[Phil in Alabama]

It rained most of the day here. I could have gone over to the in-laws, they were supposed to have had a bunch of family over and kids having egg hunts but I doubt it happened because of the rain. I was worn out from a week of running and needed a day of rest anyways. Just me a bunch of kitties snoozing. 😽

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Somebody fizzled at Wooks blue posts? How silly. Last time I checked nobody forced anyone to read it. Don't want to, scroll on by. Lots more complicated things to worry about. Make life simpler.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Man I am so sore it hurts to breath! Laid up today for recovery after yard work. Installed new spark plugs and air filters in the mowers, resharpened the blades and greased 'em up. Carried the left rear wheel off of the 2009 mower and had a tube put in the tire. Bought five gallons of gas and one of two cycle fuel. Mowed and trimmed my place and Mom's, including trimming a bunch off of some of her hollies with the Stihl hedgecutter attachment. Had to rake and haul off tons of grass clippings, leaves, downed tree limbs, etc. Ran three tanks of fuel through the KM91R motor and used up three spools full of trimmer line. If Mom's neighbors hadn't mowed her yard the first time while I was all stove up from the car crash last month it would have been an utter disaster. Both of the old Craftsman mowers are still running well, worn but what we have.

Hauled off the busted coffee table from our daughters house and while I was there fixed their mailbox and post. Somebody had bumped it, knocking the post off plumb, loosening the box platform and damaged the plastic hinge pin on one side. I brought my big heavy tamping bar, some galvanized 16d nails and some zip ties and fixed all that. They had some cardboard boxes that needed hauled off too, always ordering something from Amazon. Tossed all of those and the coffee table frame on my burning pile and burned them.

After all that massively overdoing things for a couple of days it caught up with me and I'm paying the price for it. I could stand some of those opiods that I'm no longer allowed.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Up and moving, albeit rather slowly. Upper body is pretty much recovered from the outdoors work, legs still very sore. Did some house cleaning and laundry ketchup, was about to run out of clean pants.

Still waiting on the IVIG resumption. Had the nerve conduction tests done last week so that data is in the system now. Between the neurologists office and Cigna Healthsprings they don't get on any hurry.

Going to pick up Belinda at dialysis around 3:20. Glad that I don't have to do anything major today.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Ok groanards, I need some advice on what might be arthritis in my hands. Working with steel all day every day, has my hands in constant pain. Mostly it the knuckles in my fingers. Also, experiencing trigger finger on my right hand. It's painful, and one of my fingers is usually stuck in a flexed position when I wake up. I really don't want to take any medication, because I don't like taking pills. Maybe some sort of OTC joint inflammation supplement or cream? I ordered something like relief factor that should be here soon. Hoping that will afford some relief.

The side effects that go along with most arthritis meds are terrible! 😬



R

Is it arthritis for sure? You can get diclofenac topical creme now over the counter that you can rub on your hands; supposed to not have any side affects like anti inflammatory meds taken internally. Tendonitis can be relieved with the usual regimen of alternating heat and cold along with rest. You can get elastic support gloves, wrist braces etc., that might help remove some load from fingers and help healing. There's always a chance of neuropathy too. I used to have fits with hand pain handing and working with hammers, pneumatic tools, digging gear, etc., doing construction. Repetitive impact damage to the nerves in the forearms, wrists and hands can add to arthritic pain and extend healing time a lot.

