Aerie Report, August 24, 2011: Hither and yon.

Terry and I spent a long morning at the orthopedist's and running a few errands.

Our first stop was the Guthrie Clinic in Corning where they took more x-rays of my knees since the ones taken at St. Luke's in Utica were not to their liking. (At St. Luke's, all the x-rays were while I was laying down--no weight on the joint. The folks here in Corning wanted a more realistic picture of what was happening in the joint and, therefore, had me standing up to have the x-rays taken.)

First, the good news:
The MRI I had taken last week and the x-rays indicated NO tears of any ligaments or tendons. Anti-inflammatory medications, rest and PT should help reduce the pain caused by the injury I sustained.

Now the bad:
The x-rays clearly show developing arthritis in both knees. Spurs and a thinning of the cushioning cartilage are to blame for the chronic pain I've been feeling in the knees. Again, anti-inflammatory meds should help. If not, there are cortisone shots as well as others that can relieve the more or less constant ache. Should that not bring relief or should my condition worsen, there is a possible need for knee joint replacement--but that's years from now; after other options are tried.

And now the worse news:
That pocket of calcified tissue the x-rays found an inch or so above my right knee needs to come out. It is a small globule of calcified crud imbedded in the right quad and is (probably) benign but
is definitely hampering movement and causing some pain in that area. (Lab tests will be done on this tissue to determine its true nature. They have no idea what may have caused it.) Surgery is scheduled for September 15th.

Meanwhile, I am to start some meds for the knee joints and continue going to PT for as long as the insurance company will allow.

******

After the clinic visit, Terry and I headed east to Horseheads to Michael's so she could get some findings for a beaded pin project she is doing.

******

Then it was back to Mainesburg so I could buy a new chainsaw (Husqvarna Rancher with a 20" blade) so as to be ready for whatever Irene decides to do. Right now (Wednesday at 3:30 PM) it looks like the strom will swing a bit to the east and hit the east end of Long Island before moving on to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. (Shoot wasn't having to host the Presidential entourage enough for the folks on the Vineyard?)

******

Then to the drugstore for the meds, but the prescription hadn't been called in yet. (Called he clinic when we finally got home and asked them to please call the CVS in Mansfield. That was 1-1/2 hours ago. No call from the pharmacy yet.)

******

Lunch at Yorkholo in Mansfield where I enjoyed an excellent burger/beef melt and a nice lager with a very high ABV (alcohol by volume) rating of 6.5% that was named after Pine Creek. Terry had a chicken breast sandwich and lemonade.

******

After lunch, we went over to Wally World--just in case the clinic sent the prescription there instead. They didn't. So we did the next best thing and purchased two cartons of ice cream: Butter Pecan and Mint Chocolate Chip. Good for what ails ya! Especially with Hershey's chocolate sauce on top.

Aerie Report, August, 23, 2011

Did my second day of physical therapy today. After the first session (Friday) was was really hurting, but after today's things seem to be much better. The last two days I've progressed to being able to walk relatively normally on smooth, flat surfaces. Even a short walk across the lawn didn't produce pain in the right knee.

Going up or down stairs is still a painful experience in which I feel the knee will give out at any moment so I have to be sure to have a firm grip on the railing or remember to lead with the bad leg when going down and the good leg when going up and take the steps one at a time.

The therapists have me doing range of motion exercises at the moment. Many of them require bending the knee but with no weight on the leg. Even then, the knee sounds like a flamenco dancer stamping her feet AND playing her castanets every time I bend it. Or maybe it's just Bill “Bojangles” Robinson doin' his thang.



In any event, I go up to Corning, NY tomorrow to see an orthopedist. I'll let him (or her) poke and prod, look at the x-rays, read the MRI analysis and doctors' reports and come up whit his (or her) own conclusion. I'll also bring the x-rays from the left knee taken two years ago when I sprained that one.

******

Back in NJ, my niece's husband just had arthroscopic surgery on one of his knees today. He says it's been bothering him since high school, but last week he tweeked it and felt something tear (meniscus). He was on the job as a carpenter, though, so his was a workers comp kind of thing and, thus, got a bit more rapid treatment than I have been getting. Mine is just one of those "You idiot! What were you thinking?" kind of injuries.

Did the earth move for you?

So. I hear we allegedly had an earthquake on the east coast today. (At approximately 1:50 PM EDT...they say.) Well, Neither Terry nor I felt the dang thing here at the Aerie! I feel deprived!

Of course, with the heavy duty truck traffic along the road for gas drilling/pipeline work and before that windmill installation, the Aerie has seen its share of the old shake, rattle and roll--usually accompanied by a cloud of dust and a grinding of gears.

The folks at Elite Physical Therapy ("Where PT stands for Pain and Torture!") in Mansfield all say they felt it.

Anyway, just to lighten the mood a bit, here's a look back to the Animaniacs take on earthquakes.

Monarchs and Moths

Over the course of several years, I've been pulling up most of the milkweed I find around the yard. There are a few pockets that remain, however, including a half dozen plants directly under the western corner of the deck. A few weeks ago I noticed one of these plants was being heavily attacked by what turned out to be the caterpillars of the Milkweed Tussock Moth. (more here.) The moth itself is rather bland being a nondescript light brown in color and sort of a stumpy looking thing of only an inch or so in length. The caterpillar is anything but drab.

