StraightAhead » Ailments

Away from Work

Terry — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 21:27:00 +0000

I will have been away from work for 22 day as of this coming wednesday. It all started because of a sinus infection from a big allergy attack, so i took two sick days off. I had already put in for two vacation days prior to that. Those two was the next shift after the first sick days. I was supposed to go back to work yesterday but my back went out on me this past wednesday. I tried to go to work yesterday but it was just hopeless. I couldn’t have done the job had I been called out, so I took two more sick days off. That’s a total of 6 work days off which means 22 days away from the station. I explained how that all works in a prior post. I just hope my back is ready by this Thursday. It seems as though it will be, if nothing else happens to it. It’s somewhat better today. I’ve been to the chiropractor two or three times and the doctor once in the last 4 days. I’m alternating heat and cold three times a day and taking robaxin 4 times a day, that’s a muscle relaxer. I take hydrocodone when necessary. The other two guys at the station are getting a lot of overtime, but I know they are ready for me to be back.

I’m Sick

Terry — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 20:21:00 +0000

I had the usual allergy attacks i get this time of year about 3 nights ago and it has turned into a sinus infection. I’m running a low grade fever and may take my next two work days off, if i don’t feel a lot better tomorrow. I’m taking lots of allergy meds and i’ll see how they are working when the next cool front comes through with its load of ragweed. So , watch those Astros tomorrow night when they beat the socks off of the socks. One can hope anyway. It’ll be neat to watch either way. We are really there, far out. I’m going to cook burgers on the grill tomorrow and the kids are coming over. They may do the cooking if I don’t feel well enough. everybody have a good weekend.

Blah Blah

Terry — Sun, 03 Apr 2005 20:32:00 +0000

I’m bored here at work so I thought I would post something. I’m still getting over an allergy thing which settled in my chest and gave me laringitis just before it got to this point. Same old story, I’ll cough for about a week before I get rid of it. It makes for very sleepless nights. There must be some new medicine to get the crud up a little quicker. The weather here has been matchless the last couple days. low humidity and in the 70′s for highs. I feel the need to go hear some live music while I’m off starting tomorrow. I haven’t heard any in a while. I still need to start my own group to do some Chet Baker and Lee Morgan stuff, maybe some Kenny Dorham too. I haven’t listened to him enough. I need to get some of his music at the itunes store. I feel a nap coming on. Pretty soon part of my family is coming to visit, that will be good. That’s about it for now.

OH, YEAH!

Terry — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 17:01:40 +0000

Yall gotta see this! Oh i’m feeling much better , but still have a lump in my throat every morning from the swelling. It’s not hurting my eating at all anymore though.

Day Fifteen

Terry — Sat, 22 Jan 2005 02:05:50 +0000

I’m able to eat pretty normally now. I’m back up to 175 lbs and i would like to level off there but i have to quit eating so much. I certainly enjoyed it for a few days when i was trying to put the weight back on. I had the staples taken out today at the doctor’s. my side sure feels better now with those out. the pa said i sure heal fast. He also told me i could turn my head as far as i want to without worrying about it. that’s good to know that i won’t mess up anything too badly. well anyway, i’m getting back to normal. I still get tired pretty quickly. We can’t keep mom well or feeling good for two days in a row. She is feeling bad again tonight. we are thinking she has gastritis again or an ulcer. i think i will stay off from work for at least 6 more weeks.

yeow

Terry — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 13:56:46 +0000

yeow
Originally uploaded by Memphis Joe.

This is how i felt a few days back but now i’m doing better. This is day eleven after surgery and i still have a lump in my throat when i wake up in the morning but, like i say, it’s better. Hamburger still doesn’t go down too well. I was back up to 171 lbs. this morning. the low was 168.5. My wife and i are going to md anderson today for her annual check up and then we will probably go somewhere good to eat a late lunch. My mom goes back to the doctor tomorrow to check her out. She is still doing pretty good and went to church with us both times yesterday. I had to talk a lot at church yesterday to explain to people who didn’t know what had been done to me, the surgery and all. I drove yesterday for the first time to actually go any where. it felt pretty good. Funny though, i haven’t really wanted to drive while i was feeling bad.

