What did you do today?

[Suceress]

Terry, OUCH! I'm glad you're ok and that you were able to get it sorted. I injured my rotator cuff, deltoid, & bicep on my left arm. I can barely use the stupid arm and I can't lift it even 90°. As a result, I have a harder time washing under that arm and developed a rash. I can't reach behind me and can't reach very far across my body with the stupid thing. Shoulder seems frozen below a certain position-- even if I try to pull it up with my other arm, it just stops-- won't go any further. Bicep constantly throbs. No idea how I even hurt it, but I just recovered from injuring the other rotator cuff & deltoid.

Some of the insulation on my outside hose bib (used for a water trough for the cows) had peeled off and the pipe burst in the cold. We usually don't get below freezing weather but the last few winters have been colder. It's rare to get under 40°F but we had 2 days where it didn't even warm up to 40. The hose bib happened to be one of the few ones without a shutoff (no idea why). So I had to add one. But I had to wait for it to warm up enough for the PVC cement to work bc the All Weather stuff is not available within 100 miles. I'm on a well system but even with the power to the jet pump shut off, the water will still flow through the pipes without a shutoff valve being turned. So, my fat monkey behind tried to turn the shutoff valves inside the pump house. They were jammed (one to the house actually had a wing break off the shutoff valve). Since my shoulder is borked, I couldn't really bush with my left arm enough. I ended up losing my balance and falling on the PVC pipes and breaking them. I hit 1 pipe but it took out ones it was connected to. Upside was water stopped flowing out of the hose bib pipe so I was able to put a shutoff on it. But, one of the pipes broke off underground and was under a cinderblock. I had to have my friend come out Christmas day to fix it. It's a temporary fix bc my outside waterlines are not hooked up for now. Going to run PEX to them later.

I really need a more efficient system with more stainless steel & less PVC. And I need to figure out what to do about my shoulder. I don't have insurance so I can't get an MRI (in my state the only way to get an MRI is with insurance approval-- no insurance, no MRI). Without an MRI they can't diagnose-- not that I would be able to afford treatment anyway. So, I have to keep doing the shoulder exercises and hoping it will heal.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to plan out how to fix up my shower. Needs new shower walls, patch to the tub (can't tell if its porcelain or enamel), new shower trim, etc.

 

[Terry]

Terry, OUCH! I'm glad you're ok and that you were able to get it sorted. I injured my rotator cuff, deltoid, & bicep on my left arm. I can barely use the stupid arm and I can't lift it even 90°. As a result, I have a harder time washing under that arm and developed a rash. I can't reach behind me and can't reach very far across my body with the stupid thing. Shoulder seems frozen below a certain position-- even if I try to pull it up with my other arm, it just stops-- won't go any further. Bicep constantly throbs. No idea how I even hurt it, but I just recovered from injuring the other rotator cuff & deltoid.

Dang, hope that arm gets better somehow. I'm old, so medical insurance is easy, thank God for that. Your falling on your water shed pipes makes a good story, no I didn't laugh. It did remind me that this month I brought my morning paper in and a sandal caught on the steps and I lurched forward and hit my head on my front door. Nice 3" cut, scratch on the top of my head that scabbed over.

Tuesday went to the VFW for Karaoke singing with Pam. That was fun. This morning she got me out for a one mile walk. That's the longest walk since getting out of the hospital. Going uphill, I did have to stop some to let my heart rate drop.

Monday night, late Christmas dinner with my sisters that Pam fixed up. The cat was acting like a dog and wanting to hang out with us. Riverside WA for Allison and Tacoma WA for Trinda. Dinner in Kirkland. Home of Costco, but then you knew that.

Trinda, Asher, Terry, Omar, Allison

I'm at the far end of the table. Still working on regaining the 40 pounds I lost this Fall.

Yesterday I ordered two bidet seats, one for my son Jamie so his downstairs bathroom that I normally use will have one. And then one for Pam's new floor mounted rear outlet toilet, Gerber Maxwell. It was time to dump the 1971 round bowl she had and now an elongated bidet seat will fit.

Still wondering if I will be able to ski this year. I have a season pass, but now I need to regain some muscle and get my wind back.
It has been giving me more time to work on the forums, tweaking pictures and answering questions.
In a bit I head out for an iron infusion, where they poke a vein in my arm and let it drip in. I have gone from I don't ever see a doctor to it's more like multiple times a week. At least I'm only two miles to the hospital here.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Finally got out to the hill today. Only one run open, but the kids were getting along and the lines were short … all and all a good day … even if our view from the ‘summit’ is not as good as Terry’s.

