What an awesome National Donut Day! Over 150 entries in the 1 Dozen Donut A Month for 1 Year Contest. And the winner is... Paul Clausen! Congratulations!
Happy Fat Tuesday! Make sure to stop in and get your King Cakes and Paczki before they're gone! Our King Cakes are filled with our homemade cinnamon filling and cross your fingers in hopes of finding the baby in your piece! We have 5 different flavors of Paczki today too! Choose from Bavarian Cream, Raspberry, Strawberry, Lemon or the traditional Prune!
Vielen Dank Gemuetlichkeit Days!
Wir lieben dich 🖤❤️💛
August 21, 2023 update from John...
This week was an emotonal yet exciting week for me. To build this week in a manner that follows a direction of steps taken and to understand why I need to step back about 6 weeks. In one of my therapy sessions in early July I had discussed with Jason ways of taking a next step in mobility surrounding my continued short distant spurts without assistance of a walker. I had asked about using a cane, something I have had from previous knee an hip replacements, to which my surprise he said no. He explained to me that using a cane was one sided and using 2 could encouraged me to walk more hunched over which currently is an issue. He suggested trekking poles which would force me to walk more upright, give me more balance and encourage a better stride. Of course I thought about it and decided it may just be another "tool" that would get set aside after a couple of uses and become lost in that "closet" of miracle gadgets that we at times buy believing of instant success. Anyway, I didn't see Jason in therapy for a few weeks because of insurance issues and kind of brushed the idea aside. As you may remember I went with Cindy 3 weeks later to the National night out at the fairgrounds. Steve Adams, a long time friend of mine walked over and sat next to me and was using trekking poles. In our conversation I had asked him about the poles and he repeated the same as the therapist. Better balance, more stability, better posture. I again gave it some, but little thought, and let the idea slide by again. The Friday night of the Street Dance I worked the beer stand selling wrist bands and Steve stopped by and again had his poles. He walked over and sat down by his brother Chris and I looked at the poles several times, not to ask questions but I drilled myself. Steve has health issues, and he's out walking, I'm still relying on my walker or wheelchair. Now I'm not pushing it, just looking for that next step in mobility. Saturday morn
July 10, 2023 update from John...
10:57pm late night writing is my best time. No distractions, Cindy's sound asleep, the TV is off. Only the sound of the night breeze rustling the Oak leaves and the flash of fireflies outside the porch windows to mellow the mood.
You'll see there is 2 videos and 1 picture posted. My 3 stages since February. The picture is what my life was like from November through February. Flat on my back with a slight incline of my upper torso to eat and watch TV which was more leg elevation than upper body. Any higher sitting upright caused severe back pain and incredible dizziness. The video on the right you'll remember was first posted in February. That was taken in Middleton of my first steps walking with the bars and a steady grasp on my belt to help balance me. Those first steps were frightening and painful and as much as I didn't let on I was still fearful of never walking on my own again. Yes, I pushed a positive attitude forward and was determined not to give up, but deep down inside the fear had a firm grip. Those walks on the bars and after with the walker would wipe me out. I'd go back to my room and try and sit upright in a chair( broda chair- like a recliner crossed with a wheel chair) but the pain in my knees and back would force me to call for help and be hoisted back into bed with a lift. Fast forward to Sunday July 9th with the video on the left. As you may remember inI the last few post I had commented that I had be walking with no support for short distances ( 10-15 feet) and was scolded for taking chances. Sunday morning I walked about 20 feet from the patio to the garden and talked briefly to Cindy then headed back. She was surprised but insisted I take precautions not to fall. I waited again until noon when Jessica stopped after tennis. I gave her the phone and with Cindy standing with a watering can by the patio got up and walked there and back unassisted for a total of between 70 and 80 feet. You can see how hunched
June 19th, 2023 update from John...
9 months 2 days. The journey continues with sparks of encouragement and realizations of future expectations. This past week I posted about another victory, one goal that had pushed back in part of fear of failure and understanding that my body wasn't quite ready. Monday, Wednesday, and again Friday I mowed lawn with my beloved John Deere. I took my time and mowed slowly ( not like I had deadlines to meet), to save my back from the jolting of the uneven ground and from the inability to yet have enough flexibility in my right ankle to control the peddles. Only one incident. While mowing under one of Cindy's red buds I had a branch catch my shirt just above my chest and because of the ankle stiffness was unable to stop and in fact accelerated forward tearing the shirt and scratching my forehead, and ear. Yes the tree is fine....me too. Other gains this week was a walk through the garden that Cindy has planted with tomatoes, peppers, beans, betes, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, kale, and flowers. I also got to see her monarch butterfly cages which currently have 29 caterpillars and 3 swallowtail caterpillars.
My other activities were traveling to Waukesha for my cousins Granddaughters graduation, which is the first trip in a car for more than 30 minutes without back and leg pain, and celebrating My Mother's 97th birthday on Sunday. It was my chance to not only spend dinner with my mother but my cousin and her husband traveled here from Ohio. They were last here the week after I became ill in the fall.
