18 April 2008: Time's a fly'n
The focus is on the 2nd year goals. We're half way thru April and have not completed any yet. (See "read more")
Saturday 4/5—Got up early (7:00am), put on the C-leg, drove to Valley View, hung-out with the Compound tribe + Ruth W. Ruth K. and Jenny, hiked on the canal path and drove home. Had my leg on for 19 hrs, drove for 7 hrs, and walked 3 miles. Not a first, not a record, not a goal, just a really good leg day.
Monday 4/7—Overload.
Thursday 4/10—Hanger. The hand-off between Pat and Paul (prosthetists) was less than perfect. I was cast for a new liner 3/7 and when it was not here 3 weeks later (never got ordered due to a mix-up), Paul prudently decided to cast again to pick up any stump changes in the last month.
Weekend 4/11-13. Bonnie visited her daughter in Massachusetts, so I spent the weekend in Valley View again. Given the graft skin issues (a little tear on front interior and the inactive at that moment rim blister in back), I snuck in a visit with Tammy (wound and graft care, nurse practitioner) at Metro on Friday. She said I could continue pushing toward my speed and distance goals providing things didn't get much worse. Then she demonstrated proper methods to clean and bandage both areas (It's a good thing I stopped in, I was doing it all wrong).
Monday 4/14—Overload.
Wednesday 4/16—Overload. Finally broke the 400 lbs barrier with both legs on the leg press. About 4 months ago, I broke 280 after being stuck there for several weeks.
Bonnie and I hiked 3.4 @ 3 mph on the Little Miami River Trail. Raised a little blister, same place, some bleeding, nothing I can't handle. The stump is really starting feel strong.
Thursday 4/17—Hanger. Still no liner, it has been shipped and is in transit. Paul cast my stump for the new socket. The socket casting process was quite different this time. The material was water activated plastic resin mesh instead of plaster. The resin generates a lot of heat while it cures. Paul's hands were quite uncomfortable from holding the shape in critical load areas. Because my surface sensitivity is just starting to return, I didn't feel a thing.
Walked 5 miles @ 2.9 mph. (see "read more") Could have gone further but the bandage that was protecting the rim blister slipped. More bleeding, the blister got a little bigger, but not too bad. I really need that new liner and a socket that fits correctly.
Coming soon. - I have volunteered to participate in a "Peer Visitor Training" seminar that will be conducted by Hanger. We will learn how to interact with people who are recent amputees or face amputation in the near future. There will be about 20 of us that will be flown to Hanger's Oklahoma City training facility from all around the country. This will be my first post AKA, thru security and onto a plane experience. I'm pretty excited about it. I am also looking forward to spending some time with Meg and Floyd (friends from way back) while in Oklahoma.
Goals for year 2:
o Get down to 180 lbs (202 lbs 4-17).
o Attend an outdoor concert (maybe, Blossom with some old friends).
o Water skiing (thanks Jen for planting that one). That'll mean spending time at Hess this summer.
o Get a photo of me kicking the "the fork lift" (aka "tow motor" aka "nemesis"). (Noel's request).
o Take dance lessons and dance with Bonnie at the company Xmas party (left over 1st year goal but not forgotten).
o "Ready" to start an Appalachian Trail thru hike by March 12th 09.—Milestones:
o Walk 8 miles in less than 3 hours. (hiking poles, close to home)
o Hike the river loop trail including in John Bryant State Park.
o Ford a river in at least 2 feet of water.
o Extend the C-leg battery range from 40 hours to 5 days.
o Hike with day packs from Cadillac Mountain to Sand Beach and Sand Beach to Cadillac Mountain (Acadia Nation Park) on two consecutive days (endurance test).
o Three day full pack mountain hike (probably Baxter State Park) before October 08 (equipment shake down).
1 lap around the pond = 1908 ft (Stanley measuring wheel) = .361 miles
03-22-08 - 7 laps = 2.527 mile in 56 minutes (.93333 hrs) = 2.7 mph
03-29-08 - 11 laps = 3.971 mile in 85 minutes (1.41666 hrs) = 2.8 mph
04-17-08 - 14 laps = 5.054 mile in 106 minutes (1.73666 hrs) = 2.9 mph
Training goal - 8 miles in < 3 hrs (2.666 mph min.)
