Ah, Friday news.

Afternoon PT session with another therapist who worked the hematoma care and the refiring of dormant muscles. I continue to learn about how a human body works. We humans are essentially the same wiring and plumbing with genetic variations, some are detrimental to survival of organism which is its primary purpose. That’s nature, what we do with what got is nurture. Mixing the 2 in whatever amounts is what our life is. What is known to me about bad nature is my body’s producing internal blood clots which nurture’s fix is taking an anticoagulant. DR told me that fix caused this hematoma. A PA told me in essence is I have chosen this lifestyle and its inherent risks. Bottom line: I will pay the piper when dues are  levied.

The PT worked soft tissue on my thigh where pain resides. At first I guarded her ministrations but she persisted resulting in lessening of pain and appearance of skin wrinkles indicating reduction in swelling. Elevation lets gravity pull down the broken down blood absorbed into the lymphatic system that plumbs back into the circulatory system to be eliminated. Do the given exercises to cause dormant muscles to remember their function. I do the exercises first then  wrap my knee with a hot water bottle, at device’s max temp of 120 degrees, verified by a digital thermometer. Then lay on the floor to elevate my leg on the rear bulkhead for 10 mins. The heat enlarges capillaries to carry the bad away. She showed how to make my leg work to walk. Knee bend ever so slightly. Walk as needed, no extended walking.

Every day I feel improvement in reduction of pain and discomfort. Every day what it is is better. While I linger in bed putting off potential discomfort from a chilly bedroom and shooting pain from leg when swung to vertical and weight put on it. Because pain is reducing I now anticipate feeling my leg’s improvement. Start day with lips turned up.

An hour later I learned another it is what it is from ortho DR exam of my shoulder. Don’t let me push, don’t let me pull to reveal the tale: Suspect tendons are no longer attached. I have range of motion no strength, other muscles have picked up the slack as structurally they are able. DR told me solution is shoulder replacement as elective, advised living with as is doing PT. Surgery has risks. He looked at my knee, he was the DR I saw first off.

Drove back to property. Hot during day then cooling slightly as sun fades. Residual heat keeps van warmer than outside until temp drops well after midnight. I start with just the sheet over me, chill sets in I pull over a single layer of summer down blanket and switch on the heater. Between the 2 actions my bed, with comfortable top and bottom sheets over a 2″ memory foam on top of 4″ high density foam 30 inches wide and 6 feet long, cuddles my sleep.

4272′ elevation. 9;17 AM temp is 46 degrees. Solar panel capturing little energy as numerous trees block sun and of angle of sun. The new controller reveal energy incoming and going to battery. Displays capacity level. The 2 house batteries are charged by the overflow from the alternator and the 1 solar panel. Learning that much time is needed to replace volts consumed even with engine help. Shorter days are coming followed by longer days.

Sat morning. Go Cougs.

A doctor told me expect 6 weeks of swelling before it recedes. Three weeks in. Every day I gain a tiny amount of knee bend and less pain. I have weaned myself off of Tylenol every 6 hours, now maybe when. Can’t say that Tylenol really knocked the edge off the pain but when that is my choice, swallow 2 and count down 6 hours till next dose.

Pain: knee is structurally sound but the hematoma swelling prohibits knee bending. What is most noticeable is moving to vertical when the blood flows by gravity pull. The initial seconds produces eye watering pain. I spend time with my leg elevated that locks the knee joint. Standing kp and straightening my leg is painful such that statis is preferred, I talk myself into not moving.

Monday the PT clinic called notifying me of an opening that afternoon. I was all over it. I drove back to Bend. Anticipation of pt was enhancing the reduction of the hematoma. The care giver focused on making knee function, putting muscles back to work. I worked  per her instructions. My knee functions, it’s the hematoma silly. I have another appointment tomorrow.

Also tomorrow is appointment with ortho regarding my shoulder. I have been working on accepting it is damaged beyond pt and tendon attachment. I will be informed afterwards and will create life changes.

I have been staying on my legal property enjoying early fall weather. Comfortable to sit outside in my chair soaking up waning sunshine. This morning temp was 27 degrees. Heater didn’t light towards morning, I felt the chill and corroborated reason by seeing the 1 flash red LED at the headboard. One flash indicates it didn’t light. I still don’t have a real handle on sequence of knob twisting. I went thru several iterations to clear the flash then told the heater to fire which it did, Squirmed further under covers while waiting for warmth. Again, heater hot air exhaust duct is underneath my bed which warms the “bedroom”, however up front in the breakfast nook chill from single pain window glass.

