Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

I thought they would at least keep me overnight, but doctor said not. DH says since the surgery will be at 1:30 pm they might keep me overnight. Plus I have to be ambulatory before they can discharge me. DH is working n getting medical supplies including the machine that bends and straightens the leg. DH had one of those and it helped when he was home for PT. Also there s a machine that yo fill with ice and water that pumps it through a cuff you place on the knee to lower swelling. Got to check that out too. The LADWP Employees Association will obtain and deliver those items then pick them up again. We will get the prescription/authorization for them on Friday at the surgical preop.

 

[murphysranch]

My almost 92 year old Mother plays bridge. And duplicate too. She's been playing since she was a teen. Covid brought an end to the numerous bridge clubs plus everyone was passing on.

She's even played at the San Jose Bridge Center where Life Masters play. She's that good. I never learned tho - no interest and no time.

 

[Ridgetop]

It is a fascinating Partnership game. With a good partner by the end of the bidding you will pretty much know what your partner has in their hand and from their what everyone has. The most difficult thing to learn as declarer is to set up a way back and forth from declarer's hand to the dummy. Cutting yourself off from the dummy will lose you the game! A lot of people think you have to know and use all sorts of "conventions" which are bids cueing your partner about your hand. However, you only need a few basic conventions to communicate with your partner and win.

When we are too old or decrepit to be able to ranch with our animals, we will still be able to play bridge and play in tournaments. It keeps the mind very active!

 

[murphysranch]

I'm sure that is why Mother will outlive all of her four children!!

 

[Ridgetop]

And be sharp as a tack while doing so! LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

Two more ewes have dropped split twins now, 5/16, and this morning, 5/17.

OR10 had hers yesterday and S1 had a problem retrieving one of them from Josie the Mule who has decided that all new lambs born on the field are now hers. She then protects them from the mama by trying to drive her away. Much bad language as DS1 had to chase the lamb down the gully side with Josie trying to get the lamb. He had already put the other one in a jug so I filled a water bucket and hay feeder. He had me check over the second lamb since it had rolled downhill a ways and was filthy. I had to hose it off a bit and dry it, cut the extremely long cord before dipping it in iodine then put her in the jug with the mama that had escaped from Josie and gotten into the barn. Her brother was already there screaming for breakfast. This morning they were both up and nursing.

This morning BL16 (formerly tagged as BL14) had a set of split twins during the night in the night fold. They were easy to capture and move into the jugs. Already cleaned up and nursing. Again DS caught one, handed it to me to take to the jug. I filled a bucket with clean water and filled the feeder with alfalfa while he captured the second one and led the ewe into the barn. This was easy peasy! Why aren't they all?

Anyway, I told him to feed everyone in their pens and lets see who goes next. We still have 3 due now while one of them remarked and might lamb in June. However, the ram second marked another ewe for June 1 an she delivered May 8! Go figure. Sometimes these rams get frisky with already settled ewes.

Having these ewes lamb makes me feel a lot better since up to now the 4 ewes that Lewis settled only singled and I was wondering if these would even lamb since they didn't look very big and with minimal udders. I was beginning to wonder if Lewis at age 6 was beginning to shoot blanks. I plan to buy another Lewis ram but not quite yet.

The person who bought the hay farm on the side near the house in TZ sent me a lot plan. I told him that I was interested in the lot in the back that was surrounded by 2 sides of y property/ The price for the 4.4 acre lot alone? $85,000!!! Trying to find out how much he will charge for the house and lot together. Probably close to or more than $500K!

Might be cheaper to build a little house ourselves on the back of the property, or just live in the current house and renovate.

Almost ready for surgery on Thursday, May 29. SOOOO angry at all the running around they have you do before surgery! Here is my medical schedule for the last 2 weeks.

2 weeks before surgery pre op with GP, bloodwork, chest x ray (in another location), then needed Covid test Next, pre op with GP, bloodwork, chest x ray (in another location), then needed Covid test but GP won't do this test, have to go to 3rd location!

Had root canal Thursday 1 week before surgery to make sure everything taken care of. Found out from DDS that I have to come back in a month for a crown over the root canal! Also need to be on heavy antibiotics since she found an infection, but said it should be cleared up before surgery.

Got call to get another blood test potassium level is low. Told GP was coming in on Monday could I do it then? Fine says DR don't need appt.

Friday pre op with surgeon assistant. More x rays of leg to make sure they put correct size knee joint in. Gave me special body washing stuff to remove all microbials from body. Must use every day for 3 days before surgery, then put on cleanly washed clothes and sleep in newly washed sheets. Must do this every day until surgery. Next week Covid test. Told surgeon assistant about antibiotics for root canal and was going Monday for Covid test. Dr. said all ok.

Monday at GP with DH. Can't have the blood test because I must have appt. Even though there is an order for it, Dr. said come in for it today, and DH has appointment they won't do it at same time. Must come back at 2:00 pm. His appointment is at 11:00 am. Also she checks and says I need Covid test, but not today, Monday, must return Tuesday with appointment to special Covid test place. She makes me an appointment for 1:50 pm, Tuesday. But she says go between 7:30 am and 11:00 am and they will let you drive through. This entails rescheduling of my nail appointment but Thu moves other people around for me. She is so sweet!