Saturday 4/5—Got up early (7:00am), put on the C-leg, drove to Valley View, hung-out with the Compound tribe + Ruth W. Ruth K. and Jenny, hiked on the canal path and drove home. Had my leg on for 19 hrs, drove for 7 hrs, and walked 3 miles. Not a first, not a record, not a goal, just a really good leg day.
Monday 4/7—Overload.
Thursday 4/10—Hanger. The hand-off between Pat and Paul (prosthetists) was less than perfect. I was cast for a new liner 3/7 and when it was not here 3 weeks later (never got ordered due to a mix-up), Paul prudently decided to cast again to pick up any stump changes in the last month.
Weekend 4/11-13. Bonnie visited her daughter in Massachusetts, so I spent the weekend in Valley View again. Given the graft skin issues (a little tear on front interior and the inactive at that moment rim blister in back), I snuck in a visit with Tammy (wound and graft care, nurse practitioner) at Metro on Friday. She said I could continue pushing toward my speed and distance goals providing things didn't get much worse. Then she demonstrated proper methods to clean and bandage both areas (It's a good thing I stopped in, I was doing it all wrong).
Monday 4/14—Overload.
Wednesday 4/16—Overload. Finally broke the 400 lbs barrier with both legs on the leg press. About 4 months ago, I broke 280 after being stuck there for several weeks.
Bonnie and I hiked 3.4 @ 3 mph on the Little Miami River Trail. Raised a little blister, same place, some bleeding, nothing I can't handle. The stump is really starting feel strong.
Thursday 4/17—Hanger. Still no liner, it has been shipped and is in transit. Paul cast my stump for the new socket. The socket casting process was quite different this time. The material was water activated plastic resin mesh instead of plaster. The resin generates a lot of heat while it cures. Paul's hands were quite uncomfortable from holding the shape in critical load areas. Because my surface sensitivity is just starting to return, I didn't feel a thing.
Walked 5 miles @ 2.9 mph. (see "read more") Could have gone further but the bandage that was protecting the rim blister slipped. More bleeding, the blister got a little bigger, but not too bad. I really need that new liner and a socket that fits correctly.
Coming soon. - I have volunteered to participate in a "Peer Visitor Training" seminar that will be conducted by Hanger. We will learn how to interact with people who are recent amputees or face amputation in the near future. There will be about 20 of us that will be flown to Hanger's Oklahoma City training facility from all around the country. This will be my first post AKA, thru security and onto a plane experience. I'm pretty excited about it. I am also looking forward to spending some time with Meg and Floyd (friends from way back) while in Oklahoma.
Goals for year 2:
o Get down to 180 lbs (202 lbs 4-17).
o Attend an outdoor concert (maybe, Blossom with some old friends).
o Water skiing (thanks Jen for planting that one). That'll mean spending time at Hess this summer.
o Get a photo of me kicking the "the fork lift" (aka "tow motor" aka "nemesis"). (Noel's request).
o Take dance lessons and dance with Bonnie at the company Xmas party (left over 1st year goal but not forgotten).
o "Ready" to start an Appalachian Trail thru hike by March 12th 09.—Milestones:
o Walk 8 miles in less than 3 hours. (hiking poles, close to home)
o Hike the river loop trail including in John Bryant State Park.
o Ford a river in at least 2 feet of water.
o Extend the C-leg battery range from 40 hours to 5 days.
o Hike with day packs from Cadillac Mountain to Sand Beach and Sand Beach to Cadillac Mountain (Acadia Nation Park) on two consecutive days (endurance test).
o Three day full pack mountain hike (probably Baxter State Park) before October 08 (equipment shake down).
1 lap around the pond = 1908 ft (Stanley measuring wheel) = .361 miles
03-22-08 - 7 laps = 2.527 mile in 56 minutes (.93333 hrs) = 2.7 mph
03-29-08 - 11 laps = 3.971 mile in 85 minutes (1.41666 hrs) = 2.8 mph
04-17-08 - 14 laps = 5.054 mile in 106 minutes (1.73666 hrs) = 2.9 mph
Training goal - 8 miles in < 3 hrs (2.666 mph min.)
