Elevator Friday - Formerly Valentine, Alberta

The UGG grain elevator that used to be in Valentine is now on a farm north of Ryley, Alberta. Valentine doesn’t exist anymore. Contributed by Dale Redekopp.

Progress . . .

Got a little more flexible and a little stronger. 

Doing two hundred stairs in a day just over a week ago was perhaps dumb. At the time I felt so damn good and. I did not hurt the next few days but my body was damn tired out. I felt some muscle strain but very little pain. I did not have much energy for days. At the moment my legs are in some pain.

I was doing stairs with holding the railing with one hand and using a crutch in the other. Then a couple of days ago tried and succeeded using both crutches to get up stairs. Yesterday I tried something a little different, I can just make it up four steps with one hand on the railing and no support on my other hand. Today I used one crutch (just one) for the first time in my right hand and managed to walk (badly) ten feet. Every time I do something a little new I am ravenous and exhausted later.

Toying with the idea of putting things on hiatus for a while. Exercising has been wearing me out lately.

Elevator Friday - on a farm near Grande Prairie, Alberta

Thank you Dale Redekopp.

Hallways and stairs

I largely spend my days walking the halls on crutches and going up stairs on crutches. Stairs seem to be really helping my legs. Last Friday I did one hundred sixty-eight stairs. I took Saturday off and gave myself a rest. Today I increased my stair count to two hundred eight. Not bad. 

Elevator Friday - near Rosemary, Alberta

Thank you Dale Redekopp.

Not bad

I live in an apartment style condo on the second floor. Lately I have been walking to the stairwell, up sixteen stairs to the next floor, down the hall, take the elevator down to my floor and down the hall back to my place. All on crutches. A few times I did two flights of stairs instead of one. Today was my personal best, one hundred twenty-eight stairs and about one thousand feet of walking on crutches. We will see how I feel in the morning.

Cpt Mo makes an appearance

 

Tales of my father

Actually a photo of dad. I was cleaning up some stuff and found some old photos. No idea when this was taken or how old he was. I do not know what the vehicle was. Dad was born June 26, 1942. He grew up poor on a farm in Alberta. Photos would have been a luxury and very few exist.

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.