Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Bruce]

Chicken noodle soup fixes most everything Jan

Double knee is definitely harder than single ankle. You can't favor the "undisturbed" joint to give the operated on one a bit of a break.

 

[Baymule]

My friend, you need a recliner and a laptop. I am sitting in my lazy luxury watching Lone Star Law (about game wardens in Texas) and letting my fingers do the talking on my laptop. BJ bought my first laptop years ago and I have never gone back to a desk top. You sure could use a recliner now, I wish you had got one before your surgery. I haven't even had knee surgery and I can't sit in a regular chair or on a sofa for very long or my knees ache. Can you sit on your sofa with both legs up on it, for any length of time?

 

[Margali]

Do you have room to move computer next to bed? You can get a triangle backrest pillow and web surf fairly comfortably while lounging. That's what I did during bedrest with eldest son.

 

[farmerjan]

I am on hold waiting to get some info from ins co..... forever it seems.

Okay, I am back. Got some info and things better figured out. Am dealing with some of the stuff with my father's estate. Trying to help my son since I am home and he is working and doing everything else. I can at least make phone calls and sit on hold....and making decisions for an unexpected distribution from an annuity that was not included in the estate. Have to take SS into consideration so that I do not lose any of that with increased income for a year....

Yogurt is helping, stomach is a little more settled. Going to have to get some more.

I can take the laptop into the bedroom and use with my legs up on the bed. Yes, a recliner would have been the right way to go. I get tired of the "bedroom" and getting in the LR is a nicer change. But cannot sit on any of the chairs/couch with the legs up for any length of time as it is just difficult to sit upright like that with the legs out straight. At least on the bed I can move and bend them easier. But I am getting up and around as much as I can. Sore and achey... the spasms in the right leg really get to me. Been watching a few movies.

Been chilly. Down to 27 Sunday morning and 33 this morning. Maybe 47 today. A really strong breeze last night, could hear the wind several times. Sun out but when I stuck my head out, it was BRRRRR.... Supposed to be back up in the 60's by end of the week. Crazy weather.

PT tomorrow and will see what they say.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

 

[farmerjan]

Tuesday evening. Waiting on a ham steak slice to heat for some supper. I made a pot of rice this morning so I can reheat a few meals. Going to make some mashed potatoes tomorrow I think.
Finally feeling a little better as far as the stomach. Not queasy for 2 days now. MANY MANY THANKS to @Mini Horses ; for suggesting the yogurt to get my stomach and gut tract back to feeling more normal. I just didn't think about it.... I try to eat some every day. I can actually eat and not feel sick. Boy, that horrible food, and the manner in which it was served, as well as my system not being used to "not homegrown" food... really did a number on me. But hopefully am on the way to being better.
Had PT today and it was tough. Right leg still has the muscle cramps and tightness, it was the "worse" knee.... sore as all get out but at least I feel like I am making progress. They said I was doing good. 3 weeks yesterday since the surgery.
Went by the garage on the way home and I got my car. Paid for it and it will take me a little bit to pay off the charges on the card but that is fine. The forrester, new engine......It was a great feeling to be able to feel a little more "in control".....I have no intention of going gallivanting, but knowing that I can drive if I need to, is a good feeling. I don't feel so "impotent" . I will make a trip to the grocery, I will use the ride on cart they have, and get some more things, like more yogurt and some other things.... and I can take myself to the PT appts now. Told them to go on and get the heads for the outback, or a new used engine or whatever they feel is the best. Then I can keep it or sell it or whatever. It is not worth anything sitting there with no engine.... Scrap value is about 300.... running will make it worth 2,000 or more since used vehicles are worth more and more. If I can get back out of it what I put into the engine/heads redone, I will not lose anything on it. Might keep it and use it just for work for a bit. But at least now I have an "automatic" in the forrester which is my preferred vehicle. And I have the truck for when using the clutch is a little easier....since the left knee is working a little better I think I could use it right now without problems but having the automatic is better.
The neighbor that has taken me back and forth to the PT appts said that if I had any problems to just let him know... he has been great. I will give him and his gf some more chickens and some beef .... he hunts and got an 8 pt buck Sat on opening rifle day,,,, and DS has encouraged him to get some of the excess of does we have here.... he's been a great help and they are both really nice people.

