Cast is off………Quartzsite Trip is on!!

Last Friday, I went to the Doctor’s office for my second checkup since my foot surgery.  It had been only 16 days since the surgery, and she originally told me to expect the cast to stay on for 4 weeks.   At the first checkup, she said that things went really well, and that she might take the cast off earlier.  I went with my hopes up!!

Sure enough, they took x-rays, and decided that the cast could come off to inspect the wounds.  Once off, the incisions looked good, and they removed the stitches and got me fitted for an after-surgery walking boot.  I was really pleased.

I only have a picture of me in the ‘cast removal’ chair, and all of the cast removal is on video. 

The exposed area of my foot was starting to look pretty nasty, and I was not sure that my toes would not fall off, if hit!!  Once the cast was off, it really looked bad

They said the nasty looking scaly white stuff was from not being bathed for over two weeks, since I could not get the cast wet.  If this looks “good”, I don’t think I want to see “bad'”….. at least not on my foot!

In a previous post, I posted a picture of what “my view” was for most of the day with the cast on the foot, and laying on the bed watching TV or using my Laptop.  Here is the new view……… not much different except for the boot instead of the cast………

Although I was excited to get the cast off, and the ‘walking’ boot put in it’s place, the euphoria quickly evaporated when I found out that the term, ‘walking’, was a great big lie.  The boot is only a substitute for the cast, and must stay on 24 hours a day…… even while sleeping! 

Not being someone who follows rules that I don’t like, I sorta’ kept the boot off a lot during Saturday, while laying on the bed, and even went to sleep without it under strong objections from my in-house doctor, Patsy,

I woke up about 2:00AM on Sunday morning, and the foot hurt like HELL, and Patsy also told me that it was quite swollen. We consulted and decided that the swelling was probably the cause of the pain.  We put the boot back on, and I took a dose of the narcotic pain killers that the other doctor gave me for after the surgery.  Except for my shower this morning, the boot has not been off since early this morning, and the foot feels pretty good. 

It looks like I will have to use a rolling walker or a cane to get around in Quartzsite, but we are STILL GOING.  We leave on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan 10.

I have one more doctor’s appointment for Jan 8, just to make sure that all is well, and we can leave town.  My next post will probably be while on the way to Quartzsite.

Later……..

Christmas 2012 – A Real Bah Humbug!!!

As I stated in a previous post, back in September, I fell down some stairs and injured my left foot.  Thanks to the incompetence at the radiology department of our local hospital, I spent 2 1/2 months being told that there was nothing wrong with my foot.

After complaining to my family doctor, he set up an appointment with a Podiatrist.  She did not get a copy of the x-rays, but looked them up on the internet with her laptop.  What the radiologist could not see, she saw right away in a very small picture of my x-ray!!  I had three broken or dislocated bones.  The pictures below are an x-ray of the foot before surgery, and an after look with all the ‘scrap’ metal that she had to put in it!!

Two screws and a plate!!!!  I had the surgery on Wednesday, Dec 12, 2012, and have been off the foot every since……..Therefore, the Bah Humbug!!  I am not enjoying being waited by my wife/nurse as much as I thought, and I am really bored!!  During a visit to the doctor last week, she did tell me that instead of being in a cast for 4 weeks, she plans to remove it next Friday, Dec 28, 2012!!  She said the surgery went better than she thought it would.

As usual, we are planning our annual visit to the desert in Quartzsite, AZ.  The original 4 weeks in a cast schedule had the cast coming off on Jan 9 and us leaving home in the Bus on Jan 10 with my foot in a “Boot”!  Now, I will have the foot in a boot for a little over a week before we leave, in case there are some problems. 

I am bored and want to go someplace!!

My grandkids thought is was a little funny, at first, then they found out how hard the cast was when I kicked them with it!!  Their mother also had a little sick fun with it…… see the pictures:

Can’t leave out the other granddaughter.  She did not laugh, make any comments, or draw on the cast……… she just sat there and looked pretty, kinda like her grandpa!!!  Of course, she lives in Little Rock, about 600 miles away, so that might have helped her. 

I will close with my view most of the day and night………

Merry Christmas everybody, and I know the New Year will be better………..it occurs after December 28!!!

Vogt RV “Tiffin” Rally

We left Victoria on Wednesday, October 31, to drive to Fort Worth, TX to attend the Vogt RV Tiffin Owner’s Rally from November 1—4.  Along the way, we saw the following ‘scene’ of an antique car coming through the façade of the building next to the City Meat Market in Giddings, TX,,,,,,

 

We had made reservations at the Tree Tops RV Park in Arlington for the first night, so we could have empty waste and a full fresh water tank when we arrived at the rally.  It is a passport America park and it was only about $15/night.  Here is a couple of pictures of our site……….

It is a really nice and quiet park.  We have stayed there about 5 times in the past.

