The Best Kind Of Therapy

Conflicting Reports

Contrary to what the doctor in Daytona said about one of the screws backing out of the plate in Dave's arm, this latest doctor here in upstate NY, says that the screws and plate are fine and no surgery is needed. He feels that Dave needs to work through the pain, and to go to a specialized physical therapist. We are confused with such conflicting reports and are working on getting a second and possibly a third opinion (or would that make it a 3rd & 4th opinion?). The pain is still bad after 9 weeks and he says he can feel all that metal in him. The good news is that although Dave's femur is not completely healed, it is doing well, and he can do whatever he is able to do. The pain and swelling dictate where and when he has to quit (plus he still tires easily). He was given special exercises to do to strengthen and limber up his leg. Stay tuned for more news and hopefully more firsts.

Firsts

Dave's first four wheeler ride. Notice the custom throttle set up so he can just push the thumb throttle with his broken right arm.

Best of all, first steps without any assistance at all.

I took this video today and hopefully I can post it here (a first for me!). I hope it's not as blurry as it looks in the preview.

Dave also drove our PT Cruiser Convertible with the standard shift. The clutch was pretty easy but shifting was an issue. He could do it, but going from 2nd to 3rd gears required leaning over with his right hand, causing him to veer to the left. I don't think oncoming traffic appreciated that, so I think he'll stick to driving the automatic truck.

He's even going up and down our steep back steps to the house with his cane, although difficult because the door opens out. Hopefully physical therapy will help this because he needs practice on stairs, since he still plans on going back to Hope Town this summer to move New Horizon (with its many stairs up and down) to be hauled out for hurricane season. 

All these firsts are so encouraging. Next we wait to see what the doctor says on Thursday. Stay tuned for updates!

What Is This?

Does anyone care to guess what this hairy rock really is? You have to have a good eye or a good imagination, but it's actually a moose next to a boulder! We drove up to the house in Ticonderoga and were coming down the Rt. 8 mountain into Hague when we saw this moose in a marsh right next to the road. I yelled, "STOP, I have my camera with me!" and Dave backed up to see if it was still there. Unfortunately it was heading into the woods and this was the only shot I could take.Too bad, because we have always wanted to see a wild moose, but never thought it would be on a road we travel quite often.

Once we got to Ti, we started charging up batteries and I mowed the lawn. Our flowers were in full bloom and the lilac bush was spectacular.

Even my favorite bleeding heart plant had grown larger than the planter.

 We haven't turned on the water or put anything into service yet, but everything is ready and waiting for us, when the weather and Dave's recovery allow. BTW, Dave is doing awesome with his cane and even went down our cellar stairs today! More monumental moments happen every day.

Home Sweet Home

Sorry it has taken so long to write a post since leaving Daytona, but I have been quite busy since our arrival back north. We are finally starting to get settled in now.

Our plane trip on Delta was uneventful, and Dave did well in the wheelchairs provided by the airline for transport to and from the different gates. There was always someone to push him and that was especially helpful in Atlanta when we had to change planes and gates, and also in Albany when we had to get luggage too. Thanks to Jim, John, and Karl, our water and heating systems were up and running....not that we even needed the heat! It has been in the 70-80 degree range for the past week. What a nice surprise welcome! And welcomed we have been with so many friends stopping in to see us and to help out where ever needed. Kerstin and Kenny even collected the goldfish from their winter tanks at Jim's house and are back in the pond.

 

Vehicles are back running and on the road, and they have all had their turns at getting inspected and checked out. I mowed the lawn around the property for the first time today, after Paul and Greg fixed the starter motor that was seized up from mice that were living under the hood, using it has their toilet facilities! 

Stocking up on food is always a challenge when we return, because I have to start from scratch every year, with bare cupboards and fridge. Luckily, our friends have been bringing over food and it was four days before I needed to head to the store to stock up. Then it all ended up being free...sort of. With Dave's medical bills being paid with our Visa card, we have accumulated many points that I traded in for gift cards and that's how I paid for the food and consumables.

Dave is really happy to be back and just about lives on our golf cart. With the cushy seat and the ability to prop up his leg on the dash, he is all set for anything. He feels so helpless though, when problems such as the tractor not starting, happen. He alternates between using his crutches, a walker with a seat, his wheelchair (when he has to sit for any length of time), and today for the first time, he graduated to a cane. He hasn't felt steady or stable enough to use the cane until now. This was literally a monumental step! He has a doctor's appointment on the 23rd, so we'll see when the arm surgery can take place. Until then he'll keep improving his walking ability, rest up, visit, and patrol the property on the golf cart (the cane is good for picking up and throwing small branches too!). I still have lots of yard work to do, but it's great to be able to do it with the weather so nice. It's good to be home...

One Small Step For Man...