Staying the Course -- 03-27-2017

[Superbob]

The week starts with visits to medical offices, naturally. All good at eye doc's -- my 6-month follow-up visit to cataract surgeries last summer. No problems there. Eventually, he pointed out, a good many people have an after-cataract-cataract (or something like that) in which surgeon has to go back in and correct the lens implant. But so far, so good --no blurry vision. My distance vision is better than it ever was before.

Next a stop to GP's office to get my brand-new (and free!) Blood glucose monitoring kit -- it's a Contour, from the Bayer people, and seems very easy to use, much better than the ancient model I had that I (conveniently) lost. So now I can have fun with self blood draws. Ah, the strange kicks we get in life along this course we stay in the senior years. : ) My first draw was in the non-diabetic range, which is where I need to try to keep it.

Tomorrow I am going to TRY to go back to exercise class. A little apprehensive about the reception I will (or won't) get. I just really don't crave attention -- hard to blend in when you are just one of 2 old guys in the class. Why is it that women are so much more into workout classes than males? I know there are plenty of retired guys who have the time. Maybe they are all out playing golf (which has never appealed to me)...Is there really any exercise in golf?

Wednesday, I have my cardio checkup. No special tests scheduled but maybe she will want another echo soon. Will weigh on their scales and hope for the best.

Hope Duffey is completely well by now, and all others are doing well also.

Don't know how many of you follow basketball but South Carolina getting into the Final Four is a BIG DEAL down here. I am sure our estimable founder, The Chimp, is swinging through the jungles celebrating like crazy right now!

Cheers all,

Superbob

 

[jwinter]

Superbob it is a little quiet in here it seems.

I also would like to wish Duffey the best as I was late to read the post on last weeks thread. Hope the days ahead will get things back in place.

My week has been kind of uneventful and just the way I like it Finishing up a little drywall project and starting to get outdoors to begin some spring work. I made a little milestone today as I got all my woodwork cleaned and oiled..... a milestone because this little job took me two days to finish before my last surgery. Good to feel stronger and get rid of that fatigue and shortness of breath. I would like to hurry it up a little more but will just be patient.

Superbob I see you are doing the doctoring "thing" and we all know how that goes. My Sis has had the cataracts done but I have dodged that one so far. Sounds like you are doing well. Cardio checks are not so bad if they don't entail too many tests. I hear you on the exercise class. I don't need that kind of attention either. Oh well, you go get em! Take from the class exactly what you want out of it and forget the rest....... All about staying that course you know!

 

[FredW]

Hi StC folks.

For me, the last few weeks have been a pain in the ***. Literally. Sciatica nerve pain caused by shoveling snow about eights ago. This has stopped any work out program. It will start to get better and I will do something like wash the car, and it returns to remind me that it is in charge of my life, not me. Steroids don't help, anti-inflammatory medication doesn't help. My standard execerises tricks do nothing. I will start physical therapy this week. My doc has even asked me how I feel about surgery. I told her that I won't talk about it until I try PT.

It has limited my ability to do any desk work, limited my piano playing, has cut into my nightly glass of scotch, and comes with a good dose of sleep deprivation. I can't do any spring yard work, and the trees that blew down in the last storm are still waiting for me and the chainsaw. If I wasn't one already, it has pushed my behavior to a good simulation of a cranky old man. The pain seams worst than that I had after OHS.

However, I suspect today's pain is always worst than yesterday's pain.

if there is any good news in this story it is my appetite is off. The bad news is my will power is also off. My desire to have some pleasure in life was justification for buying and eating a big bag of chedder and sour cream potato chips the other day. I didn't even share them with my wife. Now, I not only have to deal with those ugly calories, but I have to deal with quilt.

I truly hope you all are doing better than me.

Next week, I'll do my best to get back on course.
Fred

 

[epstns]

I'm still here, too - trying to get on track but the weather just won't help. That's pretty usual here in the rust belt. We get a few really great spring days, then back into the deep freeze, maybe some snow flurries. It hasn't gotten truly warm (70's - not hot) until mid to late May the past couple of years. That could mean another month or 6 weeks of heavy coats.

