Pain please go away!

[kcombs]

I am leaving to go to Santa Rosa for surgery in twenty minutes. Eight or ten months ago I started having an extreme pain in the front of the joint between my right foot and ankle. I would say a 9 out of ten. It comes on with little to no warning and last a couple of minutes. Pounding on it or walking fast seems to help it go away. The second specialist I saw found the problem with an x-ray. Seems I have a bone chip floating around and occasionally poking a nerve. Minor surgery with three weeks of no weight on foot. A friend is loaning me a knee scooter so hopefully I can get out to the shop occasionally. So, no pain at the moment, but that could change. I really want this surgery!

[elagache]

Dear Kurt and mid-60s Buick caregivers who occasionally are in need of some care for themselves,

I am leaving to go to Santa Rosa for surgery in twenty minutes. Eight or ten months ago I started having an extreme pain in the front of the joint between my right foot and ankle.
. . .

So sorry that you have been suffering from this sort of condition.

The second specialist I saw found the problem with an x-ray. Seems I have a bone chip floating around and occasionally poking a nerve.

It is unfortunate that you needed to see a second specialist in order to identify the problem, but certainly a bone chip would produce exactly the symptoms you are suffering from.

Minor surgery with three weeks of no weight on foot. A friend is loaning me a knee scooter so hopefully I can get out to the shop occasionally. So, no pain at the moment, but that could change. I really want this surgery!

Best of luck with the surgery!  My sister had to spend some time on a knee scooter.  What else could it be but an annoyance and inconvenience, but it is a worthwhile sacrifice to end the pain.  Make the best of the downtime and follow the doctor's instructions so that the healing is as smooth and effective as possible!

Edouard

[GS66]

Good luck with the surgery and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

[cwmcobra]

Kurt,

Praying for minimal pain. Heal well!!

Chuck

[Jimbo]

Kurt,
May you have a speedy recovery and no more pain. Any idea how it was chipped?

[kcombs]

Thanks for all the good wishes!

I am now at home with my foot up on my recliner’s foot rest. So far, so good, no return of the extreme pain. My main concern is the drain tube going into the incision hooked to a suction bulb seems to have come out. I have a call into the surgeon to see what, if anything, needs to be done. My guess is nothing at this point, but we will have to wait and see what he says.

Doctor was not certain how the chip happened I have never broken a bone that I am aware of. It could be from a really badly sprained ankle in 1981 at a local community college where I was playing volleyball in a PE class. I  was around 33 years of age (re-entry student) and in decent shape. Jumped up for a serve and came down on the outside of my right foot. I didn’t know you shouldn’t play volleyball while wearing wide based running shoes! The leverage of the wide base really tweaked my ankle. That serve may have chipped the bone in the joint between my foot and my ankle. Not sure what caused it to wait so long to start causing pain, but it sure came back with a vengeance.

So now I just can’t put weight on my right foot for three weeks. No shop projects! ????

[Rollaround]

Best of luck with the surgery Kurt; pay attention to the Doc's recommendations and rehab.
Rehab will be over quickly, quicker if you listen the the Doc.
Turn into the skid and accelerate.   

[kcombs]

Well, things seem to be going well. I have had some stabbing pain since the surgery, but none this morning! The cool thing about sitting in your recliner with your foot propped up is you can start making plans for the future!

I really want a large enough compressor to run a nice sized blast cabinet. That means I need a lean to carport along side my shop to cover them up and separate them from my lift and work areas. I will also then have enough covered room to store my 1972 F250 out of the rain. Now I need to design the lean to and make my materials list. I also have some choices to make like size and brand of compressor. I like the 5 HP, 80 gallon DEWALT from Home Depot, I can pick it up 30 miles away with no shipping charge. I also like the EMax that would be less noisy and bother my neighbors less. One of the biggest decisions is; do I have a concrete slab poured or just work on roadbase? That is a $6,000.00 question. I think I will make my materials list for the lean to and then decide. I can’t put weigh on my foot for another 2.5 weeks per my foot doctor’s recommendation, so I might as well plan.

[elagache]

Dear Kurt and mid-60s Buick caregivers who occasionally are in need of some care for themselves,

Well, things seem to be going well. I have had some stabbing pain since the surgery, but none this morning!

