Pastor Dave's Highlights

[Mini Horses]

OK -- let me tell you that in a few years you would be looking at the smaller bags anyway! It's a method for being able to continue to do your own chores. This morning I loaded in store, bought & loaded into trunk of a car (truck is a LOT easier) then unloaded at home...5 - 50# bags of feed, 3-20# ones...dumped into the metal containers. It would have been nice had they all been only 25# ones!!!! I am a 72 y/o, 110# woman. My self says that when I can no longer get the feed, won't keep the animals. You're lucky it's rabbits. Horse feed rarely comes less than 40#. BUT, I would open the bag at the store & dump 1/2 into another if I needed to. I am just Blessed that I can still work as I do and thank the Lord every day.

You don't have to worry about more than getting the feed, even if it's 10# bags. It's all good. You will figure a way to move things, pull, drag, dump. Buy a longer hose, not larger containers, etc. I stack hay by making steps of the bales....it's a smart move, if the bales are tight. A pully lift will help move them also. Smaller bales!! Small is good. Keep that in mind.

I also feel you would do well with a support of some sort, be it belt or otherwise ? Weight loss always helps. And none of it will happen In a week or month...
several months is more like it. I do stretches every day to loosen up. YOU can do this! YAH!! if no surgery!

Speaking of bales of hay and the baler -- it appears there is a crank on the outside of the trailer. Is that the method to push the bale tight? The plans I have for a hand baler show a square for the hay, upright so you fill from the end of the eventual bale, and a lever device. You pull down and the attached plate is pushed into the end to compress Lot of leverage. LOT of work

 

[Mike CHS]

Well, It's come to T H I S

It appears the abdominal bulge my doc believed to be a hernia is a protrusion caused by separation of stomach muscles and probably won't be surgically corrected, so going to have to find other ways to help myself.

What kind of advice are they giving you?

I think we have all seen that saying "aging is not for the faint of heart",

It happens so gradually that we don't see it coming. When I was 50 I competed in an over 50 power lifting competition. I couldn't even begin to move those kinds of loads now but we adjust.

 

[Bruce]

You can still move those pork butts into the smoker, that is all that matters

 

[goatgurl]

work smarter, not harder is what my daddy always said. 25# is definitely smarter. and taking care of yourself is important. next question... when you gonna come down and work on my lawnmowers that I use for tractors. mechanical things really don't like me and something is always breaking.

 

[Baymule]

If I might butt in and ask a question, why won't this be surgically repaired? You don't have to answer and you can ignore this if you choose. I won't be offended. Just concerned. Our health is the most precious thing we own and when it hampers us living our lives, it takes away from our quality of life. You are too young to have to live with this the rest of your life.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I don't understand it all quite myself @Baymule, but the research I did on the muscle separation showed they didn't do surgery to correct it and the ones that did weren't real successful. I find out more tomorrow.

@Mike CHS they haven't told me of a way to strengthen core yet. I may have to wait and talk to my Primary physician because the surgeon hasn't been much help.

@goatgurl I would have to bring my neighbor and friend Butch with me. He does small engines nextdoor and I pay him what he allows me. He engineers and fabricates a lot of his jobs. I told him what I had in mind and drew him an idea and he went to work. He used a hydraulic cylinder off a 4x4 Ford tractor.
@Bruce I have 40# of weight out beyond the front axle. I haven't seen yet how it does with the max weight on the back. I stood on the drawbar and the front stayed put with 250#. I mean 242#, I've lost a little. Haha. I will add weight as I need to. (Edited: *To the front of the tractor*)

Thanks @Mini Horses. I appreciate the advice. I have a post-surgical band I wear sometimes. There is a crank on a threaded bar that presses the hay into a tight bale. It has an open top, so it's not as tight as I'd like. I've seen the ones made by a Florida welding company that sound like what you described. I would like to get one of those eventually.

 

[Pastor Dave]

CTscan showed small hernia that will be repaired on Aug 09th. Surgeon says small incision, even less invasive than laparoscopic. Abt an hour procedure, abt 4 days downtime, and 4 weeks weight restrictions.

 

[Mini Horses]

OK. That does sound just slightly better than a big surgical event. Of course, it will slow your PT for the core strength for a while...not the weight loss THEN you will be able to do the exercises they recommend.

It sounds like a "minor" repair ad we will all be praying for you, as well as waiting for reports after.

 

[greybeard]

work smarter, not harder is what my daddy always said. 25# is definitely smarter. and taking care of yourself is important.

I haven't gotten there yet, but my brother always said "It's a lazy man that won't make 2 trips". (we were talking about 40lb vs 80lb sacks of sakrete)

 

[Pastor Dave]

My weight loss has been slight, but since Jul 13th my BP in the surgeon's office last Monday was 124/82 and today it was 120/70, so my doc would be happy.