 

[Suceress]

Terry, I was able to laugh about the falling on the pipes after they were fixed. Friend of mine came over to help because I couldn't do the reaching or bending and don't have much strength in my left arm. I finally went to the doctor about it and was concerned I'd need physical therapy. I had strained it back in November and then I was cooking on a portable induction cooktop that was cracked. Didn't really think much of it. My hand slipped off the silicone handle cover on the pan & I got zapped hard. It apparently electrocuted my deltoid muscle. I wasn't able to move my arm or even fingers for 5min straight. The good news is my circulation and nerve responses are still good. Bad news is that its going to take several months to heal. The meds I'm on for it make me drowsy.

Tripping on the steps seems like something I would do.

I have another friend who has to get iron infusions. It sounds like it is not fun, but he reports that he feels better afterward. I hope all goes well and you get to have fun.

One of the pipes that broke ended up breaking off underground. Had to dig down and cut through roots & there was a large cinderblock on top. Friend had to lift it out for me because I couldn't do it with one arm. Initially he only hooked up the water to the house and left the ones to the outside disconnected (since we didn't have the pipe to patch them all in. That was when I discovered that the shutoffs for the outside were not working and were allowing water to flow and that the water trough for the cows was indeed on an outside line. So, I grabbed some more fittings and PEX pipe and friend was able to cobble something together:

It's sloppy, but it works.
Only problem now is that the pipes before and after the check valve (installed by a well service guy) are leaking. And he removed the shutoff before the check valves so I will have to add another one in.

I want to get a plant stand for my jet pump so it will be above the level of the inlet pipes (right now they are above the pump), replace the galvanized pipes with stainless steel, and move the pressure tank either up or over somewhere else. I might leave it where it is though. Not sure if I have room to move it elsewhere.

Weekend Handyman, looks like you had fun! I've never gone skiing. I'd probably break something trying. LOL.

Right now I'm supposed to take it easy and not strain my deltoid. No lifting 50lb cow feed sacks, no lifting cases of bottled water, no lifting heavy trash bags, etc. I'm on 3 different meds and one of them makes me drowsy so I'm cutting back on it and only taking it at night.

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Terry, I was able to laugh about the falling on the pipes after they were fixed. Friend of mine came over to help because I couldn't do the reaching or bending and don't have much strength in my left arm. I finally went to the doctor about it and was concerned I'd need physical therapy. I had strained it back in November and then I was cooking on a portable induction cooktop that was cracked. Didn't really think much of it. My hand slipped off the silicone handle cover on the pan & I got zapped hard. It apparently electrocuted my deltoid muscle. I wasn't able to move my arm or even fingers for 5min straight. The good news is my circulation and nerve responses are still good. Bad news is that its going to take several months to heal. The meds I'm on for it make me drowsy.

Tripping on the steps seems like something I would do.

I have another friend who has to get iron infusions. It sounds like it is not fun, but he reports that he feels better afterward. I hope all goes well and you get to have fun.

One of the pipes that broke ended up breaking off underground. Had to dig down and cut through roots & there was a large cinderblock on top. Friend had to lift it out for me because I couldn't do it with one arm. Initially he only hooked up the water to the house and left the ones to the outside disconnected (since we didn't have the pipe to patch them all in. That was when I discovered that the shutoffs for the outside were not working and were allowing water to flow and that the water trough for the cows was indeed on an outside line. So, I grabbed some more fittings and PEX pipe and friend was able to cobble something together:
View attachment 90190
It's sloppy, but it works.
Only problem now is that the pipes before and after the check valve (installed by a well service guy) are leaking. And he removed the shutoff before the check valves so I will have to add another one in.

I want to get a plant stand for my jet pump so it will be above the level of the inlet pipes (right now they are above the pump), replace the galvanized pipes with stainless steel, and move the pressure tank either up or over somewhere else. I might leave it where it is though. Not sure if I have room to move it elsewhere.

Weekend Handyman, looks like you had fun! I've never gone skiing. I'd probably break something trying. LOL.

Right now I'm supposed to take it easy and not strain my deltoid. No lifting 50lb cow feed sacks, no lifting cases of bottled water, no lifting heavy trash bags, etc. I'm on 3 different meds and one of them makes me drowsy so I'm cutting back on it and only taking it at night.

I have done lots of skiing, but have never fed the cows. The kids would consider that to be a grand adventure indeed.

 

[Suceress]

I have done lots of skiing, but have never fed the cows. The kids would consider that to be a grand adventure indeed.

My cows certainly make the feeding an adventure. The one with horns lacks awareness of where her horns are and gets a little too excited about food. She's dumb even for a cow, but she is very sweet. She has accidentally bumped me with her horns while trying to cuddle. I have to dodge her horns while trying to feed her.

