0830 a typical day - part 2 of 3

Then I head off to the bathroom for my morning ritual, which includes shaving with both hands, brushing my teeth and washing my face. I also use the support bar on the wall for my first standing exercise of the day. This includes shifting the weight back and forth to test the strength of the right knee after the injury. Sometimes, I’ll also use the toilet, but not every morning.

After the bathroom is breakfast. Before the injury, I would walk to the kitchen (with the walker) through the den doorway, but now I’ll either wheel the long way around through the front room (my wheelchair is too wide for the doorway by the den) or, if my parents are in a rush or have an appointment, I’ll find a tray in the den.

Breakfast is usually cold cereal and fresh fruit, which is fine for me and requires very little prep and clean-up. But I find that I actually miss eggs, bacon and pancakes. Maybe it’s all the IHOP commercials on the TV. Even that loco moco I talked about in the July 31 post is sounding real good right now.

The time between breakfast and lunch is spent on arm and hand exercises. I mix them up so they don’t become too routine. Exercises include stretching, curls with weights, rolling golf balls, typing on Word and writing practice.

I remember I used to laugh when I saw small weights at a sporting goods store as I used to curl with 15-lb. weights in both hands. Now, it’s a good day if I can successfully curl a 2-lb. weight in my right hand. Some friends and I used to joke about doing 12 ounce curls (the weight of a can of beer).

To be continued ....

0826 a typical day - part 1 of 3

A few of my friends wanted to know what a typical day for me went like. So I wrote it out but it was so long that I’ll post it in parts. If you click on the “typical day” label, you’ll see all the parts together.

I usually wake up around 7am and it takes me a few minutes to take off the CPAP mask and disconnect the hose. I just lie there for a few minutes to think about the day ahead.

Getting up is another story. First, I roll onto my left side and try to kick out my knees and feet. Unless I can get them over the edge of the mattress, I’m not getting up. A combination of shimmies and slides is needed, but the whole process takes about 10 minutes.

Once my knees and feet are over the edge, then I can use my arms to move me up to a sitting position. I sit still for a few minutes, just thinking about my posture and making subtle corrections to straighten my back.

I reach for my shoes and socks. The left foot is easy. I just cross my left calf over my right knee, and use my hands to put on the sock and shoe. The right foot is harder. I reach down to get a firm grasp of my right ankle and slowly pull my right calf to cross over my left knee. Since the injury a few weeks ago, this step takes a little longer to do. I slowly (by fractions of an inch) pull it so it rests on the knee unassisted.

I take a few minutes to massage and stretch the foot and toes. One of the problems I have is that I cannot lift my right ankle. Sometimes I can curl the toes, sometimes I can’t. If I can curl them and uncurl them, the uncurling action will help trigger the muscle that lifts the ankle. Massaging and stretching helps to loosen the muscles and tendons.

Once the foot is massaged and the leg is comfortably crossed, I can then put the sock and shoe on my right foot.

I then reach out to pull the wheelchair to the side of the bed. I release the brakes and move it back and forth until it’s in the right position for the transfer. Once it’s set, I lock the brakes, lift the armrest and place my hands and feet in the proper position. Then I shift my weight over my feet and transfer into the wheelchair. I can then check the brakes, adjust my positioning and secure the armrest.

To be continued ....

0825 it's what is underneath that counts

A few days ago, a friend sent me an email discussing a comparison of Penelope Cruz and Rosario Dawson. Part of the comparison involved Rosario Dawson’s breasts, particularly in a scene with Colin Farrell in the movie “Alexander”, which I did not see.

It struck me as funny that a few years ago, I would have gone out of my way to rent the video, just to see the scene. But now, I’m no longer motivated in that way. My priorities have changed.

During the Olympics, in a commercial for “The Office”, Steve Carrell put it, “I like to watch the women’s beach volleyball competitions, but not because of the attractive young women and not because of their skimpy bikinis. It’s because of what’s inside.

After all, it’s what’s under the bikinis that matters.”

0822 study hard

What does four hours signify? You’ve seen the commercials for Viagra and Cialis. Have you heard the cautionary statement to “contact your doctor if you have an erection lasting longer than four hours”?

How did they determine that four hours was bad? Apparently, three-and-a-half hours is okay. So is three hours, forty-five minutes. I’d like to see the documentation on that clinical study, as long as there aren’t any pictures.

It reminds me of the joke about a burglary at a pharmacy. The only thing that was taken was a jar of Viagra.

The punchline? The police issued a warning to be on the lookout for a bunch of hardened criminals.

0820 good friends

Like I said, I never know who’s reading this blog until I say something that makes someone remember something else. I was just reminded of a stunt in my senior year in high school (yeah, a long time ago in a galaxy not so far, far away). Some of you weren’t born yet so let me explain.

It was a few days before graduation. A good friend and I decided (foolishly) to toilet paper the quad at the school. In order to be as mobile as possible, I stuffed some rolls of TP into a backpack and met my friend at the campus just after midnight.

