Picto Diary - 4,5,6,7 September 2017 - Broken Leg Diet

Above: Mrs. Driggs and Stockli visit the non ambulatory Bishop. Park City, UT. 04 September 2017.

Stockli's second visit. A couple of weeks ago he came over to reposition my F350 from the upper drive way to the lower driveway.

Today, he reported aborting his Oregon trip because of smoke from the heavy fires there.

Enjoyed Mrs. Driggs' story of recently flying her plane up to Driggs, ID to witness the total eclipse of the sun.

Above: Mynduveroan watches Emeril. Park City, UT. 05 September 2017.

Who say's grandpas with broken leg can't baby sit?

Mynduveroan was kept home from school for minor ailment.

Observing and interacting with grandchildren is one of the saving graces of being home bound.


"Broken Leg Diet" (typical)

Breakfast: Shredded Wheat with skim milk. Peaches with a couple of table spoons of whole cream.

Lunch: Burrito with fresh salsa.

Dinner: Pork sausage patty. Brussels sprouts. Berries with cream.

The above is quite a bit less than I typically consumed pre leg break. Before, I would do a lot of grazing during the day... nuts... crackers...cheese.

I had managed to eliminate eating anything having refined sugar, but would occasionally OD on 'no sugar' chocolate. Now have given up the fake chocolates as well.

I've cut out all artificial sweetener drinks. And, again, consume nothing having refined sugar.

I haven't eliminated the white veggies...potatoes and rice... but consume less often and, in smaller portions.

The healthier eating has already helped me achieve a ten pound weight loss over the last three weeks. Hopefully, I can keep loosing.... healthily.

Above: Breakfast view. Mr. Chipmunk. 06 September 2017.

Over the 14 years of living at this house, I've rarely scrutinized the view afforded through this breakfast nook window as I have during the last three weeks of my disability.

Usually, I go out for breakfast. When I do sit at the table in the breakfast nook, its at lunch or dinner time when I find myself in conversation with someone, or watching the TV.

I began thinking... what if I could never leave the house again, and what if the breakfast nook view were the only view I ever had of the outdoors?

I realize there is much more to contemplate in this vista than first thought. Squirrels, birds, chipmunks are all out there going about their business. The vegetation includes scrub oak, shrubs and wild flowers, the species of which I should know, but don't.

The cut sandstone boulders come out of the bedrock of nearby hills. How long will they remain in this place as longer spans of time are contemplated.

I marvel at how a simple view outside of a window could be encyclopedic in scope if that were the only view you were ever again able to see.

Above: 'Toon which seems highly relevant to my current predicament.
07 September 2017.

Above: Exercise regimen prescribed by Kathy, my home visiting physical therapist. Park City, UT. 07 September 2017.

Above: Demo Tibia Plateau. 07 September 2017.

Gift from Ahn Rhee, Larkspur, CA.

Irony. Ahn Rhee suffered a tibial plateau fracture as a result of a motorcycle accident, also in Colorado (near Leadville), in 2004.

We now share more than a half dozen motorcycle rides together in far flung regions of the world. Patagonia and Mongolia come to mind. There have been several others.

Are we now "tibia brothers?"

 

Storms 
 
My heart goes out to those in the path of the two recent hurricanes.... Harvey (Gulf Coast/Houston) and Irma  - ongoing (Caribbean and SE US). 
 
In August 1992, TIMDT and Mwah (sic), while living in Miami, spent a night in our bedroom closet with our dog Trixie and a battery powered radio as Hurricane Andrew roared by.  We were about 10 miles from the storm eye wall and experienced wind gusts, for over an hour, of 90 mph.  The howling, cracking (trees being torn apart) and the shaking was horrific.  Our home only suffered minor damage, but, tree debris was everywhere outside. 
 
We were without power for three weeks.  Three or four days after the storm, we drove up to Broward County where we found a Home Depot with some generators.  Using a small generator, we kept a refrigerator, a TV, and a few lights working.  Every night, we'd watch a new episode of "Twin Peaks."  Note:  The new, updated "Twin Peaks" is now showing on Netflix... or is it Showtime?  I've watched three episodes and frankly, its so weird beyond the pale, that I've lost interest.  I understand that it has some cult followers who love it.
 
I feel for those in the path of one of these storms.  We've "been there, done that" and its not a memory that begs to be relived.  There wasn't a moment, while in that closet, that we didn't fear that our house would collapse around us because of the force of the storm.

Addendum:


Angel home delivery
What a thoughtful guy!!
No wonder he is successful.

Montage,
Marina del Rey, CA


Hi Steve,

God Morning. it’s good to see the progress you are making. Wish you well and hope you recover fully and are back on your feet. Maybe too premature to be back on wheels.

I read this blog from you. And the last bit on Angel bringing you breakfast caught my attention, particularly what you said about Millennials. I then got reminded of a post that my wife recently had put on her FB wall about Millennials. I couldn’t resist but go back to her to cut what she wrote and paste it below. These are her views on Millennials and I am just sharing it for you as it is somewhat in line with your post where you mention Millennials and then people like Angel who are fighting it to achieve the American Dream.

Oh BTW, it’s is thanks to my wife Shoba that we know Margaret and you. The story goes like this. We used to gift Royina’s Book of Ganesha to our travellers. Once we had a VIP group for which the organiser wanted those books to be personally signed by Royina for each individual participant. I asked Shoba for help to get through to Royina. She already had a connection coz Shoba knew Royina’s daughter Misha (I think) and phoned her for help. She then spoke to Royina who was very kind and generous to invite us to her place and signed 10 books for our group. Some months later Royina then called to ask if I would be interested in putting together a trip for one of her lady friends from US who was planning to travel to India with her friends. That lady friend was Margaret. And the rest is history as they say. These are Karmic connections that my wife has made for me. I have many stories like that.

Post by Shoba Mohan on her FB on Millennials.
"Now for the Millennials. I love you guys. Having left it far behind, I do believe that youth is magic. But your parents ( and I am included here ) have you believing that the world begins and ends with you. You write a sentence they go into rhapsody, you strum a tune and you are the next rock star, and of course you will ride, dance, sing and storm the world with your talents. Which mind you, I am sure you will. Each one of us has that potential, but for any and all of this to happen you have to be the foot soldier, walk every experience, learn to manage people behind your touch pads and teach yourself discipline. Most importantly during your learning years open your eyes and mind to the magic of knowledge where ever it presents itself. Google and fluff can take you only so far... and your disarming charm will lead you well on the road but not take you all the way there. As a captain of my ship I do love the energy, confidence and the innovation you bring into your work....but for my generation your indiscipline and constant search for a 'high' flummoxes us. In the end one thing that will never go out of fashion and cannot be replaced by technology is grit and hard work. By the way I am yet to come to terms with your language and your attitude towards what you do.....

Mohan, New Delhi, India


What a humbling and self introspective time in your life. Patience and a little slower pace in life must be the lesson to learn. Xoxox
LaDoc and LaPsy,
Maui, HI


Nice job Steve, keep up the good work!

Z , Chico, CA

 

Always interesting emails from you. THX! One of the statues might be Egyptian?

Sandy, Seattle, WA

 

Steve –

Sorry to be a bit tardy in getting back to you again.

I’m a doctor of rocks, not people’s bodies, but having been an avid skier for over 60 years and leading a life stumbling through the Alaskan wilderness, I’ve seen lots of X-rays of bone breaks over the years (a few of them mine, including an ugly boot-top tibia-fibula fracture back in 1976). The workmanship on putting your leg back together looks absolutely stellar to me! I’ll bet the “before” picture is pretty gruesome. You must be one tough SOB to ride your bike out after the accident. Of course, there may have been no other real choices.

If I’m so unfortunate as to bugger one of my legs up again, this is the guy I’m going to. The clinic already know me well, with Davis’ associates having worked on my right shoulder, my left knee and my back over the last 7 or so years.

Additionally your knees look pretty good to me – certainly better than mine (well, the left one probably looks pretty good these days but its full of Teflon and titanium). I don’t think arthritis in the knees will be much of a problem for you in the future, particularly if you’re successful in your weight-loss endeavors.

It’s good to hear that things are coming along, and you seem to get plenty of visitors.

Keep up the good spirits, and if I can do any sort of a little favor for you, don’t hesitate to call.

Gold Miner, Park City, UT

Stop by if you're over this way! We can compare bone notes.

 

Hello Steve,
We're so sorry about your accident but glad that it wasn't worse and that you have great care and lots of attention . You couldn't have better with Margaret there to oversee everything. It does put a little crimp in your skiing this winter, but you'll be back. We hope you're the doctor's poster patient.
We have something with a "fetching" smile on the way to you, and we're sure it will encourage your knee rehab if you get up and rumble to a glorious purple memory. Wish you the best of healing!
Hippo and Survival,
Hatch, UT

I had hoped to do one of my spontaneous motorcycle rides down to your territory this year. Postponed for now! Thanks for the well wishes.