I was reading elsewhere on the forums and am very sad about Terry's passing.

I've been trying to get my shoulder to recover. It's slow but I'm making progress. I can reach higher than I could before and have a bit more mobility but still have a long way to go before I have full movement back.

I'm up bc I had to take my mother to the ER (food poisoning from a local place) and haven't been able to get to sleep after getting home.

 

[Suceress]

Been taking care of my mother the past week. She's finally on the mend and able to eat solid food. We're all feeling a little cruddy.
My doctor was happy with the progress I've made thus far on my shoulder but I still have a long way to go to get it to unlock fully so I can regain full mobility.

I'm also working on planning renovations on the bathrooms. I think I may have posted some older updates to a long post but I can't remember. My brain doesn't want to work.

I want to get a glue-up surround for this cheap bathroom since I don't want to replace the tub. I'm also trying to figure out grab bar placement for my mother's shower. I'm about to make a thread for that.

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Do you have any physio coverage for the shoulder? That makes a big difference.

 

[Suceress]

Do you have any physio coverage for the shoulder? That makes a big difference.

Sadly, no. I don't have insurance and the policies available aren't worth it. Premiums & deductibles are too high & they have limits on how much they will pay out after deductible is met (and that amount is less than the deductible). And around here, with few exceptions, if you don't have insurance they treat you like garbage-- or rather, won't even treat you at all. My family doctor is one of the rare exceptions. Pretty much everywhere else I've gone they've come just shy of telling me to pound sand.

I'm slowly making progress at least and I'm being careful not to overdo it. I got some contraption that hangs over the door and has a pulley and a rope with knots and handles. I can use my right arm pulling down to make my left arm go up. I also have a pillow contoured to support the shoulder and make it more comfortable when I'm sitting, walking around, and sleeping.

I updated my thread about the bathroom repair, but I want to make a new thread about the grab bars specifically to get some feedback.

 

[Suceress]

Yesterday I got a friend to help me go pick up the tub surround in exchange for some Taco Bell (ok, he would have done it anyway, but I try to feed him whenever he helps me). He and my brother carried it in to the bathroom for me. My arm still doesn't have full mobility or strength back but it isn't constantly hurting anymore. My brother brought home a cold from work so we're all sick. I'm taking vitamins and staying hydrated.

I've had to go to the store or somewhere the last few days so I'm hoping tomorrow will be a day of rest.

I did go for a walk this morning before it rained. It was cloudy and cool out (but not too cold) so I could go out. I can't be in direct sunlight due to some meds I take. I wasn't initially planning to go for a walk but I happened to say "walkies" to the dogs and the chiweenie nearly lost his mind with excitement. The other dog ran outside before I could even get my pants on but the chiweenie waited for me and led me to the door-- stopping to check that I was following. I walked around the yard a bit but got lighheaded and had to lie down. I'm hoping to go for more walks because I need the fresh air and the exercise.

 

[Suceress]

I seem to be the only one posting here lately. Hope everyone else is doing ok.

I went for a walk again this morning. This time it was 20minutes. My legs started to feel it and my cow came over and wanted cuddles-- but she isn't aware of her horns. I petted her for awhile and went inside. I swept the hallway and took the trash out. My brother helped. I still have trouble lifting the bags. My left arm has a little more mobility. I got it higher than before but the muscle really tensed up. It doesn't hurt but I can feel that its tense now. I did more shoulder exercises and also reached for things with it to get it moving.
I took measurements in my bathroom trying to figure out what I need to get my shower fixed up.
Brought some bottled water to mom's room for her and cooked for her. Right now she's still eating soupy stuff since we're all sick. Hoping this cold goes away soon.
I was going to clean litterboxes but I got dizzy when I bent down, so I'm going to take a nap for a bit I think. I have chronic fatigue and still getting over this cold so baby steps. LOL.

I used to walk a lot when I was younger but now I don't walk enough. Its usually too cold, too hot, or raining. I made it out before the rain. It was nice and cool. I wish it would stay that cool all year round. Although the mosquitoes are starting to come back out now.

 

[Suceress]

I worked on my bathroom. Pulled off the shower wall panels. Couldn't get the one with shower controls off because I couldn't get the spout and shower arm off. Discovered that I have horizontal boards going over the studs behind the plywood that was behind the surround. The back wall was damaged from water and termites (old damage). Decided not to peel off the good plywood and will cementboard over it. Dry-fitted the cementboard and put up a vapor barrier so it won't touch the wood.

