BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL

Our purple ash, taken Oct. 16 . . .

Mike endured a nearly 3-week spell of excruciating hip/back pain that prevented him from sitting or walking. He visited the pain clinic early on, but because a real doctor was unavailable and he can’t tolerate high-powered pain meds, he was out of luck for immediate relief. 

. . . and our purple ash today.

With him stretched out on the floor and standing to eat, we felt we were facing an uncertain future. I noticed gradual improvement until Monday (Oct. 16) when he got up and pulled on his jeans, joined Bess and me for our walks, and worked in his shop. Unfortunately, this improvement occurred after our visit with family in Spokane.

The maple just begins to show color.

He finally saw the doctor Wednesday (Oct. 18). The issue was deemed nerve inflammation. He received two injections and physical therapy was prescribed. He has a follow-up appointment in a month and instructions to call the clinic and request medication should this debilitating pain come upon him again. It’s time to limit lifting a bit, so the minute we were home from the pain clinic, Mike ordered an automatic garage door for his shop. It was installed Thursday afternoon. If only doctor’s appointments could be scheduled so efficiently.

Halloween is coming.

The doctor said he could pursue his usual activities, and Mike has been hard at it. Wednesday afternoon he rode his bicycle 20 miles. He has serviced all of his machines, rewired the new garage door opener through the shed loft, and even placed our Halloween characters (something we haven’t done in years). He and Ken hunted Friday and Saturday mornings – armed hikes, as Mike calls them. He rests by watching football.

The sad thing is that because he couldn’t get a doctor’s appointment until the 18th, he pretty much got over this on his own, tolerating the pain and doing the best he could. The worst was really over before he saw the doctor. KW