Thursday, August 22, 2019

'AWWWW NUTS'..... MY MORNING X-RAY DIDN'T TURN OUT SO SWELL:((

PHEEBS AND I TOOK THE FREEDO VANDITO FOR A TOOT THIS AFTERNOON
Just me in the Jeep this morning at 8:15 as I headed to Goderich's Alexandra Marine hospital for a lower back X-ray.  I again was lucky after first registering at the desk to have my name called within a minute of parking my buns on a waiting room chair.  Had to take my pants off and put on a pair of spiffy looking hosptial trousers.  Liked them so much I was going to ask if I could wear them home.  The lady remembered me from last week's X-ray of my upper spine.  She had me lay on a table while she took two X-rays of my lower back.  And that was it, I was out of there.  Little did I know what those 2 X-rays were going to reveal just a few hours later.
SPIFFY HOSPITAL TROUSER BOTTOMS
ALL FINISHED I QUICKLY HEADED BACK OUT OF THE HOSPITAL
From the hospital I grabbed a McD's coffee to go and headed home to scoop the Pheebs.  We didn't waste any time getting ourselves out in the country south of Bayfield.  I was almost convinced I had died and gone to weather heaven.  What an absolutely marvelous morning and I was immediately aware of how much better I felt both mentally and physically.  This cooler air feels so much better on my skin.  That oppressive heat and humidity can really take it's toll on someone like me with the same depressiveness as a cold, damp, and lifeless November day.  Either of those two extremes can be sooooo unhealthy.  Luckily this morning's warm sunshine, no humidity, and a cooling breeze off the lake made for an overall beautiful day.  Had I been able to do it without hurting myself I would have jumped six feet up in the air and clicked my heels.
I SCOOPED THE PHEEBS AND WE HIT THE ROAD

OHHHHH TWAS SUCH A LOVELY SUMMER MORNING
'GREAT MORNING FOR A JEEP RIDE EH PHEEBS'
'YA DARN TOOTIN DAD':))
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT THING IS HANGING ON THE BACK OF THIS FARMER'S TRACTOR
Home again I puttered around outside for a bit.  Then the phone rang and it was the Maitland Valley Medical Center with the results of my X-rays this morning. Seems a suspected spot in my lower back has been diagnosed as severe degenerative disc disease at the L3 location.  Oh Geeezzzz what next!!  Kelly looked it up on the internet and it said this is usually associated with lower back pain but luckily I have not had any lower back pain.  Well not yet anyway.  I had bad lower back pain problems years ago but nothing in the last decade and a half.  So it kinda looks like after all these years of reasonably good health I am suddenly beginning to fall apart.  First the prostate cancer diagnosis, then the emergency removal of two of three kidney stones.  And now they tell me I have a severe degenerative disc disease.  Well I've also heard it said that things sometimes come in threes so hopefully that is my three and I can relax now.  Ya'think!!
BLUE MOON IN THE MORNING SKY
Sorry I have to make part of this post another 'medical report' but having decided to write about all this stuff after my prostate cancer diagnosis there really is no other way for me to continue this blog if I am not honest with my readers regarding what's happening each day.  I'm not very good at trying to keep the lid on anything anyway.  
Pheebs and I took the Freedo Vandito for a drive this afternoon.  Slipped around part of the same southern Bayfield route we had slipped around this morning in the Jeep.  I really like the feel of driving a sure footed nimble van again and I'm more convinced than ever a smaller RV is the way for us to go right now although just a 'wee bit' bigger would be alright too.  
PHEEBS CHECKS OUT THE REAR SEAT AND BED COMBO
Ran across a post today I wrote 9 years ago that had me chuckling at myself.  We sure have had our ups and downs with RV's over the years by the looks of it......Beware Of The 'Wow' Factor.
LIFE IS GOOD IN OUR FRONT YARD POND
GROANER'S CORNER:((   Harry was finally a groom and was very excited about his upcoming marriage. He was on his way out of the office when his boss came over to him with an outstretched hand, "Congratulations Harry! I just wanted to tell you I've been married for twenty two years, and I am sure that you will always remember this day with the fondest of memories, as the happiest day of your life."  "But sir", said Harry, a little bit confused, "I'm not getting married until tomorrow!"  "Yeah, I know," said his boss.------------------------
"Are you writing a thank you letter to Grandma like I told you to?"  "Yes, Mom."  "Your handwriting seems very large, why is that?"  "Well, Grandma can't hear well, so I'm writing very loudly."
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13 comments:

  1. Glad you're not good at keeping the lid on. And that you had a good day with Pheebs. The degenerative disc thing may not be a deal breaker, as I understand it. Maybe later on. But I'm not a medic. The prostate business seems to be enough to worry about at the moment. Once one gets caught up in the medical treadmill these days (at a certain age) things can stack up....but not all are urgent. Wishing you the best!

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  2. You've put a great shine on your van. It is looking like new! Pheebs seems comfortable in all your vehicles. Love the frog pictures. They are amazing! Wish we had a frog pond close by. We are enjoying cooler temperatures here too. As we age, we are challenged to age evenly. If it doesn't hurt, don't worry about it.

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  3. I have that as well Al. I find that Australian Dream Cream really helps my back and hips. You can get it at Walmart if there is one close by.

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  4. I think as we get older we inevitably start to deteriorate - some much faster than others - but it happens to the best of us. I'm starting to stumble enough that it worries me what could be the cause. I guess we have to live each day at a time, and try to see the beauty in life. You certainly do that as your photography shows.

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  5. I hate going to the Dr. anymore, all I wanted was to renew some prescriptions and it opened a darn can of worms.

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  6. I have said thIs before. Your honesty and integrity are what make your blog, and you and yours, such a beloved part of so many lives. There is not much we can count on in this world we are living in nowadays, Thank goodness we know we CAN count on you to do your absolute best. And your best is very good indeed. All of us are pulling for you. Please continue as you always have. Telling it like it is.

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  7. Sometimes finding out what is wrong is not always good, now you worry about it. Hope all goes well there.
    The proper Rv that suits you is always a challenge we got lucky have had only 4 in the last 50 years and still love the one we have.

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  8. Keep on truckin’ Al! Move it or lose it as they say... 👊

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  9. I assume all of us at our ages have things like that don't fret about it you have no pain, you are able to go about the life you chose, and I can't think of one single intervention for that, that would make life better, but it sure could go wrong and make life worse.

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  10. I have severe scoliosis and degenerative disc age related...Don't let that stop you. Every so often I get a back spasm, but this is part of the aging process. I hear ya on kidney stones too!! Keep on, keepin' on!!! We got this old age stuff under control!!

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  11. Al, you got good news...it's all relative. I'm sure they were looking for cancer spread to your bone. It's not so it's good news!!!

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  12. Dang Al! Not to worry though; I know you can lick 'em all...You have a good strong will...Praying helps!

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  13. I agree with the things come in threes theory. As mentioned earlier the main issue is the prostate cancer. I was told many years ago that I have degenerating facet joints. I got all upset and then forgot about it. Has never bothered me. If your back isn't hurting then just carry on. The RV looks great. Glad you took it for a spin.

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