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Made the kids some banana brûlée oatmeal. don’t get to sweat pipe too often and find it’s a great way to stay comfortable with the torch.

 

[Suceress]

I've never had brûléed bananas. I don't think I've ever had them cooked in any way. Always raw. They look good. Reminds me I should eat some oatmeal. My stomach doesn't like me today. I don't know what I did to offend Montezuma and Billy Mays but they were taking revenge today.

Other than that I worked on my bathroom a bit more. Cut some boards with a jigsaw and got furring strips and 1x4s up. Still need more reinforcement and to tweak it to make it plumb.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Today I was walking my dog past a large beaver pond across the street from my office. I noticed some splashing in the part of the concrete flow control that often traps ducklings and goslings because the dam weir is too high for them to get back out if they happen to get in. I had built a floating ramp a few years ago, but due to the dificulty and the fact that I'm trespassing I hadn't checked on it as often as I would like. Inside I found 2 or 3 dead ducklings and one still swimming. So I went about rebuilding the ramp. Opening the flow control requires removing one of the steel grates that weighs close to 200 pounds. The 2x6 ramp was still inside floating and I could see that one of the ducklings had actually sucumbed on the ramp desperately waiting for their mama to get them out. I found a small block of closed cell foam for packing that didn't float the 2x4 very well, so I took some closed cell pipe insulation and attached that to the portion in the water to help keep the wood as high in the water and least steep as possible. Then I attached a rope to the upper end and attached that end to the dam. Hopefully that one duckling makes it out and the next couple broods that manage to fall in will have it easier than the bunch that didn't.

I will try to talk with the city about making some form of permanent ramp that can be built into the flow control. But for this season this should work.

 

[bnewland]

Today...I dug up the 4" pvc main waste line to the septic tank in order to see how the cast connected to it.
I keep finding these ring snakes when I dig in the yard. I didn't have my camera with me, so I attached a web pic. Absolutely beautiful snakes!
I still have not found the cast connection yet, cause I got hungry and put down my shovel.

 

[bnewland]

Today...I woke up, remembered that I needed to dig out surrounding cement and replace toilet flange, then pour new cement, all while avoiding possible asbestos.
Next I pulled covers over head and tried to forget.

 

[Suceress]

Those snakes are gorgeous! Are they non-venomous? Man, I'd love to have some of those around if they are safe but the dogs would probably attack them. I still want to get some kingsnakes to chase off the cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes.

Things have been busy and crazy. My best friend went on a cruise and has been busy since he got back. HIs gf miscarried and needed to go to the hospital & hasn't been well enough to watch the kids. His work didn't give him his paycheck and owes him over $4k. They claim the check is in the mail but they are about to go belly up and I'm worried they will screw him over.

One of my cats (the gray and white one) disappeared and I think the neighbor's dogs came in and got him. They have been coming into my yard and snooping around under my house, in my barn, and my back fields. Friendly dogs and don't bother the cats when I'm out there but no telling what they did when I wasn't out there.

My arm was giving me trouble again and so was my back. I made a new cushion for my mother's lap desk. The one it came with was absolute garbage. Going to use the same fabric to make curtains for her.

Been eating more salads and lost a little weight. Not sure if I put it back on or not. LOL. Had fatigue the past couple weeks but yesterday I had more energy. Watched a bunch of tutorials on various things & worked on the cementboards in my bathroom a bit more. Arm still isn't strong enough to lift as much as I needed it to, but I still managed to get 2 more cement boards in place. I found some wooden craft slats on clearance & was able to use them as shims.

Gave the dog a bath. He has allergies so his skin was getting scabby. I used a medicated shampoo for sores and itches. He was very well behaved throughout and I had to keep massaging the shampoo into him for 15min. We were both bored. LOL. Got him rinsed off, wrapped him in a towel and dried him a bit and took him to Mom and got him under her covers so he could warm up. He's her dog & likes to sleep in the bed with her.

I need to do more cleaning, eat breakfast, etc.

 

[bnewland]

Despite the bright colors, ring-necked snakes are not poisonous, and they remain very small. I recall them being nocturnal and they like to hide. I've only found them when digging dirt, and moving down trees, and large pieces of bark. I believe they're native to Oklahoma and Southern Kansas. I haven't seen one larger than 4 to 5 in, and the thickness of a pencil. Usually smaller though.

It sounds like you are being tested quite thoroughly in your day-to-day. Remember you won't be given more than you can handle. Keep your head up, and keep moving forward.

 

[Weekend Handyman]

Saw this guy on our hike last keeled. I am told they are common around here … first one have seen in my 47 years. The kids thought it was great.