There seems to be an XM reception void at my land. I marked the house site that I would park inside like being inside. However, XM reception becomes broken. I move the van literally several feet outside the perimeter for clean signal.

Bike tires continue to hold air, prolly not ride pressure.

About 7 miles from my play to downtown La Pine. Rural driving till outskirts of town. 2 stop signs and a light then town. 35 to 45 mph speed limit. Dunno if a rush hour exists. My route keeps off busy US 97.

Laundry day today at La Pine laundromat now owned by same people that own laundromat in Bend. New owners removed religious tracts.

I accepted that my first ride is way out in the future so I emptied the hydration bladder. The Source bladder does not distaste the water meaning that before start of ride I just top off the tank. Nothing growing on the walls.

Back to land.

In just a few minutes 2 whole weeks have passed since my bobble crash. Back when I was enjoying body parts working. A microsecond change in tread traction launched me over the bar and on this chapter of my life. Working on a solution, short term, as recovery will occur and I will be back riding. That date will be revealed prolly when I can cycle my knee thru a pedal stroke.

I’m 25 miles from Newport Market, my go to grocery store in Bend. Maybe 1/2 mile dirt road the 2 lane blacktop to US 97 N to Bend, outskirt is first requirement to stop.

La Pine is a wide spot on major N / S highway landlocked by federal lands. Houses built up on maybe 1 acre patches. No home owners covenants. Places are peoples solution to their living needs. Post cards could be made from “white trash”. certainly no $300,000 mansions. This is dry pumice desert treed by P-Pine and lodgepole. 4,200′ elevation. A Ray’s grocery store. There is at least one dispensary. Starbucks is in process of locating a presence as there is not even an independent coffee shop. La Pine is last city going S to Klamath Falls 2 hours away. Spread low density population in the hinterlands. Time at the grocery store tells of population.

My land is 7 miles from town. I’m on the western edge of no Federal land. My road is dirt, not really gravel, just rolled firm pumice that sends dust clouds after the few rigs that go by. I sited my future house inside a 30′ perimeter defined by white PVC pipe. I’m parked just outside that boundary. Learned there is an XM hole measured by feet to where I am parked. My house is about 30 degrees off true north  not matching all the houses on the road and prolly elsewhere where houses are orientated for full length face the road out front. My alignment blocks sight lines into my house.

Tomorrow I attend to my long put off meeting with a contractor to analyze and cost out my house.

Just sucking up van living here. Drive to Bend for medical treatment.

Knee pain is lessening such that I can sleep all night. I slide out off my bed leading with my right leg which at horizontal sends little pain signals to vert and weight placed on it then does the intense white flash pain set in. Every day the duration of that pain diminishes. I am noticing walking improvement, really a hobble. Still wrapped from toes to upper groin. My foot rests on my 3 legged stool whenever I can as now typing this. I sit skewed to edge of table as that’s how the stool fits. It still hurts.

Yesterday I drove to Bend to PT appointment for right shoulder. Joy is letting google maps navigate as I learned a new way to get to east side of town from the south. Dave, PT, has history with my shoulder, evaluated it reporting it is no more damaged and maybe more movement and strength since last. I still can not lift a pint to my lips so gain is relative. He advised considering a reverse shoulder replacement to avoid a possible complete shoulder blow out should I land on it. I made that appointment for next week. After each get off I go thru range of motion of arm to learn how happy it is. This last fall shoulder worked but hurt from the logs stopping me on said shoulder.

I have decided to stay here to recuperate.

This morning temp was 31 degrees. IO was snug as a bug under my single layer summer down blanket. Heater was running sending warm air underneath the bed. Time to get up. Swing the right leg down then wait for pain to roll over then become tolerable. Set about converting bedroom into kitchen: make my bed then hoist the Murphy bed upright pulling on rope pulley system lars made back in 2015 before last shoulder surgery. Breakfast menu is a cup of cold brewed coffee, 2 pieces of gluten free bread toast with butter and local honey, and a steaming bowl of Bob’s Red Mill Scottish oatmeal cooked with handful of frozen blueberries finished off with ground walnuts and dollop of maple syrup. Filling and healthy. Van chilled. I anticipated the heater firing up. I watched the control panel finally seeing 1 flash which indicates ignition failure. WTF? I cleared the code then restarted ignition. I started to do dishes that needed heated water from the stove. I opened the fuel knob to light stove: nadda. I ran out of propane. AT least I was able to eat cooked breakfast. Converted living van to driving van the drove off to nearest propane supply about 5 miles away. Took 5.6 gals which is bone dry. Drove back to anchor, fired up the stove and heater then finished dishes. Then this.