We looked over our supplies and realized that we needed more. My friend had some extra stuff at his house, so we stashed the stuff we brought into the bushes and hopped into his truck, then drove to his house.

The resupply activity was uneventful, but when he pulled his truck into the school parking lot, there were three police cars there. He calmly made a U-turn and drove down the street three blocks until the police pulled us over. They asked what we were doing and asked to see our IDs. When we complied, they looked at our IDs and started laughing.

One of them told me, “The next time you decide to do something stupid, don’t leave evidence behind with your name on it!” He opened his trunk and pulled my backpack out, which, unfortunately, had my name printed on it.

They told us that we could pick up our IDs and my backpack at the principal’s office in the morning. My friend was laughing too. He just smiled and shook his head, saying, “Only you. Only you.”

What happened at the principal’s office? He laughed too, but we were suspended for the day. It was a light sentence, but we were both honor students and we didn’t complete the vandalism attempt.

I don’t know which hurt more ... the unsuccessful attempt at TPing the quad or that our mothers had to call the school to verify our suspensions, because they thought we were ditching classes.

0818 friendship

I was bothered by something I said at Koinonia today, so I got up around 2am to clarify it. I soon found myself in an online discussion with Liz regarding it. We soon got around to talking about our friendship. I was reminded of a sticker that Ching recently sent to me in Facebook that said, “Good friends don’t let you do stupid things .... alone”. I wasn’t thinking about the general subject, but of the underlying tone. That good friends will stand with you no matter what happens.

I finished up around 4am and went to sleep. No sooner than the head hit the pillow, I could hear my father getting up to start the day. Fortunately, he left me alone but woke me up around 7am, to get ready for a doctor’s appointment.

I reminded him that the appointment wasn’t until tomorrow and it was only for lab tests. He verified this but had me get up anyways, in order to prepare for it.

This is the first time I had to study for a blood test.

0816 walking cancelled

I was supposed to go walking with osam today, but my right leg wasn’t up to it, so I cancelled the session. So far, though, I can put all my weight on my left leg and my right leg will handle a little of it. I test it a few times each day by supporting my weight on stationary bars, then I shift back and forth from leg to leg. It’s safe and it’s been encouraging. Each day, I get a little closer to using the walker again.

0815 ticket special

I was watching and listening to the Dodger–Brewers game on TV when Vin Scully announced a special ticket offer that’s available at dodgers.com only, compliments of Cacique.

Cacique? That’s the place that osam and I loiter around at the mall, just to see the clientele that goes in. If you check their website, you’ll know why.

Interesting that they’re a sponsor of major league baseball. I guess they’re giving back after the successes of Morganna, the “Kissing Bandit”.

Did I just age myself there?

0814 eyedrops

After his last vet appointment, Jett was given eyedrops that he needs to have every night. My parents discussed amongst themselves and determined that it was a good time to get it done, so they walked to the porch and called Jett to follow them.

A few minutes later, Jett comes strolling out, so I assumed that they had finished. He sat a few feet from me and gave a look of exasperation. He sighed audibly and just looked at me.

Another minute passed, then my father poked his head in and asked, “Have you seen Jett?” I nodded in his direction, so my father just called him, and Jett got up and walked to the other room.

What were they doing all this time? I don’t know and I didn’t ask. I’ve got enough to worry about all by myself.

0813 too much free time

I have time in between exercise sets to surf the Internet. Recently, I’ve discovered a fun site called the “Parallel Universe Film Guide”. It’s filled with useless information about films that were never made but somehow sound vaguely familiar.

Check it out at ParallelFilmGuide.com and look at the summary for “Frankly. I’d Do It For Some Luggage” (1993). Sound familiar? Read the synopsis for “Indecent Proposal” (1993) on either Wikipedia or IMDb. It just a little different, isn’t it?

Look at the summary for “Mighty Space Explorers II: To Save A Franchise” (1982). What does it sound like to you?

0812 lemon .... lime .... get it?

The layout of the family room is such that I can see the TV screen from where I sit. My mother and father both have recliners about eight feet apart, but I can only see the backs of the recliners. I can hear them talk, butt I can’t see their faces.

We were watching the new Million Dollar Password with Regis Philbin. After seeing some of the contestants screw up, my father said, “I think we can do better than them. Lets try.”

“Okay,” said my mother.

My father said, “Lemon”. The password was LIME.

My mother said, “Huh?”

My father said, “I said ‘Lemon’.”

My mother said, “I can’t hear you. Speak up!” My mother is hard-of-hearing.

My father said, “Never mind. We just lost,”

0811 seafood

Yesterday, we were talking about a family outing. “How about a family dinner at a restaurant?” my mother asked.

My sister replied, “That’s a good idea. Where?”

My mother answered, “How about that nice seafood place? You know, McCormick’s and Schmuck’s?”