I'm managing to get to the gym most weekdays, but have had to back down my workout intensity a few times. I had some medical treatment last November for a non-heart-related medical condition, and am still feeling some after effects of that treatment. The latest is enteritis - abdominal cramps that seem to come and go at a whim, and that seem to move around the abdomen at random. There are meds for it, but they make me so loopy that I'm afraid to take them and drive a car, so I just "tough it out." I'm hoping that this will prove to be temporary, but it is too soon to tell.

Otherwise, life is just business as usual. Crazy at work. Home is getting a bit crazy, as we are awaiting the birth of our second grandson in late June, and my DW is trying to plan when and how to go East to help our daughter for a while. My only frustration is that I can't plan anything for the summer, as we don't know who will be where and when yet, and probably won't know until the last minute.

On the heart issues - nothing new. I next see my cardio in July, right around the anniversary of my pacemaker replacement. We do an echo, then discuss it at his office later that afternoon. I don't expect any major news there, as everything was doing fine last summer and I feel the same as before.

Fred - I'm aghast and so sorry that you are being denied your glass of scotch. Why? If no meds, what would stop it? More importantly, do you favor single malt or blends? Straight? Water? Ice? We (DW and I) favor single malts, served "neat" (straight up, no ice or mixer). A few of my favorites are MacAllan (almost any of their varieties), Auchentoshan and Dalwhynnie. My wife actually prefers some of the more "peaty" whiskies like Laphroaig and Oban. Sorry if I'm rubbing it in, but maybe you can find a way to enjoy just a wee dram?

 

[FredW]

Steve, when it cones to scotch, my budget allows me to be a Dewars on ice (blend) guy. But, I have been known to prefer a fine single malt for special occasions. My best experience with a single malt was a glass of Lagavulin, neat. It makes one appreciate the world a little better. I have had MacAllan, and will look forward to trying the other two you wrote about, assuming I can remember, pronounce, or spell them.

 

[honeybunny]

Hi everyone.

i didn't keep up with last weeks thread so I'll have to go back and see what's happening with Duffey.

SB, it appears you have a good grip on age-related health issues and all is under control. Glad to hear it.

Fred, sorry to hear about the sciatica. I had a mild issue with that about 15 years ago and still remember the pain and movement limitations. Hope you recover real soon. Sending positive energy your way.

Steve, congrats on the soon-to-be newest addition to your family.

I'm doing a bit better with my caloric intake this week; staying under 1200 calories/day. Still job hunting but remaining hopeful.

 

[Superbob]

I got back to exercise class finally today -- and they all said they had missed me. They said they did not think I had dropped out, but expected me back. Nice to be missed.

For the first time, though, we had a substitute instructor -- and I think she was used to teaching 25 year olds. That's how her class felt -- wow, she stopped for no water breaks (had to just grab our own), some of her exercises were pretty stressful, and she let her class go 15 minutes past the stopping point. Her music was weird too -- lacked all the "oldies" from Elvis to Michael Jackson our beloved regular teacher uses. --- Wow! --picky, picky me --- well, the good news is we all survived, and our regular teacher will be back. I re-upped for April. It's all good. Yes, I thanked our sub for giving us a good class -- (but I bet she does some sensational Zumba classes for 20-somethings.)

Fred, I fully relate on the back problems. I started having symptoms of spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal) about the time I turned 60. That was 15 years ago. There was a lot of talk of the possibility of surgery back then and one try of of an epidural shot for pain (never again) --- but I want to avoid back surgery if at all possible. For one thing, I could have to have a replacement of my aorta-and-valve replacement eventually and I want to save my surgical stamina for that. Physical therapy at various junctures has helped me considerably. A year ago I had expert PT in a 90-degree pool and it felt nothing short of heavenly. My doc offered recently to prescribe me another round of aqua therapy but knowing there are annual limits on PT sessions, I am holding off -- til maybe this fall or winter. Nice to know I have that in the bank. (You might want to inquire about aqua PT.)