Therapy was mixed this past week. My therapist in concentrating mainly on my back the past few weeks trying to loosen the stiffness before we start strengthening it again. My hamstrings are slowly increasing in strength which will hopefully help with my ankle movement. 3 weeks ago we had eliminated the upper wraps on my legs because it had appeared the swelling had stabilized, but today it was decided that the damage don
May 27th, 2023 update from John...
Well, I'm home. After 8 months 3 days I'm back in my own house. The week has gone well but there is some learning curves. Our house is not Brook Gardens with extra large doorways and open halls to navigate. Our doorways all differ in size and how they lineup. For this reason my wheelchair stays outside. I've been using a standard walker to get from room to room and my all terrain walker outdoors. Friday I added a three wheel walker for inside the house to give it greater accessibility and maneuverability around objects and to keep from scratching the oak or tile floors.
My biggest challenges to date are the needs of self assistance meaning that I've overcome the reliability of other assistance in self care. Cindy still helps with somethings but I've managed to push my abilities further in the day to day. Putting on my thigh high compression socks and wraps were handled by staff before, now I've done it myself all week. A little further stretch and the use of an extended grabber has helped accomplish that. Last week while still under supervision I entered the shower on my own, sat on a shower chair and bathed myself. Checked that box at Brooks.
This week I went a step further. After taking a sponge bath on my own all week, Thursday I decided it was time to overcome my fear of trying at home and showered. No stool, no one supervising, just me. I carefully planed and set up my soap and towel needs and successfully showered head to toe. Yes, it wore me out, but I did it without issues. It took nearly 4 hours to build up the courage and do it, but I did. My biggest issues right now are with my lower back and that tightened up for my only discomfort . Other notables for the week were transferring in an out of the house several times a day and adapting to several different vehicles (primarily door width) to get to therapy.
One thing I urge everyone to think about especially getting close to or near retirement is to evaluate
May 6th, 2023 update from John...
My progress report for the week has some exciting gains for me.
Besides writing this update every week I've been pursuing a life long dream of putting my memories down on paper of my time spent over 5 decades at the cabin in Bayfield County. It's been good for me to recall those times with my family by helping me keep a positive attitude and making the time healing go faster. I have so fare written several different stories or "chapters", all of which I have confided with some close friends and relatives getting their thoughts and opinions.
As far as my physical process this week again there has been great strides. Last week I informed you that I had started to transfer from recliner to wheelchair and then later in the week from wheelchair to recliner. This last is difficult for me because of the ability to bend my knees at the angle necessary to get my weight over my feet for getting that upward motion. I've achieved this finally by forcing more flex in my knees over time and rebuilding my upper body strength. My weight has gone back up in the last few weeks but I've been assured by my therapist that it's more likely because of increased muscle mass and through proper diet and exercise after recovery I should be able to reach my goal weight of 225.
On Monday therapy went well with more exercises being added and being done in the same time frame. Right now one of the side affects I'm having with the exercises is increased muscle soreness and spasaming of my hip flexor which run from the inside of your thigh through my groin and into my lower back. With more controlled motion and continued use these should subside. My ot, Liz, measured my legs again and said at this point they seem to have stabilized and only showed minimal difference from the last measurements. One great thing that happened though during the message was my nerves are starting to awaken more and the heaviness I've felt over the last several months are s
April 29, 2023 update from John...
Yesterday I posted 2 videos showing the progress that's been made in my walking and strength. One was my first day of walking February 21, 23 (sorry it's a little blurry), other was this past Wednesday April 25, 23 (in the comments below). You'll see in the comparison how at first I struggled just standing and walking to how much smother and stronger my strides have become. My balance has been slowly increasing as well as my flexibility. I am by no means ready to be home, but each session I'm finding myself doing more and willing to push further. Jason told me on Wednesday that I have already doubled my output in the same time frame that I began at just 2 weeks ago.
Unfortunately I have discovered that there is a possibility of damage to my lower back. 2 vertebrae were infected. Time will tell as my strength returns and I regain more mobility. In all physical therapy was great this week. New achievements were transferring from wheelchair to nustep alone then back again. This is all due to the increased arm and upper body strength I've gained over the last month here. It was just as good this week, with the circulation wraps on my legs and the lymphatic message I lost nearly an additional inch in circumference for a total of nearly 3 inches. The sad part is that it's revealing just how much muscle mass I've lost. My wraps are slowly becoming to big and my right lower leg fits into a medium.
Last Sunday night I had the opportunity to show Cindy how I could use the safety bars in the bathroom to pull myself up on my own. She was elated but to my surprise mentioned that I no longer had a butt. Other gains this week have also come in the form of transfers. Wednesday morning I successfully transferred from my walker into the shower on my own plus was able to bath on my own except for my lower legs and feet. That's the first time on my own since September 16th. On Wednesday I also said " what the hell let's try" and succe
