Ya Gotta Show If Ya Wanna Know

Started thinking about the wardrobe choices for the Kerrville Blowout tonight. Not packing yet, just thinking about what to bring. Everybody has already seen my Walrilla shirt, so that's probably not coming. Hawaiian-floweredy shirts are cool, but that choice is usually taken by Elisson, so I'd hate to clash with him.

I know! I'll get some shirts from here.

Lots of interesting choices, don't you think?I like that one that says "Leg Story $10" because, well, you know, I can always use some extra money, but nah, I could never charge anybody for my dumb story.

I ended up purchasing two of them. Which two? Well, I guess you'll just have to show up at Kerrville to find out!

Walrilla
(Yes, my parents were married. Why do you ask?)

Work Update

How cool is this? I went in to work today to take care of some paperwork that needed to be done, in order for me to return to work next Monday. While I was there, I stopped in to say hello to my boss. I asked him if it was going to be a problem if I took some days off in May, for the blog meet, and for the Senior cruise my wife spearheads. Since I had been off for three months, I didn't want anyone to get any heartburn because I was taking more time off.

He said it wouldn't be a problem, that there is a project starting mid-April that has to be done before the end of the month, but other than that, smooth sailing.

SWEET! Tell me my workplace ain't cool! Kerrville, here I come! And the next weekend, a 4-day cruise to Cozumel! Oh, yeah! I'm rockin' in the free world, now!

Walrilla

Well, So Long!

So long to my forced vacation, that is! I went to the ortho doc today, and he released me to go back to work! How freakin' sweet is that? I get to go back Monday, April 2nd. I went by work and let them know, and they've started tearing down cube walls so I can get into my cubicle again.

Unfortunately, it seems I missed too many team meetings, and I got assigned basically everything because I wasn't there to say no. Oh, well, it'll be good just to go back to work. My boss has said I could work from home most of the week, so that'll be good.

I'll tell you what, I was going stir crazy sitting around here, doing nothing. Of course, for January and most of February, I didn't want to do anything but be still. At that time, the leg still hurt, and the phantom pain was driving me crazy! Recently, though, the pain has abated, the incision is healed, and the phantom pain has eased somewhat. I have been getting out and going to lunch with my mother on the days she takes me to my Dr. appointments and my PT sessions, and we have enjoyed each other's company, but I'm ready to get back to being productive.

Walrilla

Light A Shuck For Kerrville

All right, everybody! Time is winding down for this drunken bitchfest... er... um... I mean, this delightful gathering of deepthinkers and intelligentsia! I can guarantee a good time will be had by all, if Austin was any indication.

I don't believe I will be bringing any smokepoles or shootin' irons, this time, though. I don't quite have the room in my vehicle anymore. I traded vehicles with my son for a newer PT Cruiser with a turbocharged engine that he was buying from his grandparents. Runs like a spotted-ass ape, but not a lot of room, especially when you start throwin' in a wheelchair, too.

No matter, Fun is definitely to be had, shooting or not.

Walrilla

A Good Report

Well, I had a good visit with my Internal Medicine doctor today. He said that my HBA1c level was down from 12 to 7.5. That means my three-month average for my blood sugar went from well over 300 to around 180. For me, that's hella-good news! I know it's not where it should be, but at least it's on the decline! YAY!!!!

He also said that the triglycerides were down(good), but the LDL is up(bad). He put me back on LesChol, which has worked well before, so that's good. And my blood pressure was 134/76! That's without any BP medicine at all, since he took me off it after I nearly passed out at PT one day last month. When they measured it that day, it was around 60/30. That's right, sixty over thirty. That is definitely not a fun feeling, folks. That's getting way too close to NO pressure!

All in all, a pretty good visit! Guess I'm gonna be around for a little while longer!

Walrilla

A Sad State Of Affairs

Well, Hell! I just received a phone call from the company I work for. According to them, I am no longer employable by them due to my recent amputation. There was lots of legalese about insurance and liability, but it boils down to the same thing; I gotta go. Well, at least they set me up with an interview with a company more in line with my needs and abilities. So, from now on, I'll be working at...


















IHOP!

Walrilla


Sick humor. Gotta love it!

Be Proud For Me

I learned today that I am no longer an amputee...


















I'm an Asymmetrical American!

Walrilla

Random Thoughts

If my wife got me some beach sandals, would I be wearing a flip or a flop?

Just wondering.

Walrilla

An Apology

Hey, everybody. First off, I want to thank everybody who came by and read that last post. Another thank you goes to everybody who left comments. They were all appreciated.