By dogwalking every day despite the aches and pains, and shedding whatever excess weight I can, I am keeping the stenosis at bay as best I can.

Don't know how much this relates to your sciatica problem. but hoping PT helps you get past it.

Good to hear from all y'all. I'll be 'round -- staying the course....

 

[Paleowoman]

I can't believe you are writing about back issues. I've just come back this afternon from seeing my rheumatologist - I've been having pain in my left foot and leg for some time, I knew I had osteoarthritis and an osteophyte and bursitis and thought the other pains I was getting in the foot and leg were transferred pain or tendon problems, but the rheumatologist had wanted to rule out a nerve problem in my back so I had a nerve conduction test last week. I never get back ache, but lo and behold the nerve test showed that I have nerve entrapment somewhere in my lumbar spine which is causing the additional pain in my leg and foot. I'm having an MRI on Thursday to find the place where the nerve is trapped. Weird not having back pain though !

 

[Superbob]

I can't believe you are writing about back issues. I've just come back this afternon from seeing my rheumatologist - I've been having pain in my left foot and leg for some time, I knew I had osteoarthritis and an osteophyte and bursitis and thought the other pains I was getting in the foot and leg were transferred pain or tendon problems, but the rheumatologist had wanted to rule out a nerve problem in my back so I had a nerve conduction test last week. I never get back ache, but lo and behold the nerve test showed that I have nerve entrapment somewhere in my lumbar spine which is causing the additional pain in my leg and foot. I'm having an MRI on Thursday to find the place where the nerve is trapped. Weird not having back pain though !

The lumbar region is the locus of my back problem, but "nerve entrapment" sounds different than my stenosis. With spinal stenosis, pain comes when you stand and is relieved when you sit down -- which is the reverse of what you need to do to keep yourself fit, so it is insidious. (I just continue to try to defy it.) Hope it is a good sign that you are not having pain and that the MRI will spotlight a problem that can be cleared up as easily as possible, Paleowoman. (I've read stats on the prevalence of back problems -- I think most of us deal with one kind or the other during our lifetimes.)

 

[epstns]

I sympathize with all who are battling back issues. My own back issues usually result from having a pinched nerve in my lower back. The last time I visited the ER for it, they did a pretty complete X-ray workup. What the found was that I have some arthritis of the lower spine with some small bone spurs. These spurs can sometimes pinch a nerve, and WHAMMO! I'm face-down on the floor (or in the grass, as once happened) writhing in pain and unable to do anything but lay there until the spasm subsides. The doc at that time said "I can promise you two things. First, this will get better. Second, it will happen again. I can't tell you when or for how long either will happen." So, I guess I'm just skating on thin ice with it, as they have no suggestions to prevent recurrence. I have many minor flare-ups, but I think they are the "normal" variety of back pain from moving incorrectly or lifting incorrectly. The big ones just come out of nowhere, usually with no discernible cause. Ain't getting old fun?

 

[Paleowoman]

What do you take when you get these 'flare ups" ?

 

[Zoltania]

My boyfriend also gets back pain. In his case it's sciatica caused by muscle spasms, possibly the piriformis muscle. Physical therapy helped him get over the worst of it. He now keeps it at bay by watching his lifting form (no cantilevering!), taking ibuprofen, and resting in what his PT called the "box position" for at least 20 minutes a day.

The "box position" consists of lying on your back in front of an armchair with your legs up on the chair, so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. It makes a huge difference for him.

Fred, I sympathize with your current frustration. When my boyfriend's back pain was at its worst, he had to sleep in a recliner (that part will be familiar to many denizens of this forum) because he couldn't even bear lying stretched out on a bed. It was a miserable ordeal until the physical therapy started helping. Best wishes to you.