On Thursday, we left the campground and went to the Texas Land and Cattle Steak House for lunch prior to heading to Vogt RV for the rally.

We arrived at the rally site about 15 minutes after it opened, and a lot of coaches were already there.  We got parked and set up quickly, and began to enjoy the rally.  We had a 50amp hookup, but no water or sewer.  Here is where we were parked.  Note that there were three coaches in our color pattern in a row of 5 coaches!  No 1, 3(us), and 5!

All meals were included in the $49 rally cost, and were catered by the same company.  They are serious about cooking, and here is their portable grill…….

Vogt RV had about 8 new Tiffin coaches on display, and Bob Tiffin was there for 2 1/2 days.  I had a good discussion with him about some issues on our motorhome, as well as a discussion about why his sons are causing concerns with some owners.  I also got a picture of him with Patsy…..

 

There was about 75 rigs and 150 people in attendance.  Out friends, Charlie and Jo Stanger were among them….

I took the following pictures at one of the evening meals where Vogt had a live band for entertainment…..

Here’s a picture of the band…………….

During the rally, the had a dog show and competition.  This show made me wonder about some of the RV people.  One lady had her poor dog dressed up like a shark…….

One lady wanted to win so bad, that she had her husband stand in as a dog……… maybe she treats him like a dog, so it seemed natural!!!!!

He even rolled over, and when his belly was scratched, his leg twitched!!!!

……………. and then there was our buddy, Hank Smith, who had one of those ‘ghost’ dog leashes, (the stiff kind of leash), and he put a stuffed puppy in it.  By the way he made it do tricks, it was clear to me that this was not the first time!!!!  Here is a picture of Hank with Charlie Stanger and I looking on…..

We were very surprised.  The rally was one of the best that we have attended.  We left on Sunday morning, and headed by home to Victoria via Austin to visit Patsy’s cousin.   From Austin, we took the toll road that goes around Austin and connects with the newer section on the south side of Austin.  The speed limit on the first section was 80mph and the latter was 85mph!!  It was fun in the Bus with a toad!

 

We made it home a little quicker, but probably paid for it in diesel fuel!!

Until the next trip…. November 29!!

Heading to Ft Worth, Texas

We are leaving tonight to drive to Ft. Worth to attend a Tiffin rally at one of Tiffin’s dealers, Vogt RV.   They seem to have an annual fall rally, but this will be our first one.  The rally begins on Thursday and ends on Sunday.  They sent out an agenda and they have a fairly full 2-1/2 day schedule.  The event kicks off with a “Casino Night” on Thursday, and I hope they have a Texas Hold ‘em, so I can try my luck.

I checked the attendance list, and it includes two couples from the Bluebonnet Allegro Club that we joined recently, and a couple that we met at the Hot Springs TRVN rally.  There may be others, but I could only check using ‘email addresses’ on the CC list of the email!!

I also got an email this morning letting me know that our friends, Charlie and Joan Stanger, from the Lone Star Allegro Club will also be attending.  We have not seen them in a while, because they traveled to Alaska and back in their Motorhome this summer.

While we were home, I made repairs to our mud flap on the Bus, which was bent by a self generated “alligator” from the blow-out on the rear tire.  While I had it off, I cleaned the rubber, and polished the stainless steel letters……

 

I also re-arranged the stuff stored in the ‘basement’ and made room to carry an “un-mounted spare tire”……….. one of the old tires from the Bus.   Now if we need a tire, we will have the right size, and won’t be a “hostage” to the mobile tire service that show up!!

I got the following in an email recently, so I will pass the wish for a Happy Halloween along………..

More later from Ft. Worth.

A Week in Little Rock

We arrived in Little Rock last Sunday, and plan to head home on Saturday morning.  Deanne and Mike (who took a week of vacation) worked every day at the new house while Patsy and, sometimes, me took care of Rachel at their existing home.

To make use of the available time, I set up some appointments for maintenance items on the Bus.  On Tuesday, I had the transmission fluid and filters changed at a Diesel garage that is certified the the Allison corporation.  They did a good job, were very friendly and easy to work with, and the price was reasonable.  Here are some pictures…..

The latter picture shows the filters and some of the fluid that came out with them.  Another pan of fluid was already dumped.

On Thursday, I had an appointment to have a new set of tires put on the Bus.  It was time after our last couple of tire episodes.  Here is a picture of the Bus in the tire shop while they were working on the front tires……….

We had been watching the action at the Verizon Center here in North Little Rock near our RV park.  Brad Paisley was doing a show on Thursday night.   We had seen 5 nice looking 18wheelers with equipment, and 4 Prevost motorhomes in the prime areas and about 6 other motorhomes for other staff.   On the way back from the tire change out, I snapped a couple of photos……..

Of course, the best pictures were of Rachel…..

A couple of pictures e watching a DVD in the Bus………….