Truck on a Stump

On my way from one place to another I passed through Neilburg, Saskatchewan where I caught sight of this old truck.   

All that's left of Bob's Corner Gas & Cafe is the sign, an old gas pump and a truck on a stump. 

Michael Truman

Past Presence Website

Going downstairs is much scarier than going upstairs

I managed going downstairs, well, only eight stairs, yesterday. I was damn nervous.

I did it and proved I can do it. I had a little video taken and wanted to post it but I cannot get it to work.

In the meantime I have done a flight of stairs going up twice more.

That was scary

Last Thursday I was out at physio and while I was there I received an email that the elevator was out. I live on the second floor. After physio I needed to do something because I could not go home until I knew it was fixed, using the stairs might be insurmountable. So I went to a local watering hole, sat in the lounge, and had a late lunch. After some time I got an email that the elevator was back in service. I was concerned I might have had to get a hotel for the night if the elevator was not fixed. I could probably make it up two flights of stairs to get to my home but it would be a hell of a struggle.

Today being Saturday I thought I need to try the stairs. I did it months ago in rehab up five stairs. I have not done it since. 

I walked with crutches to the stairwell. Up eight stairs, hit the landing, up the next eight to the next floor. Easier than I thought. I took the elevator back to my floor. I need to try going down some stairs next. I am a little too nervous to try that right now. 

Elevator Friday - Near Lamont, Alberta

Thank you to Dale Redekopp.

How about an update?

As I mentioned I am transitioning to using crutches from the walker. Last Thursday I managed one thousand two hundred feet over the course of the day. I beat my personal best by four hundred feet.

Last Friday I had a physio appointment, a quick trip to the grocery store, and after that a trip to the podiatrist. For all that I used the walker. I have someone that drives me to my appointments. I did not have my usual therapist and this one manoeuvred my legs, hips, and knees into some different positions. Then onto the exercise bike.

I had not been in a grocery store for over a year. I have someone shopping for me. It is good to get out and do some mundane things.

I have suffered from ingrown toenails on my two big toes since childhood. I remember three separate times when I was in elementary school going to a doctor, having my toe frozen, and cutters jammed into my toe, cutting, then pulling out a chunk of nail. Then spending time soaking my foot is salt water and walking gingerly until it healed. I have had ingrown toenails where the toe got so sensitive a bit of air blown across would cause pain. Over the years I have largely kept the problem at bay. 

During my hospital stay no one trims your nails. When I was just beginning to relearn how to walk I was having issues with my toes. I asked nurses to clip the corners and they would not do it. They were not allowed. I could not do it. Due to my injuries I could not bend enough to touch my toes. I finally found out you could book the hospital podiatrist or the foot care nurse who took the foot care course. I booked both. The reason I booked both is either of them might not be around for weeks at a time. At different times I experienced their handiwork. Both were butchers.

I am currently having a bit of swelling in my feet which causes a bit of a problem in my toes. Sometimes I do not have full sensation in my toes but I knew I had nails that were starting to get ingrown. I was waiting in the patient room on the exam table and getting pain in my legs due to the backrest being at an odd angle and the table was hard as a rock. When he started to address my toe issue I yelped a few times as it was worse than I thought. Immediate relief when he was done. All four corners of the nails needed to be clipped.

When I got home I was in pain and needed medication. Having a therapist manipulate me, a lot of walking, and getting my feet done on an unforgiving table was too much. I gave myself time to recover Saturday and will get back at the crutches Sunday.