Mad Macedonian

Purring Along, Doggedly Moving Forward, One Step at a Time

Over the last 2 weeks the Cats, and I, have all made some progress, and the month of August gets off to a grand start, in a very special way.

I've been walking, a lot, on the braced ankle, mostly with it at a right angle, due to stiffness.

At my most recent appointment xrays showed there are still areas of healing to take care of, and I must still wear the brace for at least the next 2 months.

Since I can't afford to go to Physical Therapy, due to not having health insurrance (I've applied for MSI, but won't know if I've been approved for a few weeks yet), the Doc gave me 3 stretching exercises I can do on my own at home.

Elvira has had to lose a little weight, and Nikita has some unknown issues that have led to his losing 3 lbs., and needing to gain it back, and that has us all concerned.

Several things have happened, over at Meowsings, the last couple weeks, that have made not being able to attend Blog Paws easier to accept.

Elvira did the honors for the 500th post: 500th: The Elvira Factor #6 - Wiggle Your Toes if You are not Declawed

I went to Los Angeles for a very special evening: Meow Mingle Meeting of the Feline Bloggers Humans Purrfectly Delightful!

The really HUGE news, though is this:

Daddy Kiril to Walk Red Carpet at Charity Event for LA Cat Rescue

I came home from the Meow Mingle to find an e-mail, from a sponsor of this event, offering me a ticket to the show, and a ticket to the related Red Carpet event and, needless to say, I accepted. :-D

With a week to go I've went & got a new pair of dress shoes, & got something else to spruce up my outfit for the event, something that will remain a State Secret until the weekend.

I also have done something else in preparation, and have another thing in mind that I will learn more about on Monday, both State Secrets as well. :-D

The future still has a lot of uncertainty, but things are happening that allow me to keep my spirits up, and a positive outlook.

Stepping Forward, Braced For Whatever Comes

At our house Independence Day came, and went, as we celebrated things such as freedom, the First & a 1/2 Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and The Midnight Prowl of Those With Claws.

We also celebrated the 1 year anniversary of the arrival of a 2nd Cat in the family.

Elvira is apound over weight, and I'm waiting to hear test results on Nikita who has lost 3 lbs. in a month, for some reason, and is very skinny.

I'm finally on Disability Insurance, and looking to apply for MSI, to help with my medical bills.

 I also went Summer Clothes Shopping, with a sister, over the weekend, so I can look like a prensentable 51 year old single male in the early 21st century. :-D

I'm still concerned about the recovery of my ankle, and being able to walk right on it, but it's time to begin to move forward, as best I can, with my life.

I will probably have to adapt to the post trauma range of motion in the ankle. 

It may never be 100% and I have to accept that and not stress over it.

At my age I'm very lucky it is healing so quickly and well, as it appears to be.

I decided it was not possible to attend the Blog Paws Critter Blogging Convention, in August, considering the uncertaintly of my situation, both physically, and financially, and will plan for next year, and concentraite on other avenues I have to reach out, and connect, and network.

It's time to search the private schools, decide on a course of job retraining and begin their loan process, if it's feasable to do so.

I'm not going to be on disability, or even unemployment, forever.

As one friend wrote me: There is another world waiting for you, full of
love, trust, hope, truth, and dreams come true."

I just have to do my best to bring it about, including finding the time to get out, and about, exercising my  long dormant, and atrophied, social muscles.

 

OK, All You Happy People, What's the All-Fired Rush?

I had to make a Market Run this morning, to Target, for a couple jugs of milk, and some Liquid Spray Tinactin to help the bottom of my newly freed from the cast bad foot.

In the process I got a new appreciation for the disabled, and handicapped, who have to deal with crossing intersection all their lives, whether on crutches, with walkers, or in wheelchairs.

I didn't have this particular issue while on the crutches, but take them away, and it's a different story.