The eggs of the Milkweed Tussock Moth are laid in large clusters and 50 or more caterpillars may completely skeletonize a milkweed plant in a day or so. That's what was happening under the deck. Entire leaves of milkweed were being devoured with only the ribs of the leaf (the part carrying the latex sap) were left behind. A week after I spotted them, the caterpillars disappeared. Where they went, I've no idea. They left behind several healthy milkweed plants however.

Today there was one lonely Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar.

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Also today, I spotted a different and more familiar caterpillar feeding on the young leaves of the milkweeds--the yellow-white-black striped Monarch Butterfly caterpillars were at work. The Monarch may go through three or four generations in a single summer. Each except the last will live as a butterfly for only a few weeks. The final generation usually emerges from the chrysalis about the time the butterfly's favorite fall meal, goldenrod, comes into flower. This is the group of Monarchs that migrates southward during the autumn.

Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar

The goldenrod around the yard is just now starting to turn yellow so this group of caterpillars--and I counted at least six on two plants--will be the ones to make that long journey. Eat hardy, my friends!

How Irish Dancing Started

By now everyone has seen the Lords of the Dance or River Dance or one of those Irish clog dancing groups. But did you ever wonder how it all got started? Well wonder no more! Here's the explanation you've been waiting for:

How Irish Dancing Started

NPR’s Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books

I came across this over at Mostly Cajun’s place and, taking a look at his bolded titles started thinking about what I’ve read from this list. (Here's Cajun's list, BTW.)

If you care to play along and follow the NPR (US National Public Radio) meme, copy this list, putting in Bold those you have read.

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
3. Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin (In progress. it’s on the Kindle) [Don't have a Kindle. I'm a paper kinda guy.]
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God’s Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man’s War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil[sic] Stephenson [Should be NEAL Stephenson]
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel’s Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer’s Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

I tend to consume most of the books from a single author IF I find a few of his/her books an interesting, fun read. (See Anthony, Asimov, Bradbury, Brooks, Butcher, Heinlein, LeGuin, McCafferty, Pratchett, Verne, etc.)

From this list alone, I would guess I've got to get up to speed on both Neal Stephenson and Neil Gaiman. I've read a few by each but not all that they've produced. (Daughter Jessica kept pushing them but I had others on my plate at the time.) As for the prolific Mr. King, I've read a few of his works but find the straight horror stuff not to my liking. The Dark Tower Series, however, is NOT horror--weird and unusual, yes, but not horror.

Aerie Report, Morning, August 19, 2011

Terry and I made the run up to the Bolt Hole yesterday to retrieve the Tundra, trailer and ATV. The weather was perfect for a round trip of some 450 miles. (Took us 10 hours including stops and time to do our thing at the Bolt Hole.)

We found that Mark had already hitched the trailer to the truck which made our job a whole lot easier. I don't know if he did so as a means of protecting the trailer from possible mischief or in preparation for our arrival but in either case, it was much appreciated. All I had to do was load the ATV on the trailer and we were good. Mark had also cut all the grass in the front yard--again--which makes the place look lived in to the casual observer.

While we were there we also picked up the forgotten eggs and 20 or so cans of beer that were inadvertently left behind as well as a few other items that needed to come south.

Terry did the driving north and we reconfirmed the fact that I am a terrible passenger (at least when she's the driver). She says she's learned over the years to curb her criticism of my driving but I'm much to vocal and demonstrative when I'm in the passenger seat. Moi?

I find that when I'm rested (as I was going up to the Bolt Hole) I'm much worse than if I'm tired (like after driving for many hours). I am a horrible passenger when I'd rather be behind the wheel.

Oh well, at least my knee behaved reasonably well.

******

In other news, today, August 19th, is our 39th anniversary. Seems like only yesterday....

******

I've a 1:30 appointment with the physical therapists today. Hopefully, a little messaging and supervised exercises will get it right. If not, there's the orthopedist next week.

Two weeks after the twisting of my right knee it still pains me when I walk--especially if stairs or uneven surfaces are involved. The left knee is starting to complain too as it has to do much of the difficult stuff like taking the lead going up and down steps. Flat surfaces aren't too bad and I can manage without even using a cane. On rare occasions I can almost (almost!) forget that there is something wrong. On steps and uneven surfaces like the lawn or gravel driveway...not so much. I constantly have to remind myself that the good leg goes UP first while the bad leg goes DOWN first--with the cane. And, for crying out loud, ONE STEP AT A TIME.

******

My physical labor (firewood, cutting grass, climbing ladders, painting the roof, etc.) prior to the incident had helped to bring my weight down to around 220 and had me feeling in pretty good shape too, but the inactivity of the last two weeks hasn't helped at all. I'm afraid to get on the scale as it might shout, "One at a time!" at me. And that notch on the belt I had gained? Forget about it.

******

Speaking of cutting grass...The Aerie needs it badly. The last cut was nearly three weeks ago. I'll probably have to give it a try this weekend. Good thing there's now plenty of beer, Jack and pain killers available. The trick will be to determine which to use. I certainly would not want to mix 'em.

