Combed the Beach!

[beachcomber]

Skeet conquered the stairs today and I "combed" the beach!

For the first time in over a year I went to the beach today and went for a long walk, soaking it all in---- the pounding surf, the salt air, the incredible power of the ocean. I didn't come anywhere close to my old 3 mile power walks--- but I can't even tell you how good it all felt. Not pain free--- the softer sand shifting under my feet wasn't real comfortable, but I got a good walk in on the harder sand and sat on a log above the surf line for quite a while just "being".

Absolutely worth feeling a bit "owie" tonight. The knee itself worked like a dream--- it is the attached "me" parts that are still a bit cranky.

(Also walked the outlet mall and put my credit card through a good "workout". But that "owie" won't show up in the mail for a while yet!)

It was so wonderful to feel "normal" for an afternoon.

 

[Skeet]

Good for you! It is so empowering to have a "normal" moment or day. We're all making such great progress. If you want to see how great it is, just go back and look at some of the older posts... you've come a long way, baby! Proud of you!

Happy Easter!
Skeet

 

[Nursepair]

That sounds wonderful. I am so pleased for you!! Just rest up tomorrow and the owie's may go away quicker (not the credit card bill though).

Kevin is taking Monday off as he didn't get home until 2 am this morning, so missed Good Friday. We are being takenout for lunch with friends, than after we are going to walk along the harbour front in Toronto weather permitting.

We are having all our kids over (and our friends son from Uni as they are away on a cruise) and our darling grandaughter for dinner tomorrow. It should be a great day!!

Happy Easter, take care, Sue

 

[Skeet]

Sounds like a wonderful family weekend, Sue. I'm looking forward to the days when my kids are grown and married with families of their own and they come home for holidays. You are blessed.

What/where is Uni??

 

[Nursepair]

Sounds like a wonderful family weekend, Sue. I'm looking forward to the days when my kids are grown and married with families of their own and they come home for holidays. You are blessed.

What/where is Uni??

Yep I really love it that the kids still come back when they are all grown up. I can't believe they are 26, 28 & 30 this year,our wonderful grandaughter is almost 3 and her mum and dad are expecting another in June!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, Uni is just short for University, they had their reading week a couple of weeks ago,so he couldn't go, and the rest of the family went to Florida and then a cruise with my friends mum over from UK at the moment, so he asked if he could come here for Easter as all his friends have gone home.

Happy Easter to you.

 

[Skeet]

Thanks for the explanation. What is "reading week"? Is that like our finals week? My daughter had that last week. Now she's off for two weeks, then back for the last quarter.

Enjoy your family!

 

[Nursepair]

Thanks for the explanation. What is "reading week"? Is that like our finals week? My daughter had that last week. Now she's off for two weeks, then back for the last quarter.

Enjoy your family!

The week they are supposed to study before exams.

Thanks, I will.

 

[Skeet]

Oh, okay. We call that dead week... I have no idea why. Sounds gruesome.

 

[Doug]

Skeet,
My hazy recollection of "Dead Week" was because many who had a tendency to party too much would stay up and cram all night and then take the exam. Not that I would ever do that.

 

[Doug]

Beach,
I was at the coast twice this week. Same response as you...Wow, I can walk.
Try a walking staff. It helps in the sand. You can by some very nice types that collapse. They help give that little bit of push the new knee needs every now and then.

 

[beachcomber]

I had a blast. Took off from my favorite beach access point near my old house. There were some great huge tree trunks washed up from the winter storms and not too many people once I got away from the beach access point. I wanted to just walk and walk like I used to, but wisely stopped after a 1/2 mile or so and sat down for a while. It was still wonderful.

Woke up pretty stiff and sore-- both knee and back but I am still so glad I took the opportunity. No big plans for today so I will take it easy and medicate as needed.

Doug, Did the walking stick work on soft sand? I have one but didn't take it with me. I had to walk on soft sand for maybe 100 feet to get to the hard sand. Not too bad, but really had to watch out for the waves down near the water. We have very dangerous sneaker waves here that kill many people every year. Two kids died last weekend--an 11 year old waded out and got caught in a rip tide and a 16 year old total stranger tried to rescue him. What a tragedy, and one that happens too often.