Second, I want everybody to know I really appreciated that call from that bunch of great people. That really meant a lot to me.

Now, I have to apologize. I spouted off and went all whiny, pissy, little crybaby bitch on y'all, and I am so sorry. I have nothing to complain about. Everything that has happened to me, has been by my own choice. I knew I had diabetes. I chose not to eat right. I chose not to exercise. I chose not to take care of myself. I have no reason to complain.

Take a look at these guys below.




Do they have reason to complain? Yeah, they lost their limbs through no fault of their own. They were just doing their job when some dirty rag-head bombthrower set off an IED and changed their lives forever.

Will you hear them complain? Not very damn likely! God knows it's got to be tough on them, but they know they have to persevere, to carry on. Will they gripe and complain to their fellow soldiers? Possibly, but when have soldiers not griped? It's like a God-given right for them.


If these young men, who lost these things through no fault of their own, don't complain of their injuries, how can I, who caused the amputation by my own choices, dare to speak a single word of complaint? Who am I to whine of a little pain, when these gallant young men suffer terribly, yet stoically.

I apologize.

A Welcome Call

I got a call last night from a bunch of the usual suspects.It was awful great of them to take a minute from their merrymaking in Claxton, GA, at the Rattlesnake Roundup to call me and cheer me up. I got to talk to the illustrious V-Man, and, even better, to the lovely Georgia, of Rick and Georgia, of Gut Rumbles and Catfish fame. She was funny and gracious and every bit a Southern Lady. I hope to talk to her and Rick again in Helen, GA in the fall.

I really needed this call. I've been feeling a little down lately, because my leg is swelling and aching. It's making it difficult to bend my knee, and it's causing me to lose some sleep. I go see the doctor about it on Tuesday, but it sure hurts in the meantime.

Crap, I didn't mean for this to come off as a whiny, sobby, "Wah-wah, poor, pitiful me" post, really, I didn't. Just suffice it to say, I really enjoyed the call, and talking to everybody.

I can't wait to see everyone at Kerrville.

Walrilla

A Geographical Oddity

This is one for my fellow bloggers. Looking through Sitemeter, I noticed that I have no one reading me closer than about 50 miles away. I realize I'm not a very well-read blogger, but surely someone from a surrounding town would stumble over me, wouldn't you assume? Do any of y'all have local readers that you don't actually know? Or have I stumbled into some sort of weird blogreader-free zone?


Walrilla

Whereupon I Descend Into Evil

My wife and her parents have been conferring about taking a trip on Spring Break. They finally decided on taking our daughter to the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. Wonderful, right? A fun thing to do for a little girl, no? Well, yeah! For her father, though, not so much. And it's all due to one thing.

There are clowns there.

That's right, I said clowns. Evil, twisted, sick creations of a horribly unbalanced mind. Just look at these.









How in the world would any sane person NOT realize that these... things are, in reality, horribly evil space mutants intent on taking over our world and sucking our brains out of our heads through our ears? I mean, just look at 'em! Oh, sure, they act funny and say funny things, but that's just to lure you in and allay your fears. As soon as you're laughing at them, out come the straws and suck, suck, suck!

I'm going to go, but I'm going armed!



Well, okay, armored.

A Step Forward

Well, seeing how much Cr@pblogging is going on out there, now, I thought I'd jump in(Sorry) and get my toes wet(Sorry again) with a little related news on a personal front.

Don't worry, it's not that bad. It's just that I was able to use a regular height toilet for the first time since my amputation. Wooo-Hooo! Ce-le-bra-tion, come on!

I know, I know. It doesn't sound like much to get excited about, but if you've ever had to use one of these damn things,

then you know why it's been driving me crazy!

Look closely. That's not an extended seat on there, as in, really not extended. As in, it's one or the other, but not both, without moving. And when you only have one leg, and can't stand like normal, it gets damned aggravating.

The only good thing is the height. It's tall enough to enable you to get your foot underneath you in order to stand. Oh, and the armrests. The armrests are the shiznit!

Anyway, as it sits over the toilet in the master bath, and the toilet is in its own little closet, it's the only way I could stand up after using the toilet.

Today, though, I went into the kid's bathroom, which is closer to the living room, and has an extended seat. When I finished, I placed one hand beside me on the edge of the tub, and the other on the cabinet, and, sure enough, I was able to stand!

Not much, I know, but every step forward is a victory, however small.

Walrilla