 

[OLDLADY]

This week I am preparing for my trip to Cleveland Clinic for my second aortic valve replacement. I am not looking forward to it but again it is a "have to" situation. I too have back pain, spinal stenosis, radiculopathy, impinged nerve, L5-S1, SI joint issues, and also having issues with left knee and left ischial tuberosity. I am not sleeping well at all, haven't for some time. I will need to readdress these issues at a later date. I have testing April 3,4,5 and then surgery on the 6th. Dr. Gosta Petterson is my surgeon. He did my replacement in 2011 so I have trust in him. If all goes smoothly I will be headed back home on the 15th. Wish me luck.

 

[Superbob]

This week I am preparing for my trip to Cleveland Clinic for my second aortic valve replacement. I am not looking forward to it but again it is a "have to" situation. I too have back pain, spinal stenosis, radiculopathy, impinged nerve, L5-S1, SI joint issues, and also having issues with left knee and left ischial tuberosity. I am not sleeping well at all, haven't for some time. I will need to readdress these issues at a later date. I have testing April 3,4,5 and then surgery on the 6th. Dr. Gosta Petterson is my surgeon. He did my replacement in 2011 so I have trust in him. If all goes smoothly I will be headed back home on the 15th. Wish me luck.

I am definitely wishing you all the best, as I am sure will be the case of all others staying the course here. I have heard many good things about your surgeon and of course Cleveland Clinic. Just had my regular cardio check-up today -- some day if I outlast my replacement device I will need to get a replacement of my replacement, too. I've got 12-plus years on my first one so far.

Looking forward to hearing from you after you return home on the 15. All best to you!

 

[epstns]

Anne - When my back flares up, if it is "minor" I take ibuprofen - at a dosage well above the OTC level. My docs have said that for short duration I can take up to 800 mg every 4 to 6 hours (that's 4 regular tabs, which equals one prescription Motrin tab but costs almost nothing). That works probably 75% of the time for me. When it gets really bad, I have prescription Flexaril, which is a muscle relaxant, as well as a prescription anti-inflammatory (the name of which escapes me at the moment). I've only taken this thing to the ER one time, and they prescribed muscle relaxants and an opioid pain med. If I took both of those as prescribed, I was unable to do much more than sit around and watch the room spin. . .

OLDLADY - I remember you from the Class of 2011. I'm sorry to see you back for rework so soon, but you are going to the #1 center for heart valve procedures in the U.S., so I'm sure you will once again receive the best of care. Wishing you a speedy journey and smooth recovery.

Still Stayin' the Course here. . . watching the rain fill up the drains and start to flood some of the roads. The back yard is a swamp, but that's the worst of it so far. Looks like a wet spring here.

 

[Paleowoman]

Thanks Steve. I looked up Flexaril which is Cyclobenzaprine but it's not available in the UK. Maybe we have something similar ? I had my MRI just now - will get the result on Tuesday. It is an unusually hot day here near London, 21 C (70 F) so it was lovely and cool and relaxing in the MRI tube.

 

[honeybunny]

Wishing all of you with back and other pain quick relief from your suffering.

Oldlady, sending you positive energy for success with your upcoming surgery and a speedy recovery.

 

[Superbob]

Wishing all of you with back and other pain quick relief from your suffering.

Oldlady, sending you positive energy for success with your upcoming surgery and a speedy recovery.

And Honeybunny, hoping your job search yields something very good for you soon!

 

[Duffey]

I'm feeling better; thanks to those who asked. I have what I thought was sciatica, but I've never had any tests run or a diagnosis made. We should have a Stay the Course gathering to compare back issues and share advice! I'm doing a benefit 5K walk tomorrow so I will see if my back acts up then. My dieting is on track, but I'm sure getting tired of all the cooking that's involved with this Mediterranean Diet. I hope I can stay the course!
​​​​​​

 

[Superbob]

Hi Duffey -- glad you are feeling better! The return of baseball should help-- Go Redbirds! Hope the 5K goes well... we definitely could benefit from more back discussions as we stay our courses. Most of us seem to have back issues of one sort or the other in common.

Stay the course!

Cheers....

Wow, see I am just two posts away from no. 7777 since 2005. So will have that in my back pocket for next week's thread. : )