Day Eight

Terry — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 23:35:25 +0000

Hello. it’s day 8 after surgery i think. I’m starting to lose track. I drove my cars around the block yesterday. They almost seemed foreign but not quite. it’s harder to look to the left and right now before entering a roadway. i’m afraid to turn my head too far right now and i’m not supposed to anyway. I went with my wife driving to Chili’s to eat today, it sure was good,but i still can’t eat very fast so i ate half there and half for supper. it’s still a slow process. that meal was on my nephew from phoenix, very nice. Mom seems pretty much back to normal, we’ll just have to keep her going. I’m sitting here watching csi las vegas. Clio is on the couch and the kids are coming over in a little while. They went to eat and pick up a package at ups. i think we are going to watch popeye, the one with Robin Williams. My youngest son has never seen it before. I think he will like it. It was a gorgeous day here today and it was good to be outside. we went to run a few important errands while we were out too.

Day Seven 169lbs.

Terry — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 19:17:49 +0000

Dang, what a diet. I call it the slit your throat, cut your hip diet. Really, kids, it works like the devil. Actually i just took a pain pill and my outlook is better. Really, i am better today, i started a prednisone dosepack last night to bring down the swelling in my throat to help the swallowing and it seems to be better today. I judge that on the fact that the pill that wouldn’t go down last night went down pretty easily today. well of course it’s a different pill but the same size and same medicine, you know what i mean. I’ve been seeing some great movies and drinking really good beverages during this stay in the hacienda. I started a movie while ago called, “to end all wars” an english or scottish made film i think about a railroad built through Thailand by Scottish prisoners of war held by the Japanese. Mean movie but a true story. I like the movies that depict true things. the beverages are even better since i can readily swallow them now. I’m having an ibc root beer at this time. yum. I’ve been gettng some really good get well cards too, that surely helps things. My mom has been telling me all the old stories as we sit down and eat our meals. She has told me a few that I haven’t heard before as well. I’m looking to get the attachment for my ipod called italk that lets it become a voice recorder because i would like to get some of this recorded because i know i won’t remember half of it. There was a good story about when she was a nurse that she told me the other day. I’m not going to tell it here though, aren’t you glad? I think i’ll go finish that movie. I think i’ll be able to stand this for 6 more weeks. I’ll have a great beard by then, don’t you think.

Life Gets Better

Terry — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 19:29:26 +0000

Day six post surgery today and I feel better than i did yesterday. It’s a day to day thing that’s for sure. Improvements in small increments sometimes. I walked around the block today. The weather has been great for getting well. It’s still hard to get some pills to go down my throat, i’ve never drank so much water in my life, but that gets me well quicker in other ways. I’ve lost about 8 lbs since surgery so i’m down to about 170. I weighed 165 in highschool. I wouldn’t call this a great way to lose weight but i’ll take it. I was actually shooting for 175 when i started the diet last year. I weight 15 less lbs now than i did when i got out of army basic. Enough about me i guess, no, wait , this is MY blog, lol. No, really, Mom is doing better on a daily basis too, i think. She is getting out daily to walk some with me. She still veers off to the right once in a while, so i keep my eye on her. She finishes the anti biotics she has been on today. The ones from the last hospital stay. I’ve taped a lot of good things from tv on the Tivo. I’ve found some good movies. I watched Billy Bathgate yesterday. I hadn’t seen that one in a long time. I watched Internal Affairs the day before that. I’ve found some other good things to record. I’m sure glad i have the Tivo since i’ve been laid up. I’m drinking a Jones Chocolate Fudge Soda right now, man, it’s good. My oldest son gave me a case of assorted Jones sodas for Christmas. Good present. I think i only have one left.

si with bikes

Terry — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 02:39:25 +0000

si with bikes
Originally uploaded by Memphis Joe.

It’s still touch and go with the swallowing thing. right now i feel better and wanted to post some old pics on flickr.com. I’m ready to hit the sea wall again with the bicycles, and go into casey’s for some good food. This is a pic of a good day when the wife and I did just that on an occasion a few years back. I watched Quigley down under again tonight. That is one of those shows I can watch more than once. My mom kindof liked it too, since the good guys win it all in the end, of course. I couldn’t enjoy it that much a couple of days ago, the way i was feeling.