graduation at Gallaudet and three surgeries.
While college graduation marks a joyous time for those graduates, it was tempered by my nearly not graduating due to a capstone team member miscommunicating something with the instructor (Teamwork in classes and on the job - Part 1 and Part 2) requiring us to change direction mid-semester right before Spring Break. That plus having to deal with the ever-increasing pain levels due to the degrading left hip joint as I got closer to graduation and surgery date. It did help to inform those I worked with about what was going on with me. My team had a second chance at finishing up our project that summer, but my hip had other ideas, including the team leader also having a health issue, so we were never able.
The left hip had other ideas in a way that required three surgeries within 5 months (June, July, and November). Just 5 weeks after I had the original joint replacement, I had to return to the hospital due to it being infected. The second surgery had the joint be replaced by a wrecking ball of a spacer (Surgery and the Hips - Part 3) which was painful and uncomfortable. I had to have pain pills before physical therapy while in Acute Rehab. Fortunately, that wasn't needed when I moved to the nursing home.
I've been infection-free since the last surgery (Surgery and the Hips - Part 5). I don't need another wrecking ball in me. Physical therapy is going along well. I still have a ways to go before I can walk with and without a cane.
2014 should be a better year. The next surgery on the right hip should be near the end of 2014 also, and should go well.
While college graduation marks a joyous time for those graduates, it was tempered by my nearly not graduating due to a capstone team member miscommunicating something with the instructor (Teamwork in classes and on the job - Part 1 and Part 2) requiring us to change direction mid-semester right before Spring Break. That plus having to deal with the ever-increasing pain levels due to the degrading left hip joint as I got closer to graduation and surgery date. It did help to inform those I worked with about what was going on with me. My team had a second chance at finishing up our project that summer, but my hip had other ideas, including the team leader also having a health issue, so we were never able.
The left hip had other ideas in a way that required three surgeries within 5 months (June, July, and November). Just 5 weeks after I had the original joint replacement, I had to return to the hospital due to it being infected. The second surgery had the joint be replaced by a wrecking ball of a spacer (Surgery and the Hips - Part 3) which was painful and uncomfortable. I had to have pain pills before physical therapy while in Acute Rehab. Fortunately, that wasn't needed when I moved to the nursing home.
I've been infection-free since the last surgery (Surgery and the Hips - Part 5). I don't need another wrecking ball in me. Physical therapy is going along well. I still have a ways to go before I can walk with and without a cane.
2014 should be a better year. The next surgery on the right hip should be near the end of 2014 also, and should go well.
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