Glad to hear that your foot seems to be on the mend!

I really want a large enough compressor to run a nice sized blast cabinet. That means I need a lean to carport along side my shop to cover them up and separate them from my lift and work areas.
. . . .
One of the biggest decisions is; do I have a concrete slab poured or just work on roadbase? That is a $6,000.00 question.

I think it boils down to a budgeting question.  If the cost wasn't too much of a burden, I think you would be much happier with a clean surface for your compressor and to park your truck.  What sort of a surface is it now?

As you say you can do plenty of "planning" or perhaps you can be good to yourself and include a little daydreaming!

Cheers, Edouard

[kcombs]

Edouardo,

I don’t know how to do quotes, but here is my answers to your great questions and suggestions.

The ground is now covered with roadbase and concrete would be a great improvement. I have an engine on a rolling stand, engine lifts, and other heavy things that I could get outside and out of my work area if that area were concrete. I am leaning towards lots of concrete and a nice metal roof over all of it. Now I need plans or sketches of everything for my helpers. I have two fantastic carpenters and a concrete crew that will do a fantastic job on all of it. I all so have a laborer who is talented and very hard working who I will work with getting ready doing drains and maybe some underground wiring.

In a couple of weeks my 8x10 roll up doors are being replaced with some that are rated at R18 and then I can run my new mini split HVAC all the time. My shop will now be useable 12 months a year instead of two or three. I am spending a lot of $$$ but it is all of a sudden my retirement dream!

Hum…, I think I need a paint booth!!!

[elagache]

Dear Kurt and mid-60s Buick caregivers with that itch to dream big . . .

The ground is now covered with roadbase and concrete would be a great improvement.
. . .
 I have two fantastic carpenters and a concrete crew that will do a fantastic job on all of it. I all so have a laborer who is talented and very hard working who I will work with getting ready doing drains and maybe some underground wiring.

I dunno' but it seems like just thinking the situation through has helped you make up your mind!

In a couple of weeks my 8x10 roll up doors are being replaced with some that are rated at R18 and then I can run my new mini split HVAC all the time. My shop will now be useable 12 months a year instead of two or three. I am spending a lot of $$$ but it is all of a sudden my retirement dream!
. . . .

If you need air conditioning, is it safe bet that your main problem is the heat of summer?  In that case, would it be worth pondering a wall (or more) to shelter your lean to car port area from the sun?  In this planning phase, small changes probably won't add much to the cost but could make a big difference in your comfort level and the protection of equipment left outside the shop.  It obviously depends on the orientation of your lean-to since you need to get your truck in and out.   Even so, further enclosing your lean-to area might allow to add some shelving and effectively increase the size of your shop by moving less sensitive items into that space when the weather is favorable.

A little more food for your daydreaming . . . . . I mean planning!

Cheers, Edouard

[kcombs]

The carport would face due east so heat isn't much of a problem, but the front of a vehicle will be facing due south, so that might be a problem. I think I have that resolved, I will continue the new overhang around the south end which will increase shaded working area right outside the roll up doors.. The north end of the new carport will be partly enclosed to increase wall space and deaden sound from the compressor. I am getting excited and now I just need someone to create real drawings, which might be me.

I'm in northern California. Lakeport has weather that is similar to Sacramento, CA. Up to 110 in the summer and down to the mid twenties in the winter. Summer is usually in the mid nineties and winter high thirties. In the past I was kept out of the shop by the weather most of the time. These changes are going to be great!

[elagache]

Dear Kurt and mid-60s Buick caregivers with that itch to dream big . . .

The carport would face due east so heat isn't much of a problem, but the front of a vehicle will be facing due south, so that might be a problem. I think I have that resolved
. . . .

Sounds like you have this one well in hand!

I'm in northern California. Lakeport has weather that is similar to Sacramento, CA. Up to 110 in the summer and down to the mid twenties in the winter. Summer is usually in the mid nineties and winter high thirties. In the past I was kept out of the shop by the weather most of the time. These changes are going to be great!

That explains a lot!  Those are too extreme weather conditions to make working in a shop without climate control very practical.  Sound like these upgrades aren't simply needed, but probably overdue!

Best of luck in the planning stages!

Cheers, Edouard