Ken loses a day......and gets some pain relief

I went and got groceries last Sunday and when I returned I knew Ken was having trouble.  Over the 40 years we've been married I've cultivated a couple of little tests to know if his brain is truly working.  It wasn't so I pawed through his medicine and found some pills from 2008 (!!) and had him take one.  Then found a current one (won't say where but THANKS) and poked it down him 7 hours later.  He stayed in his chair most of the day sleeping and other things.  No Grand Mal though - Thank you Lord!!

Monday I called his Neurologist for an appointment.  This doc is the BEST seizure disorder doc we have ever found.  He always wants to know what I see and notice. No other doc has ever cared.  And he knows his chemicals.  So they had no cancellations throughout the week but we saw him on Thursday.  He was appalled about the lack of movement Ken had in his neck and shoulders.  He worked to get an EEG, MRI (head/shoulders) and blood work done that day.  

Whitney went to the EEG with him.  She was the one with him in 2006 during the Tramadol fiasco.  She said this EEG was like you stirred up some speghetti and threw it at the machine every few seconds.  He told the technician he thought he was in an aura; but he didn't have any seuzures then.

We all went in at the end of the day to visit with the doctor.  The MRI looked good but the EEG "Man! your're EEG is a mess!  You are having more seizures than you realize."  I asked if this was a different looking mess than usual and he just sat there nodding his head.    Although he didn't have the results back he told Ken to begin to wean slowly off Neurotin and to begin taking an appropriate pain med for his type of pain.  Then he would see him in Gillette next Friday and would begin TPI - Trigger Point Injections - whatever that is I thought.

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/trigger-point-injection - Awesome!

After he took his first "real" pain pill he could not believe the change.  He said he could feel the muscles release and pop.  He has been telling docs for years this is what he wanted to feel but it never happened.  It has now.  He has been getting better and better every day.  A miracle.

Today he saw the doc and was given a few TPI's.  Another miracle.  He could feel his neck loosen.  They also told him he could take the med 3 times a day.  In two weeks he'll get a second set and 2 weeks later the final set.  They want to get him loosened up enough that he can begin physical therapy in EB when we get there. And ultimately wean down on the pain meds.  

Does he still have pain?  Yes, he does but now it's a 4 when he's been living in a 9+ for a few years.

He does tighten up but can sit and relax and it eases.  He is now talking about doing a few projects that have been put off due to his stiffness.

Time will tell - time will tell.

Ken goes for a walk - a LOONNG walk! :)

This morning Deb said she wanted to take us for a walk - it wouldn't be far.  (Were those famous last words?)  So off we went and drove as far as the locked gate.   We'd been down this road with D/D looking for deer. There are hundreds of beautiful views in the Hills.

As we left the pickup Ken began to look at the 

trees.  He is still a tree man at heart.  He's been schooling Debbie.  :)

It was a cool day for walking to this old ranch.  Carol V is the one that put them in touch with this old ranch.  She did a photo shoot here.

About a mile down the road we came out into a little valley and saw a small cabin on the left nestled in the trees.    I fell in love with this tree.  Weird trees and outhouses are my things (kind of).  The stories these things could tell us.

Here is what the Meeker Ranch Project is all about.

 What a nice valley for the elk to play in - but where are they?  There is great feed for them here.

 Yep! An outhouse.  Is that a new roof on it?? hmmmm.

Nestled in the big Black Hills rock is a fine house.  This is just made for exploring.

It appears they just left one day.  Dishes in the sink, jacket on the hook, and curtains on the windows.  It really is in good condition - a worthy project to maintain - there are so few left.

That WAS a new roof on the outhouse - however I didn't go down to check it out.  CHICKEN!?

More new roof appearing.  They seem to be preserving it the way they found it.  Good.

The explorers check out all the buildings.

The barn.

TIME OUT!    Give me water, water, water.

More.

Not sure, but I think these may be "new" windows - probably from some house that fell down.

Another awesome tree.  The children from this ranch must have delighted in playing  here.  A lot of places - rocks, trees,  hills to build a fort and play in.

Thanks Deb for showing us this beautiful spot.  You too, Carol.  :)  Ken took a break on the way out - it was a almost too much for him.  Of course he didn't anything - he didn't have much choice but to walk out, he told me later.  I guess he was pretty correct.

Look at the green slime on this water.......  it was in one spot when we went in and another spot when we came out.  Weird.  And it every has ducks and geese on it.

Later that night we took the road that the train crossed and found a logger loading his trailer.  D/D had never seen one before.  Yup!  He knew how to handle that hook!

Then we went to dinner in Custer one night (yes I'm out of sequence - deal with it)  This was the coolest wood carving.  Then I really looked at the board.  Hmmm - I've seen that type of border before on a a a a a

CUTTING BOARD!

Found a rainbow on the way home then went the back, back way to FW and saw some deer.

Perfect end to a great day!

Our time in SD with D/D came to a close and we headed back to Gillette.

A Farewell Walk in SD

The Martin's are working for the Clampetts in Custer.
The next batch of friends were leaving but we had to get just one more foot "road trip" in before so we headed behind Deb to view one of her and Luc's walks.

This would be the somber, quiet set of the group.  NOT!  I think Doug/Kathy get that honor.  Here the gals were exclaiming over a ROCK!!! :)  Imagine that!

Maurene and Linda have their hand full already.

Ok so the "new" shot of Debbie is.......................

which is just a smidge better than the OLD normal picture of Debbie.

Luc is following and wondering if we are all insane and we assure him we are.  Who spends more time going for a walk and noticing only the rocks not the scenery - winter New Mexicans!

It's time to say adios until Sept; October & November when we reunite in EB.  It's been a blast!

And at the end of yet another perfect day we watch the wild turkeys make their twice daily walk.  Ahhhhhh - life is SO good!  Safe travels everyone - see you in the fall!!

Visiting the Cousins - EB in SD

Toured to Hot Springs and through the park somewhat today.  Saw baby buffalo...........

....Bill got into trouble by stepping out of the van to take baby pictures.........

......and we arrived to see the dinosaur!

Oh yes, most everyone is in love with rocks so it took awhile to get into the dino-building.

And inside the building it quickly became hat day.......Maurene......

...........Maurene and Bill...........

and finally Debbie!  Lord I DO love these people!

On to serious stuff................
Do you know they use tiny, teeny little brushes to move the dirt???? OML!!!! Talk about watching time pass I'd rather watch roping at EP at CAM-PLEX!

There are people that take actual vacation to do this.  Bless'em and glad it's them.

This is kinda cool - which tusk do YOU like?

Teeth?  Well it's better than taking pictures of dinosaur poop!  I could have done that!

And finally here is my new home - like it?

Deb came calling but I take it officially as my home............:)

Heading back we stopped in ?Pringle?  and had bull fries and took pictures of a dead bike pile.

Then we headed through the park to see .........

OUR COUSINS!!!  See there's one visiting with Dave.  "It's been SO long since I've seen you cousin.  Lots of stuff been happening......

cousin Wilma is ready to drop any day.  She's getting pretty excited wondering if it's a girl or boy.......

....Uncle Josiah is getting a little long in the tooth......

.....and nephew Bob just realized he's related to Ken.  Ain't that great we're just one big happy family..........

......baby Benji is about ready to go to school.....
Did you hear about Myrtle's Gladys?.......

.....she came out an albino and is on pins and needles that her little one might be the same.....
Well, hey cous been good to see'ya I gotta run.............................................








......here comes the camp bully!!"