Update on the Backwoods Savage

[Backwoods Savage]

First I wish to thank everyone for their kind (and maybe some unkind) words.

I have progressed to the point where I can walk without crutches or canes, at least part of the time. For example, this morning I went out to spread some sand on the ice because we have lots of ice and more is falling from the sky. So far we've had rain, sleet and snow. Yuck. Anyway, I was without the cane while spreading the sand!

Indoors I am walking without the cane perhaps 75% of the time. Sometimes when I first get up I use the cane and then very soon I notice there is no cane so have to go looking for it. That, I think, is a good sign.

Yesterday I was on the atv and looking over the area where we've had a couple guys cutting. They have cut their last so I am trying to decide which to cut or where to start anywhere in the woods. But I have to find the saw first...

Mrs Ornery is doing very well for the most part. For a while I could do hardly nothing but what she was there trying to help. For the most part she just leaves me alone on that part now. I still don't know what I'd do without her.


But the good part is that I am looking at what wood I will cut and looking at the small pile I have so far and thinking about splitting. I also moved the splitter yesterday so now I only have to hook on and go.

I think all this is a good sign that the healing has come a long ways and it will be very soon and I will be out doing some decent work and cutting some more trees down. Dang, I miss it.

Once again, THANK YOU to all. February was a tough month.

 

[firefighterjake]

Good to hear that you're on the mend my friend. . . .

 

[wood spliter]

Being on and off the computer I must have missed you getting hurt. It sounds like you are getting better. Hope you injuries all heal soon.
Steve

 

[thewoodlands]

Sav I'm glad things are getting better, and the saw thing just proves you're never to old for hide and seek! :zip:


Zap

 

[pen]

glad to hear it

pen

 

[shawneyboy]

Gald to hear you are on the mend. Keep it up and you will be splitting in no time.

Shawn

 

[yooperdave]

i was almost ready to pm you...thought that maybe mrs. ornery got fed up with you and unplugged the computer...or sold the 4-wheeler. guess all she did was hide the saw! now why do you suppose she did that??????

glad to hear that all is going well with your mend and i assume therapy too, right? maybe the doctors and nurses are impressed with "that tough old buzzard" and think it's due to the wood handling??

now, if you can just get the weather to start "mending" hang in there, buddy and thanks to mrs. ornery also!

 

[muncybob]

I can hardly wait to get out there and cut too.....but I am not on the mend and do know where my saw is

Just take it slowly(sounds like for the most part you have)...no sense in letting a brain fart moment set you back weeks in recovery!....ask me how I know....

 

[jackofalltrades]

Good to hear you are well on your way now. You should be ready to go on light duty work by the time the weather breaks. When the weather gets pretty you will be in good enough shape to actually getting out there and doing something. That is one of the biggest problems with being down; you still got the want to but you still just don't quite have the ability to get it done. That will soon pass for you sounds like.

 

[colebrookman]

Great news Dennis; you can't keep a good man down! Spring is in the air but still plenty of snow in the woods so I won't be cutting until the blood sucking insects are out. Be safe.
Ed

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ya Ed, now if I can get some spring in my arse we'll be all set.


Wood splitter, it was a total hip replacement.


BogyDave, my therapy is simply to get out and walk and also do whatever I can do. This is per the doctor's instructions. It worked the first time so I figure it will work this time too.


Wow. I just finished talking to a fellow about some new windows and a couple of doors to the tune of many thousands of dollars..... Not cheap for sure.

 

[colebrookman]

Dennis did you have a hip replacement before this one? Same side? My son goes in November for his other side. At least no pain in his new hip, so far. Be safe.
Ed

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not the same side. Had one done in 2004 and the other this year.

From what I can remember about the last one compared to this one, it seems to be going pretty much the same. I'm thinking it took about 2 months to get really good but right now I feel that I'm coming along nicely. I feared last week that I really did something bad because of the pain it caused but I seem to be overcoming it okay. Sunday my wife and I went to an Expo which meant a lot of walking on hard surfaces. So, I took the crutches and am glad I did. Monday I really felt it too but now all is okay. Shoot, this morning I was out spreading some sand on our icy driveway and didn't even take a cane. No problem; no pain. Since then, I feel it a bit when I first stand up but that goes away.

So Ed, I hope your son gets through this even better than I have and there is no reason to think otherwise. Good luck to him and please tell him I said so.

 

[Naandme]

Glad you are doing so well and hope you continue too! Stay well and you will be back at it very soon!!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ya, I'd have liked to come down and helped you, Jay and the others with the big job.

 

[PapaDave]

Great news Dennis!
Pretty soon, the bike will be calling your name, eh? Just be careful on the ice, I almost fell again today.