Got call from hospital telling me to watch special surgery videos. What videos? Oops! She will send them right now. Then she says I was not supposed to have any dental work done for 3 months before surgery. And 3 months after! Now I need a letter from my dentist that I am ok to have the surgery. Called the office and we can pick letter up Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesday I strip the bedding, and throw all my pj's for next 3 days into wash. Then DS1 brings over lambs from night fold for iodine on cords - nice little set of split twins. Write info on white board before we leave at 6:30 am to get to Covid place to see if we can be seen early in the am. No one is there so we drive right on through for 10 second test. Home to move bedding into dryer. Make pot roast dinner. Then make bed with assistance from DS2 and DH. Set table and take shower with my special washing stuff. These bottles come labeled 2nd day before surgery, last day before surgery, day of surgery, not sure if they have different ingredients or are just labeled for those persons that can't read the printed instructions in the package.

Using the clever hourglass timer packed with the bottles, I shower, turn off the warm water and proceed to lather up while standing in the cold air. Then turn the timer over and just stand there until the sand runs through. Then turn on the hot water and scrub off all the scrubby lather that was allowed to dry on my skin for 2 minutes. Put on the freshly washed pjs and serve dinner.

Tomorrow morning I strip the bed and wash the sheets along with an outfit to wear to the hospital. Then we pick up the doctor's letter for the surgeon, then play bridge, then I heat up the left over pot roast for the family, and repeat the entire shower experience.

Thursday strip the bed and wash the bedding, do the shower thing again, then we go to the hospital at 11:30 to check in for the slice and dice which will start at 1:30 pm. The nurse that called to verify all my info today said that they might not put me under before the spinal injection since they "need to make sure that I don't feel any pain in the knee" ???!!!. He did put in my chart that I would need Lorazapam for anxiety to relax before the anesthetic. Do ya think?

Then he says to me that I will need to be up and walking before 5 pm on Thursday so I can go home. The 5:00 pm send home is because that is when the outpatient clinic closes!

I am beginning to regret this more and more so if you hear on the news that the police are pursuing an elderly woman running down the street in a hospital gown with her ancient buttocks hanging out, it will be me!
The only thing keeping me from cancelling right now is that the knee is hurting a lot and wants to collapse under me. That, and DH and DS1 threatening to tie me up and deliver me to the hospital like a parcel.

I did manage to borrow one of those toilet chairs that goes over the toilet with arms to help you up. DH will pick it up for me. I have a walker. I also have a bell to ring for help but DH is too deaf to hear it and no one else will bother.

 

[Ridgetop]

Another update on surgery. DH picked up letter from DDS okaying surgery. Then got a call from anesthesiologist re my potassium level is super low. She called GP who called me and is prescribing potassium. Need to pick up the prescriptions and take double dose today before surgery and cut my blood pressure (water) pills in half. Then after surgery continue with potassium and have another blood test in 2 weeks. Found out that the low potassium levels could be causing my glucose levels to be crazy high, and also causing me to retain water in ankles - which is what the blood pressure pills were supposed to be getting rid of!!! So blood pressure pills (I don't have high BP anyway, just low BP alternating with normal BP) could have been causing the potassium levels to fall causing the water retention which the BP pills were proscribed. Can anyone say oxymoron?! And why did they not catch this since I have been complaining about water retention for several years now?!!!!

Then the anesthesiologist said that they are not knocking me out before stabbing me in the spine with a jumbo needle. But will give me something to "relax" me.

The wheelchair is looking better and better.

Sheets and towel in washing machine again.

Maybe I should convert to Christian Scientist.

 

[Baymule]

You are SO BAD!! Hey y’all, I was talking to her on the phone awhile ago, telling her about my new ewes. We were discussing breeding schedules and me moving, getting the survey and so on. I’m gathering up registered ewes, BEFORE I close on the farm and move, because if I don’t get ewes now, they will all be sold and I’ll have to wait until next year. Ridgetop commended me for thinking ahead, that I could breed next spring and that would be about the SAME TIME I’D FINALLY BE MOVING! Then she broke into peals of laughter. I had just taken a big drink and I spewed. Lucky I was outside! We laughed like hyenas.

Then we talked about her surgery tomorrow. I’m glad she is getting her chassis jacked up and a new knee run in under her! It’s about time! It’s way past time! After she recovers she’s coming to Texas and give me a hard time. I’ll be having my knee surgery about that time. Ridgetop I bet you’ll be dancing around on your twinkle toes, showing off, while I’m pushing my Walker around. LOL

Love you, have a good surgery tomorrow!

 

[farmerjan]

Best of luck with your surgery. Hoping that the rehab goes smoother than mine. I am getting around pretty good except get tired real quick as the muscles, ligs and tendons are getting some real workouts. I don't stop to think about doing things and just do them and then realize that my body is saying, hey, we're not used to that... in protest.

 

[Finnie]

Thinking about you today, Ridgetop. Reeeeally looking forward to your next update!