Supper should be warmed up so I want to go eat something. I need to get these legs up for a bit.....but the good thing is they are sore but don't hurt like they did... a good "muscle sore" rather than "hurting....

 

[Margali]

Glad the healing is progressing as expected. Sounds like you have great neighbors.

 

[Baymule]

Freedom! Oh Miss Independent! LOL you can drive yourself to PT and the grocery store. I guess you won’t be taking up square dancing anytime soon though.
Glad the pain is more bearable now, you are on the mend.

 

[farmerjan]

Had PT again Thursday and we are trying to address the issues of the right knee/leg and the cramps and spasms that I don't have on the left one. Since that is the one that had the worse degree of bend, it is somewhat understandable that it has a harder time straightening but when the muscle and ham string tighten and go into a knot it is not fun and to try to "consciously" talk myself into relaxing it does not always work. Going to try some ice packs on both top and bottom of knee at intervals. Left one will go about straight and bend is good. If sitting in a chair I can get it to bend under me at over 110 degrees. When laying on the table, I can get the foot/heel to slide up towards my butt and get over 90 which is supposed to be very good too. Right bends just a few degrees less so still not bad but the straightening is 10 degrees which still needs more working on to get it down to 0...flat. Also going to try the Theraworx spasm foam 3 x a day instead of after I get the pains and see if that helps.... worth a try.

Got WINDY windy out yesterday. Started out with sun, then clouded up and really blew. Had a few drops on the windshield but didn't amount to much. Temps dropped down to 32 last night and not supposed to go much over 45 at best today. Good for hunting season.

DS got nearly 100 sq bales made and had only cut 6 rounds around the 10 acre field. He will try to get the rest cut in the next week. The cold will make drying slower, but the grass is not "wet" because it has basically stopped growing. At least none of it has gotten wet and he said it is real nice orchard grass, for this late a cutting. Hope he will have enough for the horse customers from what he got made before and what is left.

He has decided not to take the position with VDOT across the mountain although it would be a positive career move. Said with his father's health, and other GF health problems, he just feels that this is not the time to do it. I understand and told him that we will figure out a way to make the farm pay a little better. He has bought some feeder cattle, mostly bull calves that he has since "worked" (banded) at some very "good " prices, and hopes that they will make some money when he gets ready to sell them as good "hard weaned" steers in probably January and Feb. We do have all the corn silage to feed so that will help. But all the bills from making the silage and all are coming due now so have to get through that first. Going to be a couple of tight months without the increased pay he had seriously considered, to help with the cash flow, but weighing the 2 + hours travel a day alone was a big deciding factor. I have mixed feelings on it but in the end think it is the right decision at this time.

Got things kinda figured out with the annuity that turns out to not be part of my father's estate that will be divided between us 4 "children" . Had to look at the situation with my SS as If I showed a big increase in income this year I would lose some of my SS.... Have to pay taxes as it was a tax deferred one and it is not a huge sum when divided up, but I have a very "low income bracket" ..... am going to take it in a 5 year payout so the yearly income is smaller and won't hurt my SS income... and if a few more farms go out and I am still testing for a few more years it will just fill in a few spots..... Wasn't expecting it so it is found money.

Just ate a bowl of cream of wheat hot cereal, and going to get dressed. It has hit 40 in the sun, but one short stick my head out the door let me know it is chilly compared to yesterday. Have dishes to do, got all the ones put away from the last time. I went to the farm to get milk yesterday... oh thank you for the real milk to drink again... and have to get it into some glass jars. I left it in the 2 gal bucket last night. Think I will make some rice pudding with the big pot of rice I cooked up the other day.

Did not have a very good night.... ache kept me from falling asleep and staying asleep. Got to figure out a pattern so I can get to sleep better. Hate the waking up constantly. I told DS that I used to fall right off to sleep, but my physical body was tired from working and now I am not doing any real physical work so the body is not tired enough to want to sleep. Add the knees aching, and it has been a real trial. I did wake up once and was on my stomach and that is the first that I have been able to sleep on my stomach in 2-3 years... so it is getting better... just not fast enough for me. YEP, I am impatient.....

 

[Margali]

Do the aches get better with heat? When I lived in Iowa, I had an electric bed warmer (goes under fitted sheet). I would crank that sucker up when I got ready for bed then turn it off/low when I got in. The nice toasty sheets would ease aches and let me fall asleep easier.