Amongst prescription anti inflammatory drugs, the meloxicam has upset me the least. All the others were really hurting my stomach. Some were fairly strong blood thinners or had other drawbacks. The meloxicam was recommended to me by a gastrointestinal specialist.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Got out this afternoon and did some more mowing. Dust and leaf cloud flying. Had to pick up a bunch of dead wood again. The old oak by the southeast corner of the backyard that died a few years ago dropped another huge piece of limb that I had to cut up with the chainsaw. The old Stihl is starting better with a fresh spark plug in it. The older lawn mower is too. Got up to the mailbox before dark and my new glasses had arrived. Tried ordering from the same place our daughter does, Goggles4U.com; I was a little apprehensive about ordering glasses without trying on the frames beforehand, but apparently I measured correctly, they fit perfectly. Updated prescription on the right eye so upon trying them on I could instantly see better. Whole new glasses cheaper than what I was going to have to pay over what my insurance would on just replacement lenses for my existing frames. These are progressive lenses with scratch resistant and anti-reflection coatings like the old, and I believe that I got the interpupillary distance more accurate than the optometrist did. If I hadn't been an idiot and forgotten to put in the 73 percent off coupon code that my wife had from them in an email they would have been all but free. If I can still do that I may order another pair and add photochromic lenses for sunglasses.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Cooler here today too; rained some during the night. I'll have to close the windows tonight.

Didn't sleep any during the night, too much pain kept me up. Now that it's daytime I'm about to poop out.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Finally getting the Chevy pickup Takata airbags replaced this morning. We've been getting recall notices for over a year but much of that time the truck was unusable because of no battery or a smashed windshield. With those replaced in the last few months and no doctor trips scheduled for anybody today I got an appoint at the Chevy dealer here in Cullman to get it done. I don't know how long it will take. Got a good lounge area to wait in anyway.

Drove mother for her final eye exam post cataract surgery yesterday and the doctor said that everything looked fine. Got her some new glasses ordered, should be in by this coming Tuesday. She had the cataracts starting and needing newer glasses even when Pop died ten years ago but we never could convince her to go. It took nearly going blind to drive her into allowing it finally, and she still fizzled even though Belinda helped arrange financial assistance through the hospital benevolent fund. Stubborn stubborn and more stubborn. I shouldn't say much about that, I am too to a certain level. 🙃

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Takata airbag in Pop's old Chevy replaced but unfortunately not going to help a thing. The "check airbag" warning in the dash display has been on, so they found out why for me. The airbag control module beneath the drivers seat is toast. It's beneath a flap in the floor carpet and has obviously been plastered with water and dirt over and over for years. Just a corroded mess buried in rotted grime. Bad location to be putting a sensitive electronics module in a work truck. Got a quote on replacing the module. Not going to be happening. Almost a thousand dollars. Pop would croak again at that.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Cake looks great Wolfe.
I always feel a little loopy Brent!
Wook, I had primer problems with the 9000 Mec, so I took the feeder off and just stuck one in the station by hand. I would hit my rhythm. Insert primer, hull wad, pull, repeat. The auto rotate piston quit too so I just took it off and made a Grabber out of it. Primer, hull, wad, pull, rotate, primer, hull, wad, pull, rotate, and it was almost as quick as with the auto primer feed and auto rotate working. Never got to see a Ponsness Warren loader in operation, just Mecs.

Running Be to her doctor appointment in a little bit. Between my appointments, Belinda's and Mom's it takes a lot of trips each month for all these doc visits. Aside from the expense I don't mind, I enjoy driving. Been quite pleased with the Elantra so far.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

I wish that I could afford to have the Lazik surgery done to my right eye, then I would only need reading glasses. Too expensive for po foks.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Ran up to Walmart and the pharmacy this morning and gave them all some money. Carried Mom to the doctor this afternoon to get blood drawn for the 6 month recheck on the benign monoclonal gammopathy test. Go back in a week to see the doctor for a results consult. Then over to the optometrist to pick up her new glasses. They must have gotten the prescription very close as she could read down to the 20/25 line and read up close very well. She was happy with them. At the same distance I could read down to the 20/13 line so I know my lens prescription is perfect! Got home and fired up the older lawn mower and mowed grass until it got too dark to see well enough to go any further. That older Craftsman mower has a single cylinder 20 HP Kohler engine on it and gets better fuel economy than the newer mower of mine with the B&S V twin 24 horse engine. Used up all the gas that I had on hand anyways, so I had to go to the store and spend some more money. Four bucks a gallon this year is going to eat some dollars up to keep everything mowed.

