Current Accomplishments and this Coming Week's Goals

Obviously having your hip replaced sounds like an aweful and paintful venture. To a certain extent it is and I probably am so blessed to have been able to avoid many of the discomforts. Not that there aren't any, but they certainly have been tolerable. I feel like saying "up to this point", but I know that the pain that I've felt has been from extending my body toward recovery. I'm going to continue to push myself and strengthen my quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus muscles. 

All of the support from my wife, family, caregivers, and friends has been a large part of my recovery. Another factor is large windows from where I usually sit and where I'm writing this piece. At the moment in front of me is a golden-fronted woodpecker searching for insects around the stump of a large Chinese tallow that died this summer.

 

To my right is the bird feeder which I charged yesterday and is now quickly being emptied by cardinals, black-crested titmice, and green jays. Rabbits scurry around the yard quickly to avoid the attention of a Cooper's hawk which visits early mornings.

I've recovered enough to be able to taste morning coffee. For over a week, I was taking so much medication that the taste of freshly brewed coffee was lost to my deadened taste buds. Not even the aroma of a fresh brewed pot reached my senses. That's different now and Zephyr and I can enjoy our company while I drink my flavored coffee and he chews on his bacon treats.

The goal for the week is to view the photographs taken from my game camera. That means a couple of more walks out to the tree where I set it before the operation. I plan to shoot a couple of rounds of arrows and cast my fly rod toward the end of the week. Of course, this depends on weather and my recovery.

Post-op Post

Yesterday I received a new hip and I feel good about the possibility of doing things I've been missing out on. Of course, I don't think I can complain about what I have done. Enduring the pain of recovery is worth being able to hike, fish, and teach without pain. I believe in being up and being active. It's healthy and it makes one feel alive. At the moment I feel a sharp pain on my side, but with time it will go away.

The therapist was proud of my effort and I even surprised myself. I've been shot up with antibiotics and given calcium tablets. My blood pressure is great and my sugar is under control. Without going in to more detail, it looks like it's going to be a long road to recovery. However, making this decision is one that I won't regret. 

The chaplain came in today and we had a good chat. He was a very personable fella. I'm also blessed with the staff and doctors providing my health care. They smile and seem very positive. It would be miserable if they weren't. 

I'm so happy to have family support. Irma, Bobby, and Rosie have been here when they should be doing other things. Brad, Iliana, Diego, Celvia, Yizza and the little "stinker" were here, but I don't remember them. Irma and Bobby had to tell me who came to visit.

I've read all to comments on Facebook and Google Plus. Your prayers and thoughts have been very inspirational and sometimes I don't feel worthy of the attention. Yeah! Watch out. For the meantime it's going to be a long distance relationship, but I guess it will be a reprieve from my corny jokes.

For now, thanks go out to all of my family and friends. You guys are awesome.

Pre-op Post

This is going to be a short one since I have to complete packing for my hip replacement. Have to pack my copies of Science Scope and Science and Children to read while on my stay at the hospital. My e-books on fly fishing and outdoor adventures will be read from my iPad. They are fully charged and my extra battery pack is ready. My medications, doctors, and emergency contacts are prepared and ready to give to the hospital staff when I check in this morning.

The only thing left is to say good bye to my old hip. It served me well. The only thing I wasn't able to do was to take it kayaking. New Year celebrations and bad weather kept me off the water. Well it spent many good years paddling, hiking, and climbing. I won't miss the pain it caused me, but I'll remember the good times. My new bionic being is ready for new adventures. Big Bend is not to far away, so there will need to be a speedy recovery.

I'll get back with everyone as soon as I'm able. WiFi is everywhere. Have a great year and see you soon.

A New Beginning: Personal Reflection of the Future

The past is behind us and it's time to plan and scheme our way into becoming what we were not in 2013. Today we'll start the year catching up with family and wishing them a New Year...telling them how blessed we are in having them in our lives. Some we'll see in person and others through phone and some through Facetime or Google Hangouts. These conversations begin our promise to have them in our lives for another year. And to those that we can only reach through prayer, we promise to tell them that their memories are cherished and will continue to live and thrive in our hearts and minds.

The memories created in 2014 are our doing through out dreams and our actions. They will be remembered on December 2014 as the products of our hopes and dreams. We and those around us will make them in a sense either good or bad by the circumstances in which they occur. Either good or bad, we learn and cherish the fact that were are human beings that can't control the results...only our actions. Each of us has a desire to nurture public, professional, personal, and family relationships, but we can't control how others want to see results. The best that we can hope for is that we've done our part to make the world a better place for everyone in our lives.

In a few hours I'll be making what I hope to be a big change in my life. I'll enter the hospital to stop the pain that I've been living with for many years. Many of you didn't even know that I've been suffering from a constant pain in my hip. Some may have noticed a limp after a long day of teaching or a wince when getting up from my chair. My family knows the pain and it is partly because of their insistence and wishes that I'm having a total hip replacement tomorrow. Unfortunately, the immediate result is partial immobility. That's going to be the tough part. I'm going to miss going outside and checking the feeders, taking pictures of wildlife, downloading my game camera pictures, practicing my fly casting, and playing catch with Zephyr on a daily basis. I'll give all of these activities for a while knowing that in the future I'll be able to wade fish, kayak, pole a skiff from the poling platform, take long hikes and bike, and climb trees (OK maybe not) after I heal.

This will be the beginning of more adventure. I can't say that the quality of my life has suffered with my condition. Every class I've taught, I've taught with passion and with the hope of passing on that passion to others who in turn may make a change in the lives of teachers who in turn will pass it on to children. Whether it was science or the enjoyment of the outdoors, I will return to my work with renewed and intense sense of enthusiasm.

My communication during my invalidism will be through e-mail, social media, and video conferencing (Facetime/Hangouts). Classes this semester will begin online and through the help of guest lecturers and friends. This blog (http://jsciedi.blogspot.com/) will chronicle my recovery and serve as my connection to the world.

Best wishes for a Happy, Prosperous, and Healthy New Year to everyone. Enjoy your year and every minute that you are given with family and friends.