Weather

[Logan]

Well done @Colin thanks yes sort of,I don't think it will be the same, but i can get about. One person said that I'd need a operation, the other said no,so i didn't. But it's not too bad, had physio as well, just a bit stiff and it makes a crunching noise when i go upstairs, but it's ok. As soon as I had the brace on and got my balance,I was in the garden doing weeding, even though i could only bend it at 30deg. After i had the brace off I found it very difficult coming down the stairs, but the physio helped me with that.

 

[alp]

Very cold today 6 to 7c .. It's quite dark outside and drizzling.

 

[Logan]

Morning all it's cold and dark, it's been raining. 4-6c

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Well done @Colin thanks yes sort of,I don't think it will be the same, but i can get about. One person said that I'd need a operation, the other said no,so i didn't. But it's not too bad, had physio as well, just a bit stiff and it makes a crunching noise when i go upstairs, but it's ok. As soon as I had the brace on and got my balance,I was in the garden doing weeding, even though i could only bend it at 30deg. After i had the brace off I found it very difficult coming down the stairs, but the physio helped me with that.

Thanks Logan; can you fully bend your knee now? A couple of days after my operation the physio's came to me and tortured me; I had a pot on my lower right leg/ankle but on my knee I had a huge padded sleeve of some kind resembling lagging; the pain brought tears to my eyes and was excruciation but I managed 70 degrees by the time the physio's departed; I also was hooked up to an overhead pulley whereby I could pull an handle to help bend my knee; I gave this pulley a lot of use even during the night but now I forget I only have one kneecap; at 70 I'm still extremely active and climb trees; I was on the new hut roof a couple of months ago installing felt. I owe a lot to the professionals in the NHS who cared for me and mended me and not just on this occasion. During my knee problems I had lots of problems living with my parents and family; the only friend I had who really cared was Steve who owned a Norton 650SS; Steve would visit and after I had paid my board and paid the bike payment I only could afford half pint of shandy; I've never been a drinker but Steve would kick the bike off then I would climb on with Steve behind me as passenger holding my two crutches; I had to put splints on each time I walked so it was fun in the freezing winter while we rode to the local pub with an icy blast entering the open pot at my toes. I certainly know how to live the good life but I've survived and am better for it.

Did you receive any fun poked at you in hospital Logan; I was in the mens ward and a guy I knew was in a bed opposite; when he found out what I was in for he shouted across the ward; "Hey Woody is it right a couple of dogs were scrapping over your knee cap?" People can be so funny can't they?

2C to 8C here for today. Brrrrrr.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

Well done @Colin what is a pot on your leg?
No i didn't stay in hospital,yes i can bend my knee. After 6 weeks with plaster,i had a leg brace that could be adjusted. 2 weeks it was at 30 Deg, 2 weeks after it was 60deg, 2weeks it was 90deg, I was given some gentle exercise to do at home. When i had the brace off i went to the hospital gym once a week for 6 weeks. After that i was signed off. Told me i could get arthritis in it.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks for asking Logan; a pot is also called a cast and it's bandage impregnated with plaster of paris; the bandage is applied and when wetted it sets rock hard hence "pot" it's actually a plaster cast. This is usually worn for six weeks but if it becomes slack it is cut away and a new pot applied; it stabilizes a fracture or break in a bone.

I had to remain in hospital for a while due to the severity of my injuries especially my knee cap which was amputated. Immediately after being admitted into the ward I had a large open wound right in the top of my thigh where I had gripped the petrol tank with my legs but being thrown over the car which hit me the tank badge tore a flap out of my leg so I was propped up in bed watching the doctor stitch the wound when the nurse pushed me back saying I was breathing germs onto the wound. Returning to work and with the splints no longer worn the worst thing I had trouble with was downhill slopes; my knee wanted to give way but now I'm fine. During my recovery I would have a small sand bag bandaged to my ankle and I was encouraged to lift my leg straight up as I lay to strengthen my knee again; I can't recommend going through this to anyone as I'm sure you too can't Logan; it's nice to have two working legs isn't it? I've had a fractured rib and undergone major surgery for Crohn's disease during surgery my appendix was also removed; there's still bits of me working though; I've been in and out of hospital a number of times; the National Health service is wonderful when needed.

Given our climate lots of people suffer arthritis.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

@Colin i get it now. That's not your leg in that pic is it? The toes have got nail polish on.
I had a temporary cast like that until i could go to the fracture clinic the day after. Put another one on,it was made of something else, can't think what it was now. But it was like a bandage and she soaked it in hot water then put it on,it was purple. Could have had black, pink or white. You said that your knee cap was amputated, did they give you a replacement knee? I know i could get arthritis if i didn't have a bad knee.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Well spotted Logan; no not a picture of my cast the colour of the nail polish is wrong for me; mine would have been white due to frostbite. . On my left leg I don't have a knee cap at all; it was completely removed so I'd win a knobbly knees contest no problem. As you know Logan arthritis is very common here in the UK millions must suffer from it in various degrees.

Precipitation in the form of rainfall and snow is also associated with changes in mortality. In New York City, upward trends in mortality were noted the day after snowfalls that had accumulated 2 inches or more. In Detroit where snow is more common, the snowfall accumulation exceeded 6 inches before mortality increases were noted.