My sister and I looked at each other, trying hard to keep straight faces. We couldn’t. We burst out laughing. I almost hyperventilated.

My mother asked, “Did I get that wrong?”

My sister replied, “Yeah, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.”

My dad stayed quiet, but he was laughing too.

0810 chatterbox

We had a family gathering at my sister’s house because of two family birthdays this month. It was a nice day to get together.

At one point, my niece was chattering up a storm. My brother-in-law, Mike, said, “That’s all she does. Talk, talk, talk.”

My mother responded, “I know. We used to have one just like that.”

My sister asked, “Really? Whatever happened to him?” My father just smiled and rolled his eyes.

0809 mamma mia!

I was able to get out of the house for a few hours to see “Mamma Mia!” in the comfort of a theatre. It’s a film version of a musical about a 20-old-girl getting married but she never knew her birth father. She found her mother’s diary from that point in time and narrowed it down to three possibilities. So she invited all three to wedding, hoping to discover the truth, but finding out more about herself in the process.

The musical was made up of songs recorded by “ABBA” and it was put together real well. I don’t know which was funnier: seeing Pierce Brosnan sing or seeing all the eyes of Stellan Skarsgard. Hint: one set is tattooed on his knees.

I liked the movie, but my all-time favorite film musical is still “Moulin Rouge”, which is set in 1890’s Paris, but contains contemporary songs by artists such as Madonna, Sting, and .... ABBA.

The movie made me think of what I was doing 20 years ago. If it was set on a tiny island in Orange County, then I’d be kinda paranoid.

0807 melona anyone?

I may be stuck at home, but I’m staying in touch with friends thru Facebook. My friends list has 49 people on it. That’s not much compared to others who have hundreds or thousands on theirs. But mine is different. I’ve actually met each person on my list face-to-face at one time or another.

The people on my list are from all chapters in my life history. Some are from high school. Some are from ski trips up north and beyond. Some I’ve skied and partied with locally. Some I’ve met through church. But all of them have touched and shaped my life to what it is today.

One of the fun things on Facebook is the sending and receiving of gifts. These are just graphical representations, but it’s nice to get something without asking.

Like Korean food. I’m learning so much about Korean food that I didn’t know before. My personal exposure is limited to some soju that was given to me a few years ago by a campfire friend. But lately I’ve been given jajangmyun, jambong, and melona. I’ve had to do some searches to figure out what was being sent to me. Did you know that there was a Korean porn star named “Melona”?

0806 gorillas

There was a report that wildlife researchers were concerned because the worldwide population of western lowland gorillas had dropped to less than 50,000 since the 1980s, but somehow managed to find more than 125,000 deep in the forests of the Republic of Congo.

The gorillas themselves are too reclusive and shy, so the researchers count their sleeping nests and calculate the population from that. What an interesting scientific method! Maybe the U.S. Census Bureau should do that when they count the population in 2010. The problem is that they would have overcounted Wilt Chamberlain in previous years by several thousands.

By the way, why do gorillas have big fingers?

0805 secret obsession

There was a piece on all the news shows this week concerning the U.S. censorship of a new Calvin Klein commercial featuring a nude Eva Mendes promoting the fragrance “Secret Obsession”. I think it was created intentionally that way, since it resulted in a lot of free publicity and anyone who wants to see the commercial can probably find it online somewhere. If it was done tastefully, the perfume would have premiered quietly and would have been one of dozens of others on the perfume counters. The marketers probably planned on making waves with the ad and it worked.

And yes, I’ve seen the uncensored ad. Blog research is such a pain these days, but someone has to do it.

0804 humpty dumpty

I fell down yesterday. I was visiting some friends and tried to navigate the sidewalk to the driveway, but the driveway was a bit slanted, so I overcompensated by shifting my weight. Too much too soon.

So today, with the assistance of my brother-in-law, I had my feet and legs checked at an urgent care facility in Long Beach. There was pain in my left foot, but the x-rays showed that there wasn’t a break or a fracture. The doctor recommended some ice today, then heat tomorrow.

The right leg was another story. X-rays showed that there wasn’t a break or fracture, but the knee was swollen. They drained some fluid from the knee and found some blood. The knee was wrapped and I was given instructions to ice it down for a couple of days, then have my own doctor look at it next week.

I cancelled this week’s therapy appointments as I was having trouble standing up, even while supported.

0802 walkin' osams

Jim Y came by to help me walk today. It was hot, so we made our way to Lakewood Center, where it’s cooler inside.

We’ve taken to calling each other “osam”, an anagram for “old single Asian male” and it’s made its way into our emails and in-person conversations.

Kinda reminds me of two female cousins of mine. They’re not sisters, but they act like it. They have the same pet name for each other and use it to talk about the other in the third-person tense. The word is “onara”. It’s Japanese, but I won’t translate it here.

My mother knows about it, since they are both her nieces. But she just shakes her head whenever they use it.