 

[Intheswamp]

Glad to hear you're doing well, Dennis. I had a friend that had a hip replacement...he went to the point that one day he came in on the delivery truck and every step he would holler...that was his last day at work until after he had the replacement done...it was basically flat bone against flat bone at that time. He did well with the surgery and rehab. Fast forward a few years and one night he and his wife are hit by a Mac truck while walking down the sidewalk. He pushes his wife mostly out of the way and a couple of teenagers...the truck carries him probably 150' up into a yard and throws him into a granite marker and runs squarely over his titanium hip and his chest. He died three times that morning in the ER....broken bones in neck, all ribs but one shattered, pelvic in 3 places, lungs punctured several places, etc.,....and bones around the titanium hip shattered. The titanium hip...not a scratch on it. Those hips are TOUGH.... So is my friend, after cold turkeying off some oxycodon and another narcotic that the docs told him he would be own the rest of his life he started getting his color back and came back to life. He works for me and loads and unloads trucks (tires) each day and usually walks about three miles a day before (1 mile) and after (2 miles) work. His goal during recovery was to get back to work...BUT, he followed doctors orders and didn't rush it. So, don't get over rambunctious but keep that positive attitude...attitude is everything!

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Beardog]

Good to hear things are progressing.

 

[jhoff310]

Glad to hear you're coming along, by the time the weather breaks you should be in great shape to get some wood ready.


OK!! Dennis enough is enough you have putzed around too long time to get to work and quit faking it......Just kidding....Love Ya man...Glad to hear things are good.

Jeff

 

[tfdchief]

I knew you'd be back. Good to hear Dennis.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Glad to hear you're doing well, Dennis. I had a friend that had a hip replacement...he went to the point that one day he came in on the delivery truck and every step he would holler...that was his last day at work until after he had the replacement done...it was basically flat bone against flat bone at that time. He did well with the surgery and rehab. Fast forward a few years and one night he and his wife are hit by a Mac truck while walking down the sidewalk. He pushes his wife mostly out of the way and a couple of teenagers...the truck carries him probably 150' up into a yard and throws him into a granite marker and runs squarely over his titanium hip and his chest. He died three times that morning in the ER....broken bones in neck, all ribs but one shattered, pelvic in 3 places, lungs punctured several places, etc.,....and bones around the titanium hip shattered. The titanium hip...not a scratch on it. Those hips are TOUGH.... So is my friend, after cold turkeying off some oxycodon and another narcotic that the docs told him he would be own the rest of his life he started getting his color back and came back to life. He works for me and loads and unloads trucks (tires) each day and usually walks about three miles a day before (1 mile) and after (2 miles) work. His goal during recovery was to get back to work...BUT, he followed doctors orders and didn't rush it. So, don't get over rambunctious but keep that positive attitude...attitude is everything!

Best wishes,
Ed

WOW!

Now that is some story! My hat is off to the man. He is one very lucky guy.

As for the pain with every step, yes, that is classic hip replacement time. That is where I was with both hips. The strange part is that I got a shot in the hip in November that took the pain away. My wife had this done and it worked great for her. Well, it worked for me too, but for a very short period of time. When the pain came back it was at least double what it was before so there was not much choice on the surgery. And yes, bone on bone.

The oxycodon they give you after surgery (2 types) is pretty stout stuff and also makes you very sleepy. For the most part I am off the stuff but do have to take some pain meds if it gets bad. It appears I have some sciatic damage so there is some pain in the leg to deal with. Rarely is there pain in the hip itself. Almost all of the black and blue is gone but I do have some. That might be because of what I did last week when I got a terrible pain in the hip while getting up off the floor (was looking at a leaking water line).

Walking is indeed the best exercise for the hip and I am happy to report that I have successfully walked to the mailbox and back....with no crutch or cane! It is about 100 yards to the mailbox so I walked twice the length of a football field. During that walk, I had zero pain!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

One more thing to report. Last night my wife and I were talking....about cutting wood. I told her that I think it is time to do just a little cutting and a good way to start is to cut up some dead elm that we have. Most are all bark free and leaning against other trees so it will be easy cutting and they are also small. There are a couple that are still standing that we can cut right in the same area but again, they are small. There is also an ironwood that is down but we need the snow to melt before getting those. Also a couple soft maple were cut when we let a couple guys cut on our place. They widened the trail, which, they were not supposed to do. So we'll have to cut those up but that will mostly be split into kindling wood.

But the big point is that the Mrs. agreed to the whole thing! Now if the weather will just cooperate. Right now it is snowing. We've had rain and more expected so the snow is not as deep but still a bit troublesome.

 

[peterc38]

I hear splitting wood in horizontal mode is good physical therapy for recovery from hip replacement

HaHa, just kidding, glad your feeling better

 

[Delta-T]

i'm excited to hear how much wood the new "bionic dennis" can process....heal well sir.

 

[woodchip]

Only just got back from my travels and read this........

Dennis, good to hear you are recovering well with a new hip joint.
A friend of mine took almost a year to fully recover from her hip replacement, and she is walking like a youngster again now.

Part of me wants to say get well soon, part wants to say don't rush it........ so I'll just say take care!!