Mom had a broken ballcock on a toilet last month and didn't know about it for a while; I replaced it for her but a lot of water had already gotten gone. Got the water bill: $180.00! Our water bills are usually the minimum of $21.41. We got a letter from the water department, rates going up 11%.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Got out and did yard work this afternoon. Mowed Mom's yard, finished mowing mine as I had done half yesterday then started erasing weeds with the internal combustion engine powered rotating plastic cord erasing machine. Did that far too long and now I am paying the price for it in considerable quantities of pain. When I quit at dark I was covered with dirt, bloody from rock hits and didn't think I'd make it to the bathroom for a hot shower. Then found that I had forgotten to take my pills this morning which no doubt added to to the pain unnecessarily. I hardly ever forget to do that.

I'm still quite happy with the Stihl KM91R and attachments, best thing that that I've been able to buy. Always starts easily and runs perfectly. The Stihl chainsaw has tempted me a few times to take a very heavy hammer and displace it into the planetary crust. That might be because of the fuel that had been used in it in the past, unknown. Using Stihl synthetic oil mix in ethanol free gas it has ran well most of the time. Wants to stall at idle even after adjustment. The EZ Start ratchet pawls broke twice. The bar oil leaks out unless you leave tank side down and always has since new. Otherwise it cuts well and the tool free bar adjustment works as it should.

Enjoying driving the little white Hyundai Elantra Coupe. Gotta make the first payment tomorrow. 😭

 

[Phil in Alabama]

A four brick infrared LP gas heater is what I use for primary house heat. Has been since 1998. I have an old four stack 230 volt electric heater that I've had to use occasionally when the gas ran out and there was no money to buy any more. A very few times I have ran both, set thermostats such that they'd run alternating so that I could make the last bit of gas remaining go a little longer. Fortunately I don't live where it stays below freezing three quarters of the year.

I am so sore from yesterday's weed eater operation that it hurts to breath.

Belinda went to dialysis today but the volume of excess fluid they wanted to remove was so great that it was too much for one days session so she to go back tomorrow. The only open spots were on the A.M. shift so I am having to pick her up at 5:15. Bleah... Ashley, Chris and Lucas have gastroenteritis, so I stayed out of there. Be is taking a risk staying with them but Ashley needs help with the baby. So far he hasn't appeared to have gotten it.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

It's just human nature to miss someone you like and worry that something might possibly could have happened to them causing their absence.

Taking a nap sounds good to me. I've not recovered from outdoors work yet and sure could stand some sleepy time.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

The Chinese buffet across the street from Wal-Mart in Cullman burned a few days ago. Smoke damage got the Mexican joint next door too. I think they reopened Casa Fiesta.

Approaching time to go back to the dialysis clinic and pick up Be.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Barefoot tillering down in these parts of the USA would get you a whole bunch of fire ant stings. My feet couldn't take two steps out bare, I'd be crying and bleeding, leaking on both ends!

 

[Phil in Alabama]

State DMV doesn't emission test or inspect passenger vehicles here. Don't know about trucks. I've seen some really ratty looking smoking clunkers on the road and plenty with obviously illegal modifications done.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

I've noticed several Kia Stingers around my county lately, they are quite attractive vehicles. I didn't pay much attention to how many Hyundais were around until I got one, now I'm noticing that there are many of them. I've not came across another Elantra Coupe yet and may not as they were only built for two years. Little coopy is as fast as the 99 Mustang V6 that we had from 2000-2009 and has a lot more grip. If I had a car with real big power it would probably get me killed. 😋

 

[Phil in Alabama]

Rough day, minimal movement. Tremendous amount of pain, bad headache, neck and especially lower back pain. Need to get the garbage out to the road, may not be happening. Felt better yesterday, figured that when I woke up today things would be relatively normal. Twas wrong about that, feel like I've been in a big fight and lost. At least I didn't have to go anywhere today. Driving mother to the hospital tomorrow to find out the results of the blood tests blood was drawn for last Tuesday; to see if the benign monoclonal gammopathy has changed or not. Benign good, otherwise can turn into multiple myeloma bone marrow cancer.