A Wounded Warrior needs help

I've been bitching and moaning about by knee problems the last week or so. (Well it hurts!)

(By the way, my solo outing last evening went well. Made it all the way across the county with nary a twinge in the knee while driving the manual transmission on the Jeep. Tomorrow Terry and I will head north to get the Tundra and, perhaps, the utility trailer and ATV.)

Okay, back to what I was going to say. Yeah, my knee hurts and pains me, but there are men and women out there with far greater hurts and needs than I. One of the m is Captain Max Frank.

Captain Frank is a buddy of my nephew Brian. His father, a judge, performed the service at Brian and Vicky's wedding in Milwaukee in late May. At that time, Captain Frank was in Afghanistan serving his country in one of the more dangerous hot spots in that God forsaken place. In mid-June, his company came under attack via IEDs--several of them in rapid succession. Captain Frank was hit and hit badly. He's lost most of his left leg as a result.

While medical treatment has been excellent, the government does not supply help in remodeling his home to make it handicapped accessible. It's going to cost a pretty penny to do that and he and his young wife could use some help.

Here's a link to Bring Him Home a web site dedicated to doing just that for Captain Frank. You can read about how he got into this predicament and what they need to do to get him back into his own house. Go read it and give this wounded warrior and his wife a helping hand if you can.

Meanwhile, here's the email I got from Brian:

Friends of Capt. Max Frank,

We’ve got a quick favor to ask and are writing to you with news both happy and sad. Happy in that Max is progressing like a champ ... like a Marine. He’s healing both physically and mentally despite the long road ahead, a road that will lead to independence and home. It is Max’s home in particular that we are writing to you about.

Sadly, home is a bittersweet thought for Max because his home is not within his current physical capacity. The good Captain’s home, like many around Camp Pendleton, might have been built with a Marine in mind, but a Marine with two feet - something that isn’t universal in these days when we ask them to defend us.

Max, Anna, and Mr. Stubby (his sense of humor has not been amputated) are currently living in a hotel, for the privilege of a wheel chair ramp, wide hallways, and an accessible toilet and shower. Our government, while “...of the people, for the people and by the people...”, has some limitations when it comes to taking care of the people who take care of it.

It may surprise most of you that in order to qualify for a Veteran’s Administration grant to remodel a bathroom, a wounded warrior needs to lose two limbs! The good news is Max does not qualify; the bad news is that without changes to his old home, he would have to hop over the tub and stand on one foot to take a shower. His prosthetic foot must be removed when he showers, so we have designed a bathroom that is handicap accessible and also has a bench seat and a hand held shower faucet. During the long journey to receiving his prosthesis and getting back to normal life, he’s bound to a wheelchair or walker, so some heavy remodeling is being done to widen the hallway and doors. Neither project is cheap, but both necessary to get back his mobility, self-reliance, and home.

As much as the lack of government support in this area is appalling, his medical care has been excellent and the attention to his physical therapy, in which Max is flourishing, is phenomenal. This is where we take over. Uncle Sam figures that he’s done his bit, now it’s our turn.

No problem, we’re up to the challenge. That’s why we have Bring Him Home

We may call ourselves patriots of this fine country which he defends; now we humbly ask that you call yourself supporters as well. Max has done his duty, without equivocation, so now it is time we do ours. Please dig into your pockets for the paper and plastic that can now help where handshakes, letters, and embraces cannot. Add up all those birthdays, holidays, Tuesdays, beers at the bar, and double downs on eleven that you were planning to spend, roll them up and make one big gesture today, when it’s needed most, to help renovate Max’s house to make it feel like home.

Think about it while you’re standing in the shower or walking down the hall, stumbling for that 2 a.m. bathroom relief or while you’re out for that morning jog. There are small physical victories in these acts that not all of us appreciate, equaled by greater moral victories won by giving freely to those we love who are in need. Please consider giving a meaningful amount.

While this Marine had no problem dwelling in a cinderblock and dirt base in the middle of the desert, showering with water jugs, or making a commode with a shovel, he now faces bigger challenges back home. A man’s home is his castle, but it turns out that some draw bridges aren’t handicap accessible. The two steps to get into his house might as well be a moat and the narrow hallways inside aren’t much better. 1960's bathroom architecture was not designed with a prosthetic foot or walker in mind, and the high sided tubs won’t make for the most pleasant, or safe of mornings. These are the things that only new walls, fixtures, and our generosity can fix.

Thank you for thinking of Max, Anna, and his family. Thank you for thinking of all our fighting service men and women. That phrase is usually followed by “at home and abroad” and it never felt more poignant. The war doesn’t stop when a Marine returns. He’s fought to get this far, please click on the link below to help bring him the last step home.

Bring Him Home

Semper Fi,

Brian Cole and Brook Benson

P.S. Please pass this on to anyone who knows Max, your family, friends, coworkers, and any independently wealthy patriots that you know. Let’s do the right thing and help our friend, who is a Marine far too self-reliant and proud to ask for our assistance of his own accord. Thank you.