Buddhist Chant

Tom Motherway sent this Buddhist chant -- I feel calmer just reading it.....

May I be safe from inner and outer danger

May I be protected from harm and enmity   

May I be happy and free from mental torment 

May I be peaceful in heart and clear in mind 

May I be free of physical affliction 

May my body be strong and healthy 

May I take care of myself easily

May I tend my life with gladness

Day 35 -- Trip to the doctor and X-rays

I've been waiting for this day.  The big question:  are the bones fusing?  After using a bone stimulator 2x/day, eating well, taking vitamin supplements, and pretty much doing nothing exotic, I certainly hope so.  


The first step at the doctor's office was to remove the cast.  If you remember from a prior posting, the high whine of the saw 2 mm from my skin does not bring back happy childhood memories.  Of course, I had to ask Luz, the technician who wields the saw, if there was such a thing as a silent saw -- since it's the high pitch that I'm reacting to (not to mention the burns I experienced 50 years ago when they got a little too close).  There is, she said!   But, of course, this one does a better job and is less expensive...


After we got past the cast removal, it was downhill from there.  Foot looks great.  The radiologist had me step on it for the X-rays -- the muscles and tendons have stiffened up over the past 5 weeks -- but the good news is that the X-rays show that the bones are fusing well.  The doctor is delighted with my progress and I've graduated from a cast to a "boot" which can be removed for bathing and sleeping -- still non-weightbearing for at least another month.  


The care I've received at UCSF is nothing short of first class.


Here are a few photos --
#1 -- cast being removed (note the saw -- imagine it 2 mm from your skin...),
#2 -- foot -- can hardly see the incision
#3 -- Luz (wielder of the saw -- great job)
#4 -- Photo of Physician Assistant, X-ray of my foot (see 3 screws), and Doctor)
#5 -- New boot.

Day 24 -- Market Hall

Grocery shopping.

Day 22 - PM -- on my own in a wheelchair

The Friday reunion started out as a tailgate party -- not ideal for gliding (kneeling scooter) or balancing (crutches) -- so I asked Bob to drop me off at nearby Santana Row shopping center -- (pretty crafty, huh?)  Of course, I had credit cards and my IPhone -- just in case.  Au revoir, mon amour -- enjoy your reunion and I'll see you in a few hours.

I thought this was a perfect opportunity to see how "wheelchair accessible" this mall really was.   I explored the disabled restroom in the Hotel Valencia (great except the entrance door was heavy to open -- need lots of upper body strength), got a smoothie at Pinkberry (same problem with the entrance door), elevated my foot on the retaining wall for an hour or so (see photo), went to Borders (self-opening door -- thank goodness) and selected a perfectly accessible copy of "The Lost Symbol" (Dan Brown's new book).   The doors of several of the shops were closed, with no automatic opener -- definitely not disabled-friendly.  


This is a beautiful open-air mall (SJ's answer to Rodeo Drive) and they did a good job of eliminating as many curbs as possible.  I can't imagine what it was like before wheelchair-accessible ramps were installed.  I held my breath at the first intersection, but, then, I guess drivers are pretty careful around people with a bright white cast (with blue toenails) wheeling themselves around.  People were friendly -- even stopped the crowds so I could cross the sidewalk.  


I'm going to have Madonna-shoulders before this is done.

Day 22 - AM -- Deja vu

This was the first day of Bob's high school reunion -- a two day event.  Bob's sister, Becky, will join him tomorrow for the Saturday night festivities, but he asked if I would come along today -- if only for the ride.  We arrived in SJ early, had time on our hands, and decided to explore a bit.   Because we both attended college at SJSU, we started out the day on campus -- what changed, what didn't, how long we stood in line to register for classes, who put colored soapsuds in what fountain, what building was named after a favorite professor, long deceased -- you get the idea.  

Day 22 -- Do you know the way to San Jose?

Day 21 - Bien

Thank you for the blue toes!