I just did a quick web browse and the above is for our American friends but here in the UK our climate is usually dire hence its discussed by everyone living here.

It's 6C here at the moment with Gale providing her usual stiff breeze giving a chill factor. I wrapped up well and have just enjoyed an hours grafting digging up the top of our rear garden; what joy when I thrust the spade in and the shock of it hitting something hard rattled my teeth; I found this to be a piece of corrugated rusty tin sheeting which is now removed; a bit more digging amongst the roots and again another hard object this time I dug up eleven old fashioned full sized heavy bricks plus five half bricks also I was digging up lots of assorted stones; there appears to be a buried concrete pathway too which I'll remove in due course; I felt very cold when I started but an hour later now I'm indoors I feel hot; I hope I'm not going to be blamed for adding to global warming? A lot of our soil is clay but the top of the garden is heavy clinging loam full of worm life no doubt due to over 30 years of bushes; trees and the big hedge I've removed dropping leaves; I use a ladies size spade because even getting this into our garden full depth is challenging but what a difference I've made in only a few weeks; heavy digging in this cold weather is much better than heavy digging in hot sunshine when the soil is rock hard; the hardest part is to get off my backside from where it's warm and comfortable but once I get cracking I'm happy.

The bandage which was soaked before applying to your leg Logan will have been the plaster of paris type which as it dries sets very hard; here's a video showing such bandage being used;

I'm pretty sure when my cast was put on some kind of cushioning was applied first such as cotton wool but it's so long ago I've forgotten the details. I used to use plaster of paris powder as grain filler on my vintage radio restorations.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

@Colin i remember now my leg cast was made of resin. Not plaster of Paris. You would have had cotton wool put on first. I had a stretch bandage before the cast.How do you manage without a knee cap?

Been sunny all day, but a cold wind. Haven't done much today, thought I'd be a bit lazy.

 

[alp]

The Big Chill is here! Britain is colder than Russian Arctic as three-week freeze arrives with -7C cold and England's first snow (and there are ALREADY fears we'll run out of grit)

We are going to get very cold tomorrow morning.

 

[Logan]

@alp you've been reading the daily mail again.

 

[alp]

I read them all the times, but I don't buy their attitude .. Every day, they feature an article with the word braless on and the Trashians ..

One funny thing is that every time they reported a story about murder, they would mention how much the house was. Eg. Someone burnt to death in a £1m west London house. Sometimes those commenting got cheeky and would ask, "DM, how much is the house then? " Quite hilarious, snobbish and heartless.

 

[Logan]

 

[Colin]

Hi,

It was December 1970 when I suffered the accident Logan and recovery was slow at first although I was back at work pretty quickly needing to pay for the bike on HP and my board. It took about a year to get myself sorted out but since then I don't really notice I've a knee cap missing and it doesn't stop me doing anything at all. The best thing to come out of the accident was that I finally got rid of my 750cc Norton Atlas which was a rubbish bike and I managed to clear the HP payments on it. I then bought a BSA 650cc A10 Golden Flash from a local rag and bone man for £6; this bike had lain in an open allotment many years the wheel spokes had rusted through and it looked like a load of scrap but now I was virtually broke with my parents still taking board from me as they had done all during my illness. I completely stripped the BSA and rebuilt it; I bought new wheel rims and spokes and laced the wheels myself fitting new tyres and tubes; I installed a spitfire cam and high compression pistons (I'm sure you're following this Logan ) I ran this bike for a while until I gathered enough money for the deposit on a one year old BMW R75/5 750cc bike plunging me into serious debt because in those days the £1,700 BMW on 3 years HP cost as much as a terrace house; I was allowed £150 trade in on the BSA it being immaculate. I thought if I'm going to get killed then I'm going to have something whilst I'm here; I was working 7 days a week and buying the BMW committed a lot of my earnings so my parents couldn't manipulate me as much with them running debts up; a year later I traded this BMW in for a brand new same model BMW. In 1976 I met Bron and my life then improved no end; Bron looked after me and was and is still the kindest and most generous person I've ever met; I'm privileged to have Bron as my wife; I know I'm most likely repeating myself but Bron is my rock and with her by my side I've got everything. My parents passed away and I've since divorced my entire family of vultures so at last in retirement Bron and I can have a bit of peace.

-7C alp; we're in for some decent weather then? Given what our weather is usually like there will be little difference; the council running out of grit? our local council stopped gritting our roads and a few months ago I read that our local council would be having difficulty in emptying our normal wheelie bins; the council though has funds for endless traffic calming and silly street signs like "Streetlights are switched off at 2am" or "NO ROAD MARKINGS"; they must think we are all blind?

I've bought a windscreen cover for the Yeti in readiness for frost; ice and snow and this afternoon fitted it to the Yeti; it also covers the front door windows and both mirrors; I'll be interested to see how it performs; it only cost about £7.50 through eBay and is brand new.

My first BMW is shown below and both my BMW's were the best bikes I ever owned.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

@Colin that's great news, I'm glad that you can get around with no trouble. Don't know much about bikes,or cars. If hubby asks me what make of a car that i might see, I'd say it's red
Glad that you're happy with Bron. I didn't think that i would meet someone like my husband.

Going to be a frost tonight.