 

[Doug]

You can buy them with a wide tip for sand and snow...I walked mostly in the surf line where the sand is harder. It also helps with the hills..
I usually go to non public beaches where there is always stuff laying around to investigate. I use the staff for turning things over and prodding.
You are in Oregon right...I need to Google Earth it and look at the beaches. I've never seen the Pacific Ocean. We have very bad rip tides in the Fla, Ga, Ala coast. Many die each year from them.
You did the smart thing too..Keeping track of how far you went and how far you have to go to get back..The first time I went I was so excited with my freedom, I didn't pay attention and was more than a little tired....

 

[beachcomber]

Mine is actually a trekking pole for hiking. It has a 2"x1" rubber tip on it and is collapsible/adjustable for difference height users. Way cooler than a cane-- a necessity for use at my high school. I even got one in our school colors of red and black! My PT says it removes 20% of the load and is very easy to use.

The Pacific Ocean is very wild and inhospitable. The beaches in Oregon are all publicly owned and accessible. Theoretically you could walk from one end of the state to the other on the beach, but many areas are high cliffs with little "beach". The water is bone-achingly cold year-round. Yesterday I saw a surfer(in a wet suit, of course) out past the breakers and a surf fisherman. Not many wading out into the surf yesterday, thank goodness. I have seen some very close calls when the ocean is stormy. People letting their kids wade out scares me to death.

I go to Lincoln City to the beach. I lived there for 18 years until 1 1/2 years ago. It is a 7 mile long community with more beachfront hotel rooms than any town between San Francisco and Seattle. Tourism is THE business there. Full time population of around 5,000. I've been pretty homesick lately so especially appreciated my "beach fix" yesterday. It was 55 degrees and sunny.

I've never been to the beach in Florida. My one experience in Florida was a 3 day conference at Disney World in late July.
Hot and humid!

Now I need some sunshine here so I can properly appreciate my move to the sunny valley town where I live now. Today is cold and wet and I am achy.

 

[Doug]

Sounds like some cool beaches..I've thought about getting your type of walking staff but I've spent so many hours working on my wooden staffs and canes I just can't get away from them.
If you came to Disney in June it still wasn't hot yet....August will actually soften the asphalt parking lot...
This week is supposed to be beautiful...I am going to take my new camera(yes the monkey camera) ,hit the beach and visit my favorite swamps...Trees are blooming and the animals are out wandering around.

 

[1jt@atime]

Doug, Is your big fat monkey comin to the beach with you?

 

[Doug]

I've got him in the truck just waiting...Do you want to see more of him?? I'll see what he gets into..

 

[Skeet]

Hey, beachcomber... let's meet at the beach sometime when the weather gets a bit nicer. It would be fun to walk and talk by the ocean! PM me when the weather gets nicer and I'll drive over and meet you. Maybe even take a trip through the outlet mall

 

[beachcomber]

Great Idea Skeet! You're on!

We can go on a nice day and wear shorts and show off our scars! LOL! I bought 3 new pairs of cargo shorts at Eddie Bauer--- (credit card cringes in the background). I tried on some bermuda shorts thinking my scar wouldn't show--- but they were UGLY. Much worse looking than my scar so I decided--- What the heck! What's one more scar on an knee that has been ugly for years?... and I will just wear it like the badge of courage it is!


Watch out Lincoln City! Here we come! (Does this scare you Doug? You are probably relieved to be on the "other" coast!)

PS. I am driving thru Corvallis tomorrow morning on my way to Eugene with my son. You working at the office tomorrow? I'll wave!

 

[JenniferG]

Outlet malls.. Where I used to have my husband circle around looking for the absolute closest spot and pick 1 or 2 stores only, one usually a shoe store because they had a place to sit down and maybe find a more comfortable option for my legs that wasn't really the solution anyway. Now I'll be able to go and shop... We have friends of ours already talking about the hiking trips the 4 of us can do this summer/fall. imagine that!

 

[beachcomber]

Yes--- life after TKR.... imagine that!

Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel yet? It's the light of the life we've all been working so hard to get back. And it WILL happen!