d_thomas02 Member

So sorry for your loss.

Right. I'll have to limit myself to one iron in the fire at a time so I can pace back and forth (keeps the blood flowing and swelling down) while its soaking up the heat. Normally I work two or three at a time so I can always be working one on the anvil while the others are soaking. Gonna slow things down a bit but it is a…

Second post-op at doc's today, seven weeks after surgery. Range of motion 0 to 120 plus. She just eyeballed it. Now free and clear for any activity (still within reason, of course), which is good as I need to knock of the dust from my dive gear. Cozumel trip is a go for last week of Feb. Still got some residial swelling…

A once in a lifetime find. You deserve it. Congrats!

Finally made it out to the forge last Sunday. Just tinkering with a few items, heating and beating. Lasted about an hour before having to shut it down and head inside to elevate and ice the knee. Apparently a lot of standing in mostly one spot with little to no knee movement is not what the doctor ordered. I'm a little…

Absolutely beautiful. But cold weather fun is so not my thing. If I can't have warm Carribean salt water, I'll take a hot forge in 110 degree (F) heat anyday before I'd bundle up for snow. Brrrrrr.

I've been watching way too many things go into my mouth as we approach the end of the year holidays. And unsurprisingly my weight is going up. This is a typical pattern for me and, while the knee replacement recovery is going extremely well, I'm not suppose to be trying to lose weight during this recovery period. So I…

Just checked again. The mobile app news feed is so full of ads I don't usually use it for keeping up with friend feeds. Nothing but ads for the last 3 days on the mobile app too.

I use the mobile app on an Android phone. No issues here.

I sure do. I can avoid temptations (for the most part), but my real issue is portion control. If I start eating it, I won't stop until its gone. Like ALL gone. Nothing left in the house gone.

First outpatient PT yesterday. My therapist started with an evaluation of my current condition. Cold, I had 0-90 degree range of motion. That, and some other measures, indicate that I currently have 57% use of my knee three weeks and a day after the total knee replacement surgery. After about 45 minutes of various…

Monday's PT session went well. Passed the 90 degree range of motion milestone (apparently its a biggie) with a measure of 0 - 94 degrees. So she added a bunch of new exercises. (Ouch) First Post-op with doc yesterday, two weeks after surgery. Big reveal with bandage removal and cutting the end knots off the long internal…

Spent most of yesterday getting the oxycontin monkey off my back. Feeling the knee more today for sure but nothing a couple of tylenols can't manage. Don't need the walker anymore. I am suppose to be using my grandfather's cane (when I think of it), otherwise I just walk (albeit with a limp) where I need to go. My FitBit…

Oh the difference a few shorts hours makes. Called the insurance this morning and they had approved the PT. Then got a call from the PT folks right at lunch and just now got done doing a killer hour with the therapist. Last thing we did was for me to walk down the hall, around the kitchen table, and back, four times!...…

Been happy with progress of recovery. Quad muscles have started firing again so straight leg lifts are back on the can do list. Range of motion before surgery was 0 - 120 degrees, zero being straight leg. Day after surgery (Tuesday) I had 10 - 50 degrees. By Thursday (Thanksgiving here in the USA) I had my first in home…

Small but important victory today. Major surgeries, anesthesia, high powered pain killers, and other disruptions to our normal routines can cause the body to shutdown certain systems Happy to say that certain body functions are moving again this morning. Happy days.

Went into preop about 10:30 where I was given a spinal block. Next thing I remember is waking up in recovery about 3 ish waiting for spinal block to wear off. Moved to my privaye room where the first dose of oxycodone might as well been sugar pills, so they chased those with a shot of morphine to jump start the pain…

Big day has arrived. Will be checking into the hospital for a new right knee in about 90 minutes. [crosses fingers]

Got the news late yesterday. Knee surgery is approved. yay (I guess).

Talk to a lady at the doc's office about the insurance letter. She's the one doing the rebuttal letter. We spoke for quite a while about the things that I should be able to do but can't at the moment because of the knee. She said that this sort of thing from insurance companies this late in the year is not uncommon. We'll…

Two weeks to the day before my total knee replacement operation and just received a copy of a letter my insurance company sent my doctor. Apparently my insurance isn't going to cover the operation as "there are no radiographic findings of significant degerative joint disease, the joint destruction is mild,... The patient…

Really like the apple, Kirk. I've a favorite teacher as well. May have to steal your idea and try and blacksmith one when I get back on my feet after the knee operation. New distributor pickup coil and my old truck runs again. But new thermostat did not cure the collant issue. Looks like either a bad head gasket or cracked…

Yup.

Fun with my own truck. Headed home the other night and stopped at the local auto parts store to get a thermostat, radiator cap, and a couple of gallons of 50/50 for the old blue beast ('94 Toyota pickup /w a 22RE 4 cylinder) as she has been spitting up coolant lately (crossing fingers its not a headgasket... again). Turn…

Kirk, Got another Dave at work so, to keep the confusion to a minimum, I go by David. I see 'Dave' and I now think of the other guy, not me. :D

Beautiful work Farback. Really like the contrast in woods. Still working six days a week here. Just missed a killing frost last night. Slow progress on Porta-saw stand. Still have to trim the vertical stand pipe down and then figure out a way to stabilize the lower end of the saw handle. After that I only have to add an…

Haven't had a chance to get back to my Smithy projects as we are still working 6 days a week. Weather is starting to transition into Fall, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. And then there is the total knee replacement coming up, seven weeks and counting. This will definitely end my 2018 busy season. Fingers…

Finally got my second dose yesterday... but not from the doc who gave me the first shot. Went to a local big name pharmacy.

Saturday we got an all day rainout from work (yes, we are still working 6 days out of 7), so I sat in my Lazyboy with my knee up on a pillow and watched Netflix all day long. Couldn't take it again on Sunday so started working on a stand for my Portasaw. (Sorry, no pics yet.) Also, for work, welded a broken wheel bracket…

Scheduled for week of Thanksgiving.