Friday, and Saturday, I had no problems, but today...must be the heat, or everyone was in a hurry to get to church on time. :-D

Or reach the nearest Fireworks stand before alll the good stuff was gone. :-D

Today I used my black shopping cart as a walker of sorts, since there was no way I was gonna be able to carry my groceries home.

I had to take 4 busses, and along the way walk across 3 major intersections.

Even with the cart it was slow going, though a bit better than without it.

At the first intersection I get halfway acrss when the light changed, but, as usual I had to keep going.

Someone honked their horn impatiently, not satisfied that this slowpoke was moving as fast as he could.

I stopped, turned toward the sound, and lifted my pants leg so everyone, on all sides, could see the brace, then dropped the pants leg, and resumed my travels safely to the curb.

At the second intersection, after I'd been to Target, and had a full cart, I again was halfway across when the light changed.

This time the 2 cars leading the charge, in the northbound lanes, came toward me, impatient for me to haul my ass out of their way.

I stopped, and stared directly at them, then moved on.

At the 3rd intersection the eastbound, left turn leaders, came right past me, very close, not even stopping, and I looked at them, and waved my arms in disgust at them as they zoomed by, before safely resuming my travels to the curb.

Looks like things are gonna be mighty interesting, for a while, until I can, um, run like the wind again :-D

Cast Off, Brace On, Forward March!

 

...To Dancing With Idiots! :-D

Which is what I was for getting myself into this mess in the first place!

The Cast was sawed off, and I was showed how to put on a brace, with my shoe & sock.
 
I can walk, full weight, w/o the crutches, now...or try to, hee, OWWW, hee. ;-D
 
Very painful, and slow, since I've not walked on the foot fully, in over a month.
 
Won't see the doc again for a month.

On my trip TO the Doc, using my crutches, with 1/2 my weight on the foot, I was practically Hauling Ass thru the intersections, and down the sidewalks, 4 blocks, after 2 weeks of such daily efforts, um hee, hee! :-D

Once out of the cast, and in my shoe, with the brace, & the OK to not use the crutches, and put full weight, the Tortoise could tiptoe, and still win a race with me, on this first day of effort. :-D

The foot hurts like hell when I walk, actually more of a shuffle, on it, but I'm moving, and that's what counts, I suppose.

The pain is  to be expected considering I've not fully walked on it in a little over a month.

The Doc says I can put the leg & foot, in the shower, and bathe the foot, just use a soft sponge around the incisions.

Judging by the appearance of my toes I thought the whole bottom of the foot would look bad, but the nursing aide used some alcohol type swabs on the leg, and foot, to clean it, after a month, and it looks like it will live now, and something my Tinactin can handle under my toes.

I hope to properly heal, but....
 
2 of my 4 medical bills are in a Holding Pattern for a month as I await decisions on financial assistance (The largest bill), and possible reduction in the bills, by as much as 45-50% in one case (The 2nd largest bill), as well as being allowed to make monthly payments.
 
Another bill has allowed me to make a $50 a month payment and, if the Doc approves, could be reduced, or even written off (The lowest bill).
 
The 4th bill is a $100 amonth payment.
 
I'm still awaiting to hear from State Disability Insurrance to replace Unemployment.
 
Without it I don't know what I will do come Sept..
 
The Doc also told me I will need a small surgery, to removed the Pins & Screws, at some point, because leaving them in once the ankle is healed is not an option for this variation of the injury.
 
I'm concerned about where my situation will be come Sept.

A friend of mine says I need to really make peace "with
the reality that we cannot control most of what happens
in our lives. "

Cut loose and go with the flow, he says.

Does that photo, above, qualify as "cutting loose"?

Hee, hee! :-D

Don't worry, the BAD foot is the one in the air, and that little jig lasted only about 3 seconds as the camera was on a 10 second delay. :-D

He says to keep an objective eye out for angles and openings.

"Life indeed is like a chess or Scrabble game. You can't
make the right move or response until your opponent makes their move.

Chill out! Stay in the now."

I was terrrible at Chess, Checkers was always my game. :-D

Though I was always good at Scrabble. :-D