Post-op checkup on da shoulder

Posted by Royce on Monday, May 20, 2013
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I had my post-op checkup today at 1pm. Lou and Lina came with me. Check-up went okay, recovery is progressing. The PA, James Kahler, had a nurse remove my stitches. I got another sick slip keeping me out from work for the rest of the week. Although I was hoping to, I didn’t get a refill for Oxycodone. Let’s just hope the periodic pinging pain goes away!

I don’t really know how to gauge the checkup. I didn’t actually see my orthopedic doctor, the one who performed the operation. I don’t recall this PA, James, being involved in the procedure two weeks ago. Aside from visually inspecting my shoulder. he didn’t do any real touch evaluation, range of motion evaluation(s), or anything beyond what can possibly be canned follow-on diagnosis. In other words, I’m not impressed with Kaiser’s Orthopedic Department….

After the appointment we went to Anna Millers for a late lunch… then stopped by Old Navy in Waikele, then back home.

So far so good

Posted by Royce on Sunday, May 19, 2013
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0517131402aI think I’ve sincerely tried to quit smoking maybe 3 times in my life… never mind the dozen or so half-intentioned attempts. So far, the latest attempt is not to quit altogether, but to switch to tobacco-less e-cigarettes. For the most part it’s been a successful effort going on 4 months now. Doctor says while he’d be more thumbs up if I quit altogether, switching to nicotine liquid and steam is much better than tobacco and all its toxins.

It helps that all the smokers around me have also switched, so that cigarettes aren’t readily reachable to bum from people. Justin actually got Lou and me the Volcano Inferno starter kits as Christmas gifts. We waited until mid-January to commit to starting in on it since at the time we had about 10 cartons of Kools that we had bought duty-free on Guam and brought back in December.

I do miss smoking tho, especially with the e-cig requiring more “maintenance” to upkeep than simply, packing and opening a pack of smokes. The juice/fluid needs to always be refilled; battery nneds to be recharged; cartomizer needs to be replaced. In time, the idea is to put the e-cig down completely and not need it at all….

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Escape from the house

Posted by Royce on Thursday, May 16, 2013
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I’ve been so cooped up in the house with my surgery recovery that it seems that any venture out is an adventure. This morning I went with Rosie to Kapolei Satellite City Hall to change her name on her driver’s license (done) and take Bebee off the car title (not done). Then I went with Lina to Foodland to buy stuff for lunch… mainly more Ahi so I could have sashimi.

For dinner we all went to Hapa Grill in Kapolei.

How ambidextrous are you?

Posted by Royce on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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0516131235Has the typical person truly tested him/herself as to how well either hand can do the same tasks in day-to-day activities? And I mean finding out one’s ambidextrous abilities well beyond whether they can bat from either side of the plate, shoot left and right handed, and hold the fork during a meal. Those are “trained” activities. I’m talking about can you soap and scrub in the shower using your weak hand? Put on clothes? Something as simple as buttoning a shirt? Something as mundane 0510130534a-mirror correctedas wiping one’s ass at the toilet?? Most people have no accurate clue until a situation comes up that forces one to rely on the weak hand/arm.

I sure am finding out. Sometimes it’s a funny discovery when you realize what day-to-day tasks I can’t accomplish on my own all of a sudden. Other times it’s aggravating not being able to do something simple without help.

Brunch with old friends

Posted by Royce on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
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Lou, Lina and had brunch at Hapa Grill in Kapolei, meeting Mel Van Verst and her sister Claire. We hadn’t seen them since around 1990 and so much to catch up on!! Mel was also an integrated part of our circle of friends in the ’80s back when our beginnings here in Honolulu were such enchanted experiences. That was a very nice and uplifting meeting.

I had a 1pm dental cleaning at the Kunia dentist. It was a little rough for me because my